Politics

75% of Xochitl Torres Small’s 3rd Quarter campaign funds came from out-of-state, $544k from DC alone

On Friday, initial Federal Election Commission numbers for Quarter Three (Q3) were published, and Rep. Xochitl Torres Small from New Mexico’s Second Congressional District raised approximately $2.4 million, with a vast majority of contributions coming from out-of-state. mostly out-of-state donations. 

Out-of-state contributions made up 75.65% of Torres Small’s Q3, with  $1,833,143.25, and in-state contributions only made up $590,109.60 or 24.35%. $380,761.27 came from California, $184,266.58 from New York, and $544,441.03 from Washington, D.C., and $73,195.27 from Illinois. 

PAC donations made up $644,285.69 of Torres Small’s Q3 war chest. Approximately $45,000 came from professors and university staff, including over $2,500 from Yale University professors, $1,200 from Harvard University professors, $500 from Stanford University staff, and $250 from Cornell University staff. Attorneys made up $117,240.59 of Torres Small’s Q3 donations, while those with the title of “consultant” made up $47,738.32.

The “Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee” gave Torres Small  $7,700 in Q3 contributions, pro-abortion group Planned Parenthood topped off their previous donations, adding $578.46, pro-abortion group NARAL donated  $4,559.56 and EMILY’s List pro-abortion group gave $72,364.49. Radical pro-abortion groups Environmental Defense Fund and League of Conservation Voters donated $2,000 and $1,500 respectively. 

Support from other Democrats’ congressional funds also poured into Torres Small’s campaign account. 

During Torres Small’s campaign, she has stressed in her multiple advertisements her “New Mexico Values,” but her campaign contributions paint another picture, with mainly elite out-of-state donors funding her campaign, many of them being D.C. lawyers, Harvard and Yale professors, and dark money groups, such as EMILY’s List, which has dumped hundreds of thousands of dollars in Torres Small’s coffers.

In contrast, Torres Small’s opponent, Republican Yvette Herrell, raised $1,066,205.32 according to initial Q3 filings, with $451,093, or 42.3% of donations originating in the state, nearly double that of Torres Small. Herrell got help from conservative Republican Texas U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, whose victory committee gave her $73,200, the pro-life group Susan B. Anthonly List with $5,000, the pro-gun National Rifle Association of America Victory Fund with $5,000, and $5,000 from conservative Republican Rep. Jim Jordan’s House Freedom Fund to name a few. 

The final FEC reports are not available to the public yet, but this article will be updated with the total numbers once they are accessible.

Ronchetti outraises Luján in 3rd Quarter

On Friday, Republican U.S. Senate nominee Mark Ronchetti announced that his campaign had outraised Democrat nominee Ben Ray Luján in the third fundraising quarter.

Ronchetti’s campaign said in a presser that the Albuquerque Republican “raised more money in the 3rd Quarter than Ben Ray Lujan’s out-of-state funded campaign. Ronchetti’s campaign raised 85% of their Q3 funds from New Mexico, while Ben Ray only raised 25% of his Q3 funds from New Mexico. Despite their out-of-state money flow, the Lujan campaign raised less money than the Ronchetti campaign in Q3.” 

“I’m proud of our campaign focusing on New Mexico and humbled by the support that has poured in from across our state,” said Ronchetti. “I’m running to put New Mexico first, not special interests from D.C. and California.”

“Mark outraising 12-year Congressman Lujan and his out-of-state money [show] the power of the people of New Mexico. Mark is continuing to put the people of New Mexico over the politics of D.C., with 85% of campaign donations coming from New Mexican donors,” said Ronchetti’s Campaign Manager, Jeff Glassburner. 

“Meanwhile, only 25% of Ben Ray Lujan’s money in the third quarter came from New Mexico. Mark is running a grassroots campaign on the issues important to the people of New Mexico, while Ben Ray’s campaign is funded by out-of-state liberals and continues to rake in special interest D.C. PAC money.”

According to the filings on the Federal Election Commission (FEC) website, Ronchetti raised $1.8 million and Luján raised $1.59 million in Q3.

Ronchetti’s fundraising numbers were bolstered by $44,000 in conduit contributions from the National Republican Senatorial Committee, $4,950 from the pro-gun National Rifle Association of America Political Victory Fund, $5,000 from former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee’s “Huck PAC,” and other issue-based groups. 

Luján’s contributors include the pro-abortion groups NARAL and Washington Women for Choice, who gave $250 and $5,000 respectively, the pro-“Green New Deal” League of Conservation Voters with $3,650, and billionaire Tom Steyer with $2,800.

