Politics

Republicans out in full force at Navajo Nation parade

5 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

During the 76th Annual Navajo Nation Fair, taking place in Window Rock, Arizona, Republicans came out in full force to support 45th President Donald Trump, New Mexico’s U.S. Senate candidate Nella Domenici, who is challenging Martin Heinrich, and other Republicans with a float and signs at the parade.

Many Republicans walked in the parade, showing vast support from Navajo voters. The Navajo Nation occupies land in northeastern Arizona, northwestern New Mexico, and southeastern Utah. 

Attendees of the parade carried Trump signs and even “Never Surrender” signs with the 45th President’s mugshot amid the sham criminal trials being pursued by far-left Democrat prosecutors abusing their authority.

Some attendees and their kids wore shoes that read, “Trump 2024,” showcasing the momentum Trump and the Republican Party as a whole have on the Navajo Nation as national polls show Democrat Kamala Harris trailing Trump. 

The most recent poll from the New York Times/Siena College released Sunday shows Trump leading Harris nationwide, suggesting a major win in swing states and possibly the popular vote.

In 2020, Donald Trump, Jr. campaigned for his father in the Navajo Nation, including being a guest on KNDN 960 AM, where he said, “The Navajos and the Native Americans as a whole are the original conservationists,” adding, “I know I am the son of a New York billionaire, but I don’t spend my time in the cocktail party circuit. I spend it in the great outdoors.”

“No Navajo child should have to leave the Navajo Nation to pursue the American dream,” said Don Jr. He also said the Trump Victory team and his team will have “staff on the ground throughout the campaign,” something many Republican candidates have not done in the Navajo Nation.

Maxeon Solar’s collapse threatens Lujan Grisham’s solar energy dream

26 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s expensive $600 million taxpayer-backed solar project continues to face growing concerns as Maxeon Solar, the company behind the initiative, announced disappointing financial projections for the third quarter of 2024. 

Maxeon, which was chosen to build a new solar manufacturing facility in Albuquerque, revealed it expects a “significant decline” in sales, and its stock has plummeted to just 9 cents per share. This development comes more than a year after Governor Lujan Grisham proudly touted Maxeon’s investment as a major win for New Mexico’s renewable energy sector.

In August 2023, the Governor celebrated Maxeon’s plans to establish a manufacturing hub, promising that the project would break ground by the first quarter of 2024. 

However, more than halfway through the year, construction on the facility has yet to begin, casting doubt on the viability of the project and the prudence of the state’s substantial financial backing of the initiative.

Critics argue that the Governor’s administration rushed through the approval process without adequately vetting the financial stability of Maxeon Solar. 

Larry Behrens, Communications Director for the pro-energy group Power The Future, expressed frustration at the lack of oversight. “New Mexico’s taxpayers should not be spending a single penny, which is about all Maxeon is worth these days, on this boondoggle,” Behrens stated. 

“It’s now even more clear that the Governor and her cronies who rushed this project through the approval process were so blinded by their agenda that they applied zero scrutiny. New Mexicans deserve better leaders than those who make bad deals and offer false promises.”

Power The Future, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting American energy workers, has been a vocal critic of the Governor’s renewable energy policies, arguing that they prioritize political optics over sound economic judgment. In addition to Governor Lujan Grisham, the project was initially celebrated by prominent New Mexico politicians including Senator Martin Heinrich, Congressman Gabe Vasquez, and Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury.

As Maxeon Solar struggles to meet its targets and deliver on its promises, New Mexico taxpayers are left questioning whether their investment in this project will yield any of the economic or environmental benefits that were originally promised.

Lujan Grisham breaking ground on $10M taxpayer-funded abortion center

43 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

Far-left Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham will be traveling to Las Cruces to mark the groundbreaking of a new taxpayer-funded abortion center, made possible by $10 million in taxpayer money rushed through the Legislature in 2023. 

The facility, located in Doña Ana County, is a key part of her administration’s response to the rising demand for abortion services following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. 

Since that ruling, states like Texas have enacted strict bans on abortion, pushing many out-of-state residents to seek services in New Mexico, where the procedure remains legal.

The $10 million allocated for the clinic was included in the 2023 capital outlay bill, which became a source of contention during the legislative session. 

The funding was rammed through the process, forcing bipartisan legislators to vote against the broader bill due to the inclusion of this particular expenditure. 

