Politics

Governor who calls opponents ‘lizard people’ now trying to pose as unity leader

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico will be featured alongside Utah Governor Spencer Cox in the next installment of the “Common Ground Forum,” a series organized by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute to promote civil dialogue and bipartisan cooperation. The event, scheduled for Tuesday and moderated by Steve Hayes of The Dispatch, aims to highlight strategies for bridging political divides and fostering civility in governance, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican.

According to a news release, the forum will explore “how bipartisan collaboration, mutual respect and the ability to navigate healthy conflict can strengthen American democracy.” The event touts Lujan Grisham and Cox as two leaders from “opposite sides of the aisle” who have allegedly found ways to work across political divides.

But the governor’s inclusion in such a forum has raised eyebrows, particularly given her repeated use of inflammatory language that has alienated both conservatives and members of her own party.

During a 2021 campaign event, Lujan Grisham mocked protesters critical of her policies—many of whom were supporters of President Donald Trump—by derisively calling them “QAnon lizard people.” She said, “I’m sorry that we picked the same location that the QAnon lizard people meeting was at,” a remark widely seen as ridiculing and dehumanizing constituents who disagreed with her pandemic mandates and political agenda.

Lujan Grisham has also dismissed criticisms from Republican lawmakers and conservative groups by labeling their concerns as “anti-science,” “dangerous,” or “extremist,” particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. In multiple interviews and press conferences, she painted political dissent as a threat to public safety, once saying opponents of her lockdown policies were “risking lives to make political points.”

Her language hasn’t been reserved solely for Republicans. In 2023, members of her own Democratic Party expressed frustration over her strong-armed approach to policy negotiations, with some describing her governing style as “combative” and “unilateral.” Tensions flared when she vetoed parts of legislation favored by progressive Democrats.

Adding to the irony of her participation in a civility-focused event, the governor triggered a national controversy in 2023 when she issued a temporary executive order suspending the right to carry firearms in public in Albuquerque, citing a public health emergency. The move was denounced across the political spectrum—including by members of her own party—as an unconstitutional overreach, prompting lawsuits and protests.

After the most recent legislative session, Lujan Grisham vetoed the most benign bills that passed both the state House and Senate unanimously to spite Democrats who did not fully carry out her agenda in the 60-day timeframe.

Just in the past few weeks, Lujan Grisham has taken to the airwaves to inflame and distort regarding issues surrounding Medicaid and illegal immigration, spreading blatant falsehoods about what congressional budget proposals will do and the state of the country’s border, which is now secure under President Trump, no thanks to her. 

While Utah Governor Spencer Cox will also speak at the event, his record, though often described as moderate (not very conservative at all despite his conservative state), has included the veto of a transgender sports bill, followed by later support for legislation limiting access to gender-specific spaces. However, criticism focuses on Lujan Grisham’s incongruous role in an event dedicated to civil discourse.

The governor’s idea of modeling “principled governance” and “bipartisan collaboration” may sound noble, but to many New Mexicans who have been the recipients of her incendiary rhetoric, it rings hollow.

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Wokera: NM taxpayers being forced to fund ‘queer,’ Israel-hating veggie farm

New Mexico’s Economic Development Department (EDD) has awarded $25,000 in taxpayer funding to an Albuquerque-based farming operation, Ashokra Farm, under the Local Economic Development Act (LEDA) program. But what at first glance appeared to be a minor example of questionable spending has become a window into the state’s support for increasingly radical and political causes.

According to a press release from EDD, Ashokra Farm was given the grant “to support agricultural and community-based initiatives,” and was praised for being a “culturally significant okra farm.” 

That descriptor alone raised eyebrows at the Rio Grande Foundation (RGF), a non-partisan research institute focused on limited government in New Mexico. “We thought it was a funny story involving a (relatively) small amount of wasteful spending,” RGF noted in a commentary, “until we were alerted to the Farm’s Facebook page.”