Freshman Rep. Deb Haaland running for No. 6 Democrat leadership spot in 117th Congress

On Thursday, Roll Call announced that Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives would be holding leadership elections for their party roles on November 18-19, following the November 3 election.

Since current U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján is running for the U.S. Senate, his “Assistant Speaker” position is up for grabs, and many Democrats are vying for it. Current Democratic Caucus Vice Chairwoman Katherine M. Clark of Massachusetts, Democratic Policy and Communications Committee Chairman David Cicilline of Rhode Island, and Congressional Hispanic Caucus BOLD PAC Chairman Tony Cárdenas of California are all competing for the spot.

Since Clark is running for Luján’s position, she will be vacating her No. 6 caucus vice chair spot. Pete Aguilar of California, Robin Kelly of Illinois, and New Mexico’s very own first-term Rep. Deb Haaland are running for the seat, despite only sitting in the U.S. House for one short two-year term.

Previously, Haaland was considering the run for the vice-chair position but had not made up her mind. Now, it’s official. Her greatest challenger in the race will likely be Rep. Aguilar, who held the spot in the 115th Congress before being beaten for the post in the 116th Congress by Rep. Katherine M. Clark. The top three Democrats, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer and Majority Whip James E. Clyburn, are running uncontested for another term.

Haaland’s move to run for the leadership position signals that she is confident in her re-election campaign, despite a competitive contest with Republican challenger Michelle Garcia Holmes, who just debated Haaland last week. 

During the debate, Haaland made multiple misleading or false statements, most notably about her support for Antifa, her “bipartisan” work in Congress, and her voting record. The fact-check can be found here

Haaland supports socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Green New Deal, a fracking ban, abortion up-to-birth, open borders, seizure of many privately owned firearms, among other far-left proposals. 

Anarchists desecrate Cross of the Martyrs in Santa Fe

On Wednesday, citizens of Santa Fe began posting on Facebook photographs showing the Cross of the Martyrs in Santa Fe had been desecrated, with the words “LAND BACK” emblazoned with spray paint on the stone next to the cross. The cross was built to honor the legacy of 21 Franciscan friars who were brutally murdered during Popé’s rebellion in the 1680 Pueblo Revolt. During the bloody revolt, a total of 400 people were killed.

Thomas Baca Gutierrez, a former President of the Caballeros De Vargas wrote on Facebook with a photograph of the vandalism, “It’s time to stand up and fight for our religion and culture. These people are causing genocide to the Hispanic community and our religion. The Red Nation and Three sister collective are hate groups and should be labeled as such.” 

Amber Espinoza-Trujillo, wife of former Santa Fe City Councilor Ron Trujillo wrote on Facebook, “After Councilor Renee Villarael and Mayor Alan Webber opened the Floodgates of Hate! Now many police are allowed to be guarding the Plaza? Ya paque? You already allowed the destruction! Now the Cross of the Martyrs has been tagged twice.” 

Vincent Torres of the Family Policy Alliance of New Mexico wrote on his timeline, “Deeply saddened to see this beautiful place — where I gather monthly with Hispanic, Native American, and Caucasian pastors — vandalized. Paint cannot, however, eradicate our unity or keep us from faithfully praying over Santa Fe and reclaiming it as the ‘City of Holy Faith.’ We clean up and we keep praying.” 

The memorial’s desecration comes days after the obelisk sitting in the heart of the Santa Fe Plaza had been toppled on Christopher Columbus Day by anarchists, while the Santa Fe Police Department allowed the destruction. Mayor Alan Webber and Police Chief Andrew Padilla defended their inaction, with Padilla saying, “The monument, yes, it’s historical, but it’s an object.” 

The apparent free reign granted by Padilla and Webber to destroy property most likely led to the vandalism of the Cross of the Martyrs, possibly initiated by radical groups The Three Sisters and The Red Nation, which have lauded the desecration of public property in the past. 

Webber has not yet released a statement on the Cross of the Martyrs desecration, however, on Wednesday the Santa Fe City Council “resolved to move forward with plans for a commission to examine long-standing inequities in the community and the history of colonization in Northern New Mexico,” according to the Santa Fe New Mexican

The landmark has repeatedly been vandalized over the years, usually on Indian Market Weekend. A Change.org petition has been started to remove Mayor Webber for “disregard towards Santa Fe and it’s rich history by his actions in office.”

Bipartisan ethics panel letter: State Sen. Steinborn ‘very likely’ engaged in sexual harassment

In May of 2018, a lobbyist for Animal Protection of New Mexico (APNM), Laura Bonar, accused then-New Mexico state Rep. Carl Trujillo, a Santa Fe area legislator of sexual harassment. In her open letter sent to the press, she alleged that Trujillo touched her inappropriately. Trujillo vehemently denied the allegations. 

The letter dropped during the 2018 Democratic primary election, where a staunch abortion advocate, Andrea Romero, was challenging the more moderate Rep. Trujillo for the seat. 

Directly after Bonar’s public letter hit, the Democrat Party of New Mexico blasted Trujillo, with Chairwoman Marg Ellison saying, “We’re very disappointed that Rep. Trujillo’s initial response is to accuse the victim of lies.” 

Julianna Koob, a lobbyist for Planned Parenthood Votes New Mexico, allegedly organized hundreds of phone calls made to voters in the district spreading the accusations. Jessica Johnson and Elizabeth Jennings of APNM also spread these accusations in their respective capacities. 

Despite any formal investigation request submission by Bonar, the claims prompted Democrat Speaker of the House Brian Egolf to begin an inquiry by the Legislative Ethics Subcommittee. 

The Subcommittee took up the seemingly politically motivated case. However, by the time the matter came before the body, Bonar’s accusations had sunk Trujillo’s re-election bid, handing the Democratic nomination to Romero. 

Trujillo offered to provide whatever necessary information and documentation to the Subcommittee to clear his name, including taking a lie detector test and submitting any documentary evidence requested to resolve the matter. The Subcommittee did a thorough investigation, which yielded a 43-page report.

The attorney hired on-contract by the Legislative Council Service to oversee the process. Tom Hnasko has represented Speaker of the House Brian Egolf before. He has also donated to Egolf’s “Brian Egolf Speaker Fund.” According to the Subcommittee, Hnasco engaged in possible “unethical” conduct by not bringing forth testimony revealing other potential misconduct by another legislator in front of the panel. 

The Subcommittee later cleared Trujillo of all wrongdoing after Bonar refused to testify under oath to the claims and “broadly objected to producing records and information directly relevant to her claims of sexual harassment against Representative Trujillo.”

Now, according to a February 26, 2019 letter obtained by the Piñon Post, during the time of the inquiry into Rep. Trujillo, the Subcommittee unearthed another possible instance of sexual harassment against Ms. Bonar, this time a different legislator who “very likely engaged in” the sexual act.

During the depositions of Elizabeth Jennings, executive director of APNM and Animal Protection Voters (APV), Daniel Abram, human resources director for APNM, and Ms. Bonar herself, the Legislative Ethics Subcommittee found that then-state Rep., now-state Sen. Jeff Steinborn (D-Las Cruces), had allegedly engaged in an incident of sexual harassment “sometime in 2014,” where Steinborn was said to have grabbed Ms. Bonar’s face in a hallway.

The details from Ms. Bonar’s June 7, 2018 deposition by Tom Hnasko read as follows: 

Pages 45 – 47:

“[I] was standing in the hallway, outside a committee room, and a legislator came out of the bathroom” — “he gave me a hug, someone I know” — “He put his hand on my face and just sort of held my face. It was a really weird, uncomfortable moment. I was cornered, and he just kind of kept saying my name and looking at me.” 

“Q. Abusive, right? 

“A. …This other legislator, yes, I mean, he’s in a position of power—the way it happened in front of other people, other people that thought something was going on. It was… . I had disgusting comments made to me by staff. 

Page 49:

“[It] felt abusive” (the holding of the face) and “the impact on me was extremely negative.” 

Ms. Elizabeth Jennings’ November 5, 2018 deposition by Rep. Trujillo’s attorney reads as follows:

Page 66

“Q. (By Mr. Loman [attorney for Mr. Trujillo]) Well, let me ask you, was there some other incident of sexual harassment that was going on around the same time that Mr. Abram would have been taking notes for? [Mr. Abram is the human resources director for APNM]

“A. Laura did say something else about another incident, and it was unrelated to the Carl Trujillo incident.

Page 67: 

“Q. She reported that she was sexually harassed by another person? 

“A. Yes.

“Q. Another legislator? 

“A. Yes.

“Q. Okay. Was that during this March 16th Meeting? 

“A. Yes.

“Q. Okay. And who was that? What did she tell you?

“A. I’d prefer not to answer that.

“Q. Okay. Based on what?

“A. It’s not my story to tell.

“Q. Okay. What was it that she told you, then?

“A. I’d prefer not to answer that.