The farm, according to its own promotional materials and a profile in The Guardian, identifies as a “queer and people of color farm.” Its mission includes protecting people from “homophobia, transphobia, racism, and sexism.” While the rhetoric might appeal to progressive circles, critics argue that such identity-based messaging has little to do with economic development or agriculture, and even less with responsible use of public funds.

But the concerns go deeper than identity politics. On Ashokra Farm’s Facebook page, the farm posted a call to “boycott these companies in support of a FREE PALESTINE AND END TO THE GENOCIDE that is currently being funded by Israel and the United States.” The post goes on to name several agricultural firms with ties to Israel, calling for a boycott of companies allegedly connected to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).

In the current global context, where violent anti-Israel protests and campus takeovers have been dominating headlines, the farm’s stance reads not merely as political but explicitly partisan and inflammatory. 

The taxpayer-funded grant has thus become a flashpoint. “If you are concerned about your tax dollars going to radical causes like this,” RGF urged in its Errors of Enchantment post, “I’d recommend sharing this story with your local newspaper or TV station.”

The issue raises broader questions about how EDD evaluates grantees and whether ideological agendas are being subsidized by public money. The department is led by Secretary Rob Black, who can be contacted by concerned citizens at rob.black@edd.nm.gov.

This incident follows mounting criticism of the Lujan Grisham administration’s selective funding of politically aligned organizations under the guise of economic development. The grant to Ashokra Farm highlights what some see as a growing trend of activist causes being quietly bankrolled by taxpayers.

As New Mexico approaches the 2026 gubernatorial election, voters may increasingly demand greater accountability over how economic development dollars are allocated—and whether they’re being used to support agriculture or activism.

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Summer is coming—and so are higher PNM rates under NM’s Green New Deal

New Mexico residents served by Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) will soon pay more for electricity, following the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission (PRC) approval of a phased rate increase. As reported by KOAT News 7, the average residential customer will see their monthly bill rise by $6.23, split between two increases—one in July 2025 and another in April 2026.

PNM says the rate hikes are necessary to support infrastructure upgrades and meet the demands of New Mexico’s state-imposed energy mandates. “This outcome ensures we can continue investing in the infrastructure and technologies necessary to meet our customers’ needs and support New Mexico’s clean energy future,” said Don Tarry, PNM’s president and CEO. “We are grateful to the other parties who worked with us to reach a fair settlement.”

The rising costs are directly tied to the state’s Energy Transition Act (ETA)—legislation passed in 2019 and signed into law by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham. The ETA mandates that New Mexico’s utilities shift to 50% renewable electricity by 2030 and 100% carbon-free generation by 2045. As a result, utilities like PNM have shuttered affordable baseload power sources, such as coal-fired plants like the San Juan Generating Station, and replaced them with higher-cost solar, wind, and battery storage infrastructure.

These new technologies require substantial upfront investment, which PNM is now possibly recouping through customer rate increases. The costs of building new transmission lines, acquiring battery storage systems, and integrating intermittent power sources have added billions to utility budgets—burdens that are now being passed on to ratepayers.

According to filings with the PRC, utilities are justifying rate hikes by using them to fund capital investments in renewable resources and “grid modernization.” But for many New Mexicans, this green energy push has translated into growing monthly expenses, even as the reliability of the electric grid faces new challenges.

The Energy Transition Act also allows utilities to recover costs through a mechanism known as “securitization,” in which utilities are allowed to issue bonds backed by ratepayer obligations. This financial structure was promoted as a way to lower the cost of transition, but in practice, it has contributed to long-term repayment obligations that lock consumers into decades of higher bills.

In effect, New Mexico’s attempt to implement its version of the “Green New Deal” is coming at a steep price. While PNM and the state tout environmental progress, ratepayers are being forced to fund the transition, regardless of whether they can afford it.