“Q. Okay, so at some point around the same time Laura told you that she was sexually harassed by another legislator, and you’re refusing to tell me what she told you and who the legislator was; is that true? Do I have all that correct? 

“A. I’d prefer not to answer, yes.” 

Page 69:

“Q. [by Mr. Loman] …Okay. Whatever this other incident was, with whomever it was, why did Ms. Bonar write an open letter about Carl Trujillo this year and not about this other person? 

“A. I don’t know.

“Q. Okay. has Ms. Bonar ever told you about any other incidents where she felt like she was sexually harassed in any other way than what we’ve talked about with Carl Trujillo and whatever’s redacted here?

“A. No. I don’t remember anything else. 

“Q. Okay, when did this other incident occur? What year?

“A. I don’t know.

“Q. [Referring to a note being consulted during the deposition] Over on the side — and I’m going to reach across and point it out to you–I can make out 2014 in that bit that’s redacted [but still legible]. Was she telling you this happened–the other incident occurred in 2014? 

“A. I don’t know, but certainly it’s plausible since there’s a date there. I honestly don’t remember.

“Q. Okay. Then going down, we have more notes that are not redacted. It says, “Most concerned about Carl,” and it says here, “Was not interested in an apology.” So now we’re talking about multiple incidents.”

Mr. Abram’s notes regarding the matter read as follows:

“Steinborn INCIDENT

“2014

“Steinborn outside house majority office

“15 to 20 lobbyists standing around

“Grabbed my face and kept saying my name

“‘did that in front of other people intentionally to make them feel something was going on between us’

“I wanted to talk to Steinborn and say ‘that really wasn’t cool’

“Did not end up doing that [-] still during session & got the feeling it wouldn’t be perceived as helpful to our work”

The letter from the members of the Legislative Ethics Subcommittee reads:

“Taken together, these statements indicate that Ms. Bonar communicated to Elizabeth Jennings and/or Daniel Abram that she [Bonar] was sexually harassed by Representative Steinborn sometime in 2014.”

The depositions were included in the document, signed by seven of the eight legislators on the Subcommittee, excluding Rep. Joanne Ferrary (D-Las Cruces), recommending further action be taken to investigate the allegations against Steinborn. 

The Subcommittee then recommended: 

The above material was redacted and withheld from the Subcommittee, presumably at Mr. Hnasko’s or Legislative Council Service’s direction. 

Concerned about the references in the depositions to a sexual harassment incident involving a legislator named “Jeff” and the “Steinborn INCIDENT” heading in Mr. Abram’s notes, several Subcommittee members exercised due diligence and requested an opportunity to see the original, unredacted transcript of Laura Bonar interview. The members who viewed the transcript at Legislative Council Service were not allowed to have or make a copy of the Bonar interview, so one member took brief notes. The material cited above is thus approximate, not precisely verbatim. There appears to be a discrepancy about the “Steinborn incident”—e.g., whether it happened outside a committee room or outside the majority office. Perhaps there were multiple episodes? 

Under all of the circumstances outlined above, we believe we have an obligation not to ignore the testimony of Elizabeth Jennings, Daniel Abram, and Laura Bonar. We recommend that the Legislative Council Service begin the process of investigating the Jeff Steinborn incident. We further recommend that the LCS not involve Mr. Tom Hnasko in this inquiry, as his decision to withhold certain information from the Subcommittee is problematic and was possibly unethical. 

The legislators who responded to the Piñon Post’s request for comment declined to opine on the letter itself, citing state statute. 

One legislator wrote, “As much as I would like to answer your questions, I am afraid I am not at liberty to do so.  The law ‘prohibits [a] subcommittee and its staff from disclosing any information relating to [an] investigation’ (as per Raul Burciaga, Director, Legislative Council Service). I have a solemn duty of confidentiality and must abide by it.”

The New Mexico House and Senate leadership (with Republican members outnumbered 3:2) held a split vote, which resulted in no further action being taken on the case on a party-line vote. This has been confirmed by multiple sources involved in the leadership vote, and it was indeed split, not unanimous. One legislator involved in the vote disclosed that the motion “did not have sufficient support to move forward.”

Although there are depositions, notes, and other evidence obtained during the initial Legislative Ethics Subcommittee inquiry into Steinborn’s potential involvement in sexual harassment against Bonar, her attorney, Levi Monagle, told the Piñon Post that Bonar contends she was only harassed by Rep. Trujillo and another legislator, who she did not name, but has since passed away.