To make matters worse, during the 2025 Legislative Session, Democrats passed legislation that would also permit utilities to have socialist rate structures for low-income consumers to have low rates that middle-class and higher-income New Mexicans would be forced to pay with higher rates, further increasing the cost of utilities in the state.

The first PNM rate hike will hit in July 2025, offering New Mexicans an unwelcome reminder of how state-mandated energy policy directly impacts their pocketbooks. For PNM rate information, click here.

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Marijuana kingpin plots $2M GOP bid for New Mexico governorship

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Duke Rodriguez, the 67-year-old president and CEO of Ultra Health, is contemplating a Republican bid for New Mexico governor in 2026. While widely recognized for leading the state’s largest cannabis company, Rodriguez is keen to highlight his extensive experience in healthcare and public administration as he evaluates a potential campaign.

“I’m not hiding the fact [that] I’m developing this conversation. It’s a real, honest possibility,” Rodriguez stated, expressing over 90% confidence in joining the race. He has engaged in discussions with national Republican groups and local GOP officials to assess the viability of his candidacy. 

Rodriguez emphasizes that his interest in the governorship stems from a desire to effect meaningful change rather than personal ambition. “This is sincere. I don’t need the title,” he remarked, underscoring his commitment to public service.

Courtesy Portrait of Duke Rodriguez

Before founding Ultra Health in 2010, Rodriguez served as secretary of New Mexico’s Human Services Department under former Governor Gary Johnson and held a senior executive role at Lovelace Health System. His professional background also includes experience in the pharmaceutical industry.

Rodriguez is prepared to invest $2 million of his own funds into a gubernatorial campaign, contingent upon his confidence in securing a majority vote. “We see Republicans get to 45, 46% in general elections. I have to know I can get to 50% plus one,” he stated.

His policy priorities include reforming and stabilizing Medicaid and public pension programs. Rodriguez advocates for stronger Medicaid verification and eligibility requirements, particularly concerning non-citizens, to ensure responsible allocation of resources.

In the Republican field, Rodriguez would join Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull, who has officially declared his candidacy. Other potential GOP contenders include retired state Supreme Court Justice Judith Nakamura and former Lieutenant Governor under former Gov. Susana Martinez, John Sanchez. 

On the Democratic side, the race features prominent figures such as former U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman. Former Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima is expected to announce his candidacy on May 27, while Lieutenant Governor Howie Morales is also considering a run.

Rodriguez’s potential candidacy brings a unique perspective to the gubernatorial race, blending his experience in healthcare administration, public service, and the cannabis industry. He plans to make a final decision regarding his campaign by September 2025.

As the 2026 election approaches, New Mexico voters can anticipate a dynamic and multifaceted contest, with candidates from diverse backgrounds vying to lead the state into the future.

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Democrat lawmaker demands taxpayer-funded salary after trashing public funds

New Mexico State Rep. Micaela Lara Cadena (D-Mesilla), best known this session for squandering public funds on a one-line constituent letter and burning bridges with her own party, is now blaming her embarrassing performance on one thing: the lack of a paycheck.

In a stunning display of entitlement, Cadena, who chose to send taxpayers a single sentence reading “The people of New Mexico deserve better” as her only official communication after the session, says it’s all because the legislature doesn’t provide her a cushy, taxpayer-funded salary.

At one point during the session, Cadena (who has the lowest attendance record of any legislator) angered House Democrats so much that she drove home during the legislative session and abandoned constituents on key votes due to her temper tantrum. Her latest antics, including attacks on legislators of both parties, could very well cost her a vice-chair seat on the House Taxation and Revenue Committee. It also would not be surprising if the Democrat Party fields a candidate to primary challenge her in the 2026 election, if she decides to run.

“Who we send to Santa Fe does not represent the incredible depth and diversity and insight and expertise of families across our state,” Cadena complained to KRQE News, arguing that only the “powerful, wealthy, or retired” can afford to serve in New Mexico’s citizen legislature. But critics say that’s just a cover for her lackluster work ethic and political ambition.

Her one-liner letter came after weeks of alienating her Democratic colleagues and voting against key legislation supported by her own party. Rather than owning up to her decisions, she’s playing the victim and lobbying for a paycheck, turning the ideal of public service into a career track.

“That body, in my perspective and insight, does not represent the New Mexicans that I try to show up for every day,” she added, even as she failed to do just that. Ironically, her own actions—minimal constituent engagement, burning political goodwill, and spending public money for essentially nothing—are the very example of what New Mexicans don’t want from their representatives.

State Rep. John Block (R-Alamogordo), the editor of the Piñon Post, wrote in response to her letter, “Honestly, shame on her. The taxpayers fund these letters, and she wasted it by writing one single line — a line, mind you,  that FALLS ENTIRELY ON THE DEMOCRAT PARTY WHO HAVE BEEN IN POWER FOR NEARLY A CENTURY — because she’s lazy and didn’t want to write a REAL letter, like I did to my constituents,” sharing photos of his robust correspondence to those he represents in contrast to hers.

Rep. Angelica Rubio, another Democrat who backed the failed legislative salaries push, co-sponsored HJR 18 and SJR 1 this year. Both bills aimed to add legislative pay in a state that has proudly maintained a volunteer legislature since its founding. Their efforts failed, with SJR 1 not even making it to a hearing in the Senate Finance Committee.

Democratic Sen. George Muñoz (D-Gallup), who chairs the committee, pushed back strongly on the idea. “I see a wide variety of people there. I see teachers who have jobs that leave the schools for 60 days. I see non-profit organizations that have people that are elected, I see retirees, I see ranchers,” Muñoz said. He argued that paying lawmakers wouldn’t enhance representation—it would attract people looking for a paycheck, not those looking to serve.

“Now, will it open it up to an array of people? Sure it will,” Muñoz said. “It will get people running for a job, and it will not be for service to the state or for service to their constituents.”

That statement hits especially close to home for Cadena and Rubio, who seem more focused on padding their resumes than doing the people’s work. Their push to transform the Roundhouse into a salaried political class undercuts the very spirit of citizen government, replacing service with self-interest.

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MLG uses national TV spot to spread strange border lies and Medicaid panic

In a revealing interview on CBS’s Face the Nation Sunday, lame duck far-left Democrat New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham doubled down on failed progressive policies while lobbing partisan attacks at Republicans, defending a bloated Medicaid system, and criticizing common-sense border security initiatives championed by popular President Donald Trump.

Grisham, who governs the state with the highest Medicaid enrollment per capita, railed against proposed Republican Medicaid reforms, calling them a “disaster” and accusing conservatives of wanting to “destroy health care as we know it.” Despite acknowledging that over 70% of her state’s Medicaid budget comes from federal funds, she offered no realistic plan for sustainability—only vague assurances that New Mexico would “do everything they can” to fill the gap.

In a fearmongering tirade, Grisham claimed that rolling back Medicaid would result in hospital closures, higher maternal mortality, and even child deaths, stating, “People will die. Children will die.” This doomsday rhetoric ignored the legitimate fiscal concerns of a rapidly growing Medicaid system that critics argue has become bloated, wasteful, and riddled with fraud.

Rather than consider accountability or reform, the governor shifted blame and evoked the name of her Republican predecessor, Susana Martinez, accusing her administration of gutting behavioral health services during a recession—an assertion that oversimplifies a complex financial crisis the state faced at the time.

Grisham’s comments also took aim at the Trump administration’s newly declared National Defense Area along the New Mexico-Mexico border, a move aimed at cracking down on illegal crossings and enhancing national security. The governor dismissed the military’s involvement in securing the border as “disconcerting,” bizarrely likening the display of American tanks to constitutional violations.