Ms. Bonar’s attorney provided us with the following statement:

While Laura and many other lobbyists, staffers, legislators and citizens have had encounters at the Roundhouse that were inappropriate or unsettling in one way or another, Laura can (and does) authoritatively state that she was never sexually harassed by Jeff Steinborn. There was an incident discussed in the prior investigations where Laura was sexually harassed by another legislator besides Carl Trujillo, but that legislator was not Jeff Steinborn. That legislator is deceased, and Laura has no interest in speaking ill of the dead.

In 2018, Laura and her coworkers at APVNM took a strong stance against sexual harassment at the Roundhouse. Insofar as Carl Trujillo was a staunch supporter of the animal protection cause, Laura and her coworkers took their stance against their organization’s own political interests. They took a brave and principled stand knowing that they would suffer consequences for it – and they did indeed suffer consequences for it. Standing up to Carl Trujillo was a very difficult chapter for Laura and her coworkers and they are not interested in rehashing it.

When requesting clarity on the statement, Ms. Bonar’s attorney replied, “Ms. Bonar is stating that Jeff Steinborn never sexually harassed her in any way.”

The documentation from the depositions all appears to point to the same incident, where then-Rep. Jeff Steinborn allegedly grabbed Ms. Bonar’s face in a hallway. Although Ms. Bonar contends that the perpetrator is now deceased, questions still remain as to why Jeff Steinborn’s name was written in Mr. Abram’s notes–the same notes that detail a similar incident recounted in Ms. Bonar’s 2018 deposition.

In November, Sen. Jeff Steinborn is up for re-election, facing off against Republican nominee Kimberly Skaggs in the 36th Senate District. He has been rated as an “Animal Protection Champion” by Animal Protection Voters as recently as 2019. Steinborn has not yet returned the Piñon Post’s requests for comment.

UPDATE: October 15, 2020, 7:00 P.M. MST: Senator Steinborn provided the Piñon Post with the following statement, as well as a letter he received from the Legislative Ethics Subcommittee regarding their dismissal of the previous recommendation.

I have great respect for the professional boundaries that must be maintained by all people. I firmly believe that women deserve to be heard and that reports of misconduct should be taken seriously and investigated by the appropriate parties. 

I can say, unequivocally, that I have not sexually harassed anyone. I appreciate Ms. Bonar immediately releasing a statement through her attorney stating that “Jeff Steinborn never sexually harassed her [Ms. Bonar] in any way.” Ms. Bonar’s statement confirmed the results of an independent investigation, conducted by outside counsel, and unanimously approved by the bi-partisan Senate leadership, that no further investigation or action was needed. 

It is disappointing that a serious issue like this be deliberately mischaracterized and distorted by political operatives for the sake of a headline.

Editor’s Note: The Piñon Post is proud of our objective reporting on this matter of legitimate public concern. Before publication, all parties involved were afforded multiple opportunities to provide comments. Those who did provide comments had their statements published in their entirety. Through this report, we are glad to have provided New Mexicans with a greater understanding of the situation to let them form conclusions based on the facts, not political rhetoric.

Santa Fe mayor, police chief defend their response after allowing anarchists to topple plaza obelisk

On Tuesday, Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber and his police Chief Andrew Padilla responded to the anger from citizens that the Santa Fe Police Department refused to defend the obelisk, which violent anarchists toppled down, causing likely tens of thousands of dollars in damage to the federal landmark.

The obelisk, which has stood in the heart of New Mexico’s Capitol city since 1868 was erected to honor Union Army soldiers who fought against slavery — however, on Columbus Day, domestic terrorists toppled the statue, claiming to stand up for “indigenous” rights. They also claimed the land which the obelisk stood on was “stolen land” from the Tewa Native American people. 

Despite one kerfuffle with the anarchists where two men were arrested, the Santa Fe Police Department was nowhere to be found as they allowed the group of around 50 rioters to destroy the historic landmark. 

Webber defended the Police Department’s decision to “stand down” and allow the riot, saying, “The choice to not incite more violence was the correct one.”

“The city was unaware the peaceful demonstration by Native American activists and supporters in observance of Indigenous Peoples Day would turn disruptive and that some demonstrators were ‘well prepared and well rehearsed with equipment and material to tear down the obelisk,’ the mayor added,” Webber said, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican.

“The monument, yes, it’s historical, but it’s an object,” said Chief Padilla.

Padilla said that Santa Fe Police, in conjunction with the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office, New Mexico State Police, and the FBI, are investigating the suspects who partook in the destruction and have been involved in criminal activity. 