She further insisted that immigration enforcement efforts—particularly ICE raids—are a larger concern than actual illegal border crossings, which she falsely claimed are at “the lowest” levels in years, despite record surges and mass releases under the Biden administration.

“I don’t think it is,” Grisham said when asked if the new military-secured zone helped address illegal immigration. Instead, she offered vague calls for more asylum access, suggesting that border policy should not “just be doing that to South Africans,” a non-sequitur that confused even some viewers.

The governor’s tone-deaf interview highlights how out of step she remains with voters who want secure borders, responsible governance, and fiscal reform, not more fearmongering, excuses, and ideological obstruction.

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Hundreds of criminal aliens arrested after storming military borderlands in NM

 In a powerful reinforcement of President Trump’s no-nonsense border security policies, federal authorities have arrested another 209 criminal aliens who illegally crossed into the United States through a newly established restricted military zone in southern New Mexico. These individuals, instead of simply facing illegal entry charges, are now subject to enhanced legal consequences under Trump-era regulations, specifically for trespassing on a designated military defense area.

The arrests occurred last week along the U.S.-Mexico border, where the U.S. Department of the Interior transferred over 109,000 acres of federal land to the U.S. Army, including a crucial 60-foot-wide corridor in Doña Ana, Luna, and Hidalgo counties. This transfer enabled the Secretary of the Army to formally declare the territory the New Mexico National Defense Area, securing it against illegal infiltration.

Soldiers assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border conduct nighttime operations in an Army Stryker at the southern border near Deming, N.M., May 3, 2025. Credit: Army Spc. Michael Graff.

This national defense designation, initiated during the Trump administration’s aggressive crackdown on border violations, means criminal aliens crossing into this region can now face two additional misdemeanor charges: violating a security regulation and unauthorized entry onto military property. Each charge carries up to 18 months of incarceration on top of the standard immigration offenses.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Mexico strongly defended the charges. “Most aliens who enter the District of New Mexico from Mexico through an area that is not a designated port of entry… and thereby enter the (restricted military area) without authorization — are not ‘engaged in apparently innocent conduct,’” federal prosecutors wrote in a May 5 filing.

Assistant federal public defender Amanda Skinner criticized the new charges, claiming in a court brief that they were “unsupported by probable cause” and “an attempt to strike a foul blow against undocumented immigrants.” But Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Gregory Wormuth rejected her motion to dismiss the charges, moving the cases forward.

The federal government is clear: intent and signage visibility are not required to prosecute. In its filings, the government stated, “If an illegal alien enters the U.S. from Mexico without going through a designated port of entry and knows that such conduct is unlawful, then he or she has violated the military regulation.” This includes those who may not have physically seen warning signs or known they were crossing into military-controlled land.

Currently, approximately 199 warning signs have been posted along the 180-mile stretch of borderland designated as restricted, with the government working to install more. Officials note that the rough, desert terrain makes placing signage difficult, but maintain that placement has been “conspicuous and appropriate.”

An affidavit from a public defender investigator noted that signs were spaced every 200 to 300 feet and sometimes stood more than 60 feet from the wall. Still, the government’s position remains firm: illegal entry is illegal, regardless of how clearly marked the area may seem to the intruder.

As cases pile up—roughly 300 recent charges now include the military trespassing offense—President Trump’s legacy of tough border enforcement continues to pay dividends. While critics cry foul over the harsh consequences, the administration’s policy leaves no ambiguity: the sovereignty of the United States will be protected, and the use of federal lands to bolster national security is both lawful and necessary.

In an age of rampant border lawlessness under previous administrations, this strategic militarization of high-traffic border areas is a potent reminder that American borders must be enforced—and that under strong leadership, they will be.

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Major election integrity win: Rio Rancho rejects attempt to scrap local voter ID

In a decisive move Thursday night, the Rio Rancho City Council voted against a controversial proposal that would have eliminated the city’s long-standing voter ID requirement for local elections. Mayor Gregg Hull praised the decision as a victory for election integrity and local control. After the 3-3 failed vote, audience members could be heard clapping and celebrating on the council’s webcast.

The ordinance, known as Ordinance 13, sought to bring Rio Rancho’s municipal elections under the umbrella of the state’s election system—a move that would have scrapped the city’s voter ID requirement in favor of state-managed rules. Proponents argued the change could save taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars by consolidating elections with the November cycle. However, critics warned it would weaken safeguards designed to ensure that only eligible voters cast ballots in city elections.

Mayor Hull, who recused himself from deliberations due to his gubernatorial campaign, issued a forceful statement following the council’s vote. “I am pleased that the Council voted to maintain control of our local elections,” Hull said. “It’s a shame that the legislature and the Secretary of State put our City and our Council in the impossible position to decide between the safety and security of our elections or to protect the hard-earned dollars of our taxpayers.”

Hull’s opposition to state-led municipal election mandates isn’t new. In 2017, as chairman of the New Mexico Mayors Caucus, he publicly opposed House Bill 174, which attempted to centralize local election oversight at the state level. “Local elections should be free from government overreach,” Hull reiterated in his statement. “I am thrilled that we are preserving voter intent by securing Voter ID and safeguarding our right to operate our city elections.”

But while an editorial from the Rio Rancho Observer supported moving elections to November to alleviate these costs, the editorial expressed alarm over parts of Ordinance 13 that would have extended the terms of several elected officials by nearly two years, without voter approval. “It leaves the residents of the city without a voice in who their elected representatives are for 21 months,” the editorial warned. The publication called on the council to revise the ordinance to hold elections in November 2025, rather than extending current terms through 2027 and 2029.

Despite the debate over timing and costs, Mayor Hull made clear that voter ID is a non-negotiable safeguard for the city’s elections. “If elected Governor in 2026, I will prioritize passing statewide Voter ID laws that protect legally registered voters and the integrity of our elections, while allowing municipalities to govern their own election laws and processes,” Hull pledged.

The rejection of the ordinance marks a rare rebuke of state influence over local election procedures. “Today we witnessed the amount of power Santa Fe will wield to get what they want, only this time they failed to meet the moment,” Hull said. “Rio Rancho continues to be a beacon of hope, of common sense, and a city that answers only to the people who call it home.”

Rio Rancho voters can be assured that their elections will remain under local control, and their voter ID protections intact.

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DOGE panel: Chaos erupts as Stansbury shouts over Greene in wild trans tirade

In a chaotic display of political theater, Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), the ranking member of the DOGE Subcommittee, was gavelled down by Chairwoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) after launching into a rambling tirade defending extremist transgender ideology during a congressional hearing Wednesday.

The hearing, meant to investigate alarming instances of government waste, fraud, and abuse—including how taxpayer dollars are funneled through radical gender ideology programs—was repeatedly hijacked by Democrats attempting to derail the proceedings with irrelevant political grandstanding.

“And with that, I recognize Ms. Stansbury to defend all the trans,” Greene said dryly, setting the stage for what turned into a bizarre and embarrassing spectacle. Before Stansbury could begin, Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) interrupted with a failed point of order, accusing Greene of improperly running the committee—a tactic that ultimately fell flat as Greene overruled it.

But what followed was even more absurd. Stansbury, seemingly uninterested in discussing the actual topic of government mismanagement, launched into a nearly five-minute rant accusing Republicans of “bullying trans kids” and bizarrely suggesting that the committee had been created to “do Elon Musk’s bidding.”

“This is not an oversight hearing,” Stansbury declared dismissively. “They’re bullying trans kids. They’re talking about things that have absolutely nothing to do with government oversight.”

As witnesses—including women’s rights activists—testified about the devastating impacts of biological males competing in women’s sports, Stansbury tried to reframe the hearing as an attack on “transgender” individuals, ignoring the real victims: the women and girls injured and sidelined by unfair competition.