The Three Sisters Collective, a radical group closely aligned with the anti-Hispanic hate group “The Red Nation” initiated the event on the plaza, which ultimately led to the toppling of the 152-year-old historical landmark. Previously, the group applauded vandalism of the obelisk in June, writing, “With regard to the graffiti written on the obelisk, although uncomfortable for some, the vandalism of this object pales in comparison to hate crimes against Indigenous, Black and Brown people.” There is ample evidence of the perpetrators, with some even live-streaming the whole debacle, such as the below video:

Webber and his Police Chief’s response comes months after the Mayor has promised a “Truth and Reconciliation Commission” to have conversations about taking down monuments. However, there has been no legitimate action taken, which has allowed terrorists to take matters into their own hands and rip down the historic landmarks. 

Watch the full press conference below: 

Police nowhere to be found as anarchists topple downtown Santa Fe obelisk

On Monday, which is also Columbus Day in the United States, violent anarchists took to the obelisk in downtown Santa Fe, successfully ripping down the spire on top of the historic monument in the heart of the Capitol city with ropes and chains. While destroying the top of the obelisk, anarchists screamed, “Take it down! Take it down! Take it down!” The obelisk was first erected in 1866.

The vandals, presumably with the groups “The Red Nation” and “Three Sisters Collective,” engaged in the vandalism. These groups claim to support “queer indigenous feminism” and “Marxism.” One person on top of the monument said, “Monuments cause psychological, emotional, and spiritual damage.” 

“Where’s the gasoline? That sh*t should burn,” another anarchist said.

Others placed posters reading “Land Back” at the top of the obelisk, while some defaced the side panels of the monument with electric drills. Others put red paint on their hands and left handprints on what was left of the historic object.

Participants sang, “No more stolen sisters” repeatedly while some climbed on the top of the monument to pose for photos with the then-toppled historic monument. 

Police were nowhere to be found, despite the destruction of property. The Santa Fe Police Department may be refusing to respond to the illegal activity under to left-wing Mayor Alan Webber’s directive. He has partnered with The Three Sisters and The Red Nation in the past.

According to the live video shared by Amy Elizah Lindquist, police were already “arresting” people at the protest, but left after more anarchists swarmed the scene. Video appears to confirm that account.

One person took to the stage at the Santa Fe Plaza, saying Mayor Webber is “afraid of indigenous women,” and saying, “We’re coming for you Mayor Webber!” Webber previously removed a statue of Don Diego de Vargas, New Mexico’s first governor, from Cathedral Park, which has angered many across the state. 

On Sunday evening, Mayor Alan Webber asked the protesters via a press release to, “come down off the obelisk” to have a conversation about statues, monuments, histories, and cultures.

Fact-checking Deb Haaland during KOAT 7 debate with Michelle Garcia Holmes

On Sunday, Democrat Rep. Deb Haaland and Republican challenger Michelle Garcia Holmes came together on KOAT Channel 7 for a candidate debate. Garcia Holmes highlighted her long career in Law Enforcement and at the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office. Haaland focused more on her “progressive” policies she has championed while in Congress while slamming President Trump for what she perceived as a “lack of leadership.” 

Haaland made some claims that the Piñon Post fact-checked. Here are some of the major misrepresentations and untruths of the night:

Haaland working in “a bipartisan way.” 

Haaland claims she has worked “tirelessly” and in a “bipartisan way” in the areas of healthcare, the economy, and the environment. However, Haaland votes 95% of the time with socialist Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), 96% of the time with Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), and 96% of the time with Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI). She also branded President Trump a “dictator,” which does not exactly paint a picture of “bipartisanship.”

Haaland claims Antifa/Black Lives Matter protesters removed from Lafayette Park were “peaceful.” 

Haaland claimed that “President Trump, uh, uh, broke up a peaceful protest — and it was peaceful — in Lafayette Park with teargas. And uh, Sad to say, uh, Park, National Park Police abusing, uh, the media, the journalists who were there.” 

However, the “peaceful protesters,” who spoke to the media, revealed in their own words the “peaceful” nature of their protest.

According to the Washington Examiner:

The “peaceful protester” in question had been atop the maintenance structure in Lafayette Square the night before and was among those who set it on fire, he said. In fact, being shot by the rubber bullets of riot-clad park policemen and other law enforcement agents excited him enough to make him want to burn everything down, including the White House itself.

“Why did they shoot you off the roof?” I asked.

“We were giving it to them good,” he laughed. “Bricks, rocks, bottles — they decided to get us back.”

It all sounded like good fun: the rioting, the vandalizing of revered public monuments, the smashing of windows, the burning, the looting — exactly what you’d do on a dull Sunday night during lockdown after you’ve seen everything there is to see on Netflix.