When her allotted time expired, Greene politely reminded her: “The gentle lady’s time has expired.” But Stansbury refused to yield, continuing to shout over the chair and attempting to pose further questions to Fatima Goss Graves of the far-left National Women’s Law Center, who was there defending transgender inclusion in women’s spaces.

“You took a minute of my time, wasting my time on a non-point of order. The gentle lady’s time has expired,” Greene reiterated firmly, as Stansbury ignored the gavel and continued grandstanding. “We stand with the LGBTQ+ community, and you can gavel me until the cows come home and it won’t stop it!” she yelled, as Greene had to repeatedly pound the gavel to restore order.

The embarrassing episode exposed the dangerous lengths far-left politicians like Stansbury are willing to go to defend radical gender ideology—even at the expense of women’s safety and fairness. While the committee was focused on exposing how public funds are misused under the guise of “diversity and inclusion,” Stansbury treated the hearing as a stage for partisan theatrics, trivializing the concerns of women injured in sports and the taxpayers footing the bill.

As the hearing continued, Democrats persisted in their efforts to distract and delay, but Greene remained steadfast, ensuring witnesses could testify about how taxpayer dollars are being weaponized to promote extremist ideologies at the expense of everyday Americans.

For Rep. Stansbury, however, the day ended not with a legislative victory, but with an embarrassing spectacle—and the unmistakable sound of the chairman’s gavel silencing her failed political stunt.

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Bondi touts ‘weapon of mass destruction’ seized in NM as record US drug bust

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Tuesday, standing alongside U.S. Attorney for New Mexico Ryan Ellison, that law enforcement has achieved one of the largest fentanyl seizures ever recorded in the United States, uncovering 409 kilograms of fentanyl pills and an additional 11.5 kilograms of fentanyl powder.

Alongside the fentanyl, authorities also confiscated 35 kilograms of methamphetamine, 7.5 kilograms of cocaine, 4.5 kilograms of heroin, $5 million in cash, and 49 firearms—including rifles and pistols. Sixteen individuals, including three women, were arrested in connection with the operation. Bondi noted that six of the male suspects are in the country illegally.

The alleged leader of the trafficking network, identified as Alberto Salazar Amaya, is reportedly a high-ranking operative of the notorious Sinaloa Cartel. According to Bondi, Amaya had been residing in Salem, Oregon, while orchestrating drug distribution across Albuquerque, New Mexico; Phoenix, Arizona; and several areas in Utah.

“We’re very proud to announce today a historic Sinaloa Cartel arrest, and it marks the most significant victory in our nation’s fight against fentanyl and drug trafficking to date,” Bondi declared during a press conference in Washington, D.C. “This multi-agency operation, led by the DEA alongside our local, state, tribal, and federal partners, targeted one of the largest and most dangerous drug trafficking and foreign terrorist organizations in our country.”

Bondi highlighted the sheer magnitude of the bust, noting that the DEA seized approximately 3 million fentanyl pills—describing it as “the largest seizure in our nation’s history.” She explained that the pills had been pressed to resemble oxycodone tablets and were found in various dosages.

Visuals at the press conference included posters displaying the seized firearms and mugshots of the defendants. Bondi commended the DEA agents involved, emphasizing the risks they face daily in the effort to dismantle drug trafficking networks.

She described fentanyl as a “weapon of mass destruction” and issued a stark warning to drug dealers: “When we catch you like all of these individuals, if convicted, we will put you behind bars. There will be no negotiating, and we will lock you up for as long as humanly possible,” she said. “We will not negotiate with those who are killing our family members, including brothers, sisters, daughters, sons, parents, friends, everyone in this room.”

Bondi also made it clear she has no plans to deport the undocumented suspects. “The amount of drugs, the amount of money, the amount of weapons most of these individuals [had], if convicted, will remain in American prisons. Perhaps Alcatraz,” she added.

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