The Examiner concluded that these “peaceful” protests were “anything but peaceful.” 

Haaland’s support for Antifa

Haaland claimed, “I have never said that I supported Antifa. I have never said that Antifa was a peaceful, uh, organization.” However, that is not what she said in August of 2019 when she called an Antifa mob in the “progressive” city of Portland, Oregon, “folks who are the peaceful protesters working to safeguard their city.” Haaland did, indeed call the organization peaceful, despite Antifa terrorists pepper-spraying counter-protesters in the face and throwing hammers at them as they drove by. Some Antifa terrorists tried to pry open doors on a bus, while the passengers had to stave off their attacks. One man was beaten unconscious. 

Read more about it here. 

Haaland claims she has “never missed a vote”

Garcia Holmes challenged Haaland on the time she spent while in Congress campaigning for Elizabeth Warren’s failed presidential campaign. To that, Haaland claimed, “I have been at every single vote, I have been at every single committee meeting.” However, according to the government watchdog group GovTrack, Haaland had missed ten votes while in the House of Representatives, which is not “every single vote.” 

Read more about it here.

Haaland claims Trump called COVID-19 a “Democratic hoax.” 

Haaland, while answering a question about President Trump’s coronavirus response, claimed the President called COVID-19 a “Democratic hoax,” which an independent fact-checker, FactCheck.org, proved was taken out-of-context and a misrepresentation of the President’s words. 

FactCheck.org writes: 

“Trump did use the word ‘hoax’ but his full comments, and subsequent explanation, make clear he was talking about Democratic attacks on his administration’s handling of the outbreak, not the virus itself.”

Haaland also claimed the President “doesn’t really have a plan for COVID,” However, Garcia Holmes highlighted the President’s fast-tracking of the production of ventilators, providing critical PPE to states, closing off travel from China, among other measures, which clearly displayed the President’s leadership during COVID-19. 

Read more about it here

These are just some of the most egregious fact-checkable statements made by Haaland in the KOAT 7 debate. Last week, Michelle Garcia Holmes had a five-minute slot on KOB 4 since Haaland “did not agree to participate in a debate.” 

Gov. Lujan Grisham’s gargantuan flip-flop on fossil fuels

In October of 2019, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham told New Mexicans that she supports the oil and natural gas industry, giving a glowing review of the industry. She said, “I could spend well longer than 30 minutes telling you about the benefits of what’s going on in the state of New Mexico because of what’s going on in the oil and gas industry — opportunities that we haven’t seen, ever” at an event for the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association. According to the Las Cruces Sun-News, Lujan Grisham gave her “professed her full-throttled support for the oil sector” during the speech.

During her 2018 campaign, Lujan Grisham took well over $198,480 from the oil and gas sector and took tens of thousands of oil and gas dollars during her previous runs for U.S. Congress, making her contribution total add up to $230,430, according to the government watchdog group FollowTheMoney.org.  

However, the Governor’s actions in office, as well as her recent statements paint a quite different picture, saying during a forum with the U.S. Climate Alliance that “we need to transition out of fossil fuels,” which goes in direct opposition to her previous statements. She also claimed that the oil and natural gas industry “fully embrace” the idea of “climate change.” 

As well, during her reign as Governor, she signed into law the most radical state-wide “climate change” policy, dubbed as the “Mini” Green New Deal, or the “Energy Transition Act.” the 2019 Act will which will ban all oil production by 2045, which will not fare well for the fossil fuels and energy industry in the Land of Enchantment.

“For a Governor who squandered a surplus of over a billion dollars to call for the end of the state’s largest revenue source is nothing short of mind-boggling. In the past, the Governor has voiced her support for the oil and gas industry, but she tells a much different story to her radical environmental supporters. New Mexicans deserve to know if she’s lying to them or lying to us,” said Larry Behrens of Power The Future.

Disgraced NM House candidate used charity donor list to solicit campaign cash, lied about tax lien

Roger Montoya, a disgraced New Mexico state House District 40 candidate, admitted this week to performing in multiple pornographic films in the 1980s after the Piñon Post first reported on it last week.

Now, Montoya faces more questions about his ethics, particularly regarding his tactics to raise money for his New Mexico House bid. According to a former donor to the non-profit 501(c)(3) charity he co-founded and is currently the “Artistic Director” for, Moving Arts Española, Montoya appears to have been soliciting political campaign contributions from donors to Moving Arts Española.

The former donor, Larry Sonntag of Albuquerque, said Montoya contacted him at his home on July 30th, 2020, thanking him for a $400 donation to his campaign, which Sonntag explained that it must have been a mistake.

In a later August 3, 2020 call, Sonntag said that Montoya “had confirmed a contribution from me and my wife to his campaign. I told him that was not true and he then acknowledge[d] the charity donor list may have been used.”

The transcript of the call is as follows:

Montoya: You and your wife did contribute to the campaign. I think it was $400 in the primary. I’m confused. 

Sonntag: No, You’re saying we gave $400 to your political campaign? 

Montoya: Yes.


Sonntag: Okay, well yeah, I need to see that because that is not accurate. 

Montoya: Okay, well, maybe there’s a crossover somehow, which is unfortunate because this is the kind of thing that needs to not happen, and that could be on us. 

Sonntag: Well, that’s why I’m calling because we have given money to Moving Arts Espanñola.

Montoya: Right, and so there may be a confusion there in the lists is what you’re getting at.

Sonntag: I am, and that’s a problem because there should be no confusion between a charitable donation list and your campaign list.

Montoya: Yes, I hear you loud and clear. 

A subsequent email from Montoya to Sonntag confirms that Montoya used his charitable 501(c)(3) donor list to solicit funds for his political campaign. 

The email reads as follows:

 “Our records show that your contribution of $100 was received on 05-30-2017 to Moving Arts Española, a 501c3 charitable organization. 

I want to apologize for the delay in clarifying the unfortunate mistake we made in listing your name on a potential donor list for my 2020 political campaign for State House District 40. My interns projected an ask amount of $400 and that explains the mixup and the call I made to you.

I assure you that this list has been corrected, that funds in your name were not used in my political campaign which began in March 2020, and no reporting has been made to that end. Also, please know you have been removed from my potential donor campaign list.” 

The news did not sit well with Sonntag, who said, “Using a donation to his charitable organization as an invitation to seek a political campaign donation is not only unethical, mixing charity and political work is contrary to federal and state laws governing charities being involved in a political campaign.” 

“A complaint has been filed against Moving Arts Espanola/Roger Montoya with the IRS and NM Attorney General’s Office who regulates charities in NM based on a 501c3 charity being involved in a political campaign,” Sonntag said. 

The IRS complaint was filed by Sonntag on September 15, 2020, specifying in the nature of the violation that Moving Arts Española “is involved in a political campaign.” The complaint with New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas’ office was also filed on September 15, 2020. Sonntag acknowledged that the information he submitted is “true and accurate to the best of [his] knowledge during the process of filing the complaints.” 

Sonntag also says he “contacted the President of the Board of Directors, Steve Cox, for Moving Arts Espanola, [gave] him the complaint, and he determined that Roger Montoya had done nothing wrong according to their donor relations protocol.” 

Sonntag commented, “What if the mega-churches in ABQ started using their donor list to solicit campaign contributions for members of their church who are running for office?  The fact that Moving Arts Española is okay with Roger Montoya doing this stuns me. They are a great organization, doing great work and shouldn’t have anyone, not even the founder of the charity, muddying the lines between charity and politics.”

No known action has been taken by the Attorney General’s office or the U.S. Treasury Department on the matter. 

Tax Lien 

According to an Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA) request from the New Mexico Department of Taxation and Revenue, Montoya appears to have lied on a candidate survey from the Albuquerque Journal claiming he had never been subject to any state or federal tax liens. He responded, “No” to the following question in the questionnaire: 

Have you or your business, if you are a business owner, ever been the subject of any state or federal tax liens?

However, a document provided by the New Mexico Department of Taxation and Revenue paints a different picture. According to the document, on January 16, 2019, Montoya had paid off a tax lien for an undisclosed amount filed on November 6, 2017. 

The official state documents do not add up to the answer Montoya gave on the Albuquerque Journal questionnaire. 

The multiple very recent instances of unethical and likely illegal activities by Montoya give more insight into the candidate’s moral compass and raise questions as to why he has not disclosed to the press accurate information and why he has solicited donations from lists of charitable donors to his tax-exempt non-profit organization. These revelations also help further paint a picture of how Montoya has evolved from the time he did pornography in the 1980s up until this point. 

Montoya’s campaign was contacted on multiple occasions for comment but has not yet responded to the Piñon Post’s requests. This report will be updated if Mr. Montoya wishes to provide a statement.

Note: all documents have been redacted of private information, such as contact numbers and addresses as well as personal identification numbers to protect the privacy of Mr. Montoya and Mr. Sonntag. 

Scroll to Top