Many see the move as unnecessarily divisive, pointing to the fact that New Mexico already had several abortion facilities serving the area​, and the abortion mill will merely be Texas’ back-alley abortion facility. 

While Governor Lujan Grisham has positioned the new clinic as part of her broader commitment to “protecting women’s health,” which doesn’t actually do anything but end children’s lives, many New Mexicans see it as a misallocation of taxpayer dollars that will exacerbate tensions over abortion access in the region, while Texas has life-affirming laws in place. 

Judge rules NM officials, including SOS, discriminated against GOP group

4 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

A federal judge ruled that the Democrat New Mexico election officials and prosecutors discriminated against a Republican-aligned group by denying them access to voter registration data. 

The Friday decision prevents the state from withholding voter data from the Voter Reference Foundation, a group that aims to create a free database of registered voters to allow individuals and organizations to investigate potential irregularities or fraud.

New Mexico state prosecutors intend to appeal the decision, according to Lauren Rodriguez, spokesperson for the New Mexico Department of Justice.

Following the ruling, the VoteRef.com website, managed by the Voter Reference Foundation, reinstated New Mexico’s voter information to its database. The searchable database includes details such as street addresses, party affiliations, and voting participation. This has raised concerns among election officials and privacy advocates, who argue that such access could lead to voter intimidation or disenfranchisement, as people may choose to remove their registration to protect their private information.

However, U.S. District Court Judge James Browning found that New Mexico’s refusal to provide the data constituted discrimination based on viewpoint and a violation of free speech rights. He criticized the state for involving prosecutors in what should have been a straightforward public information matter.

The VoteRef.com database spans more than 32 states and the District of Columbia and is run by Gina Swoboda, chair of the Arizona Republican Party and a former organizer for Donald Trump’s 2020 reelection campaign in Arizona.

Judge Browning had previously ruled that New Mexico officials violated the National Voter Registration Act by not sharing voter rolls, despite a state law that limits the use of such data. The VoteRef.com site maintains confidentiality on whom individuals voted for and offers protections for victims of domestic violence or stalking. Additionally, more than 100 elected or appointed officials in New Mexico, both Democrats and Republicans, have their addresses shielded under a safety program created after a series of drive-by shootings targeting lawmakers’ homes in late 2022 and early 2023.

Keller drops big hint about his political future

15 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller, a far-left Democrat, has made it clear that he’s eyeing another term in office, stating his intention to remain in power to see through various projects. “It’s no secret I am planning on another term, but it’s to see this through,” Keller remarked on Thursday. 

He added, “I always say, like, 2027 is going to be a great year because all these projects I’ve been working on are going to be done, but I got to make sure I’m there to see it, so that’s what I’m thinking right now.”

Keller emphasized ongoing efforts to improve public safety and quality of life in Albuquerque, acknowledging that much remains to be done. However, critics might question whether these efforts have been as effective as Keller suggests, especially given the persistent issues the city faces.

The mayor also highlighted homelessness as a significant concern, pointing to initiatives like the Gateway Center, which currently shelters 900 people daily, as examples of supposed “progress. 

KOAT Political Expert Brian Sanderoff expressed little surprise at Keller’s announcement, noting that it’s common for politicians eyeing another term to stay fully engaged. “Oftentimes when a person decides he’s not going to run again, they start acting a little differently or be less engaged in the like or start thinking about other offices they might be considering,” Sanderoff observed.

Should Keller proceed with his plans, he would join a small group of Albuquerque mayors who have sought a third consecutive term. However, some residents may wonder if his prolonged far-left leadership is what the city truly needs or if fresh ideas and approaches are overdue.

Biden-Harris court fail a victory for women’s rights in many NM schools

6 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

The recent court rulings regarding Title IX have significant implications for New Mexico schools, particularly in light of the Biden-Harris administration’s controversial rules. These rules, which sought to expand supposed protections against “sex discrimination” to include “gender identity,” have faced righteous opposition from conservative groups who argue that they infringe upon parental rights and compromise the safety of women and girls.

In response, 26 Republican-led states, including several schools in New Mexico, have successfully challenged the implementation of these radical rules. Thanks to these court challenges, six schools in New Mexico—three colleges and three K-12 institutions—are now exempt from enforcing the new Title IX regulations. This number is expected to grow as more schools join the legal battle.

The Biden administration’s Title IX rules, which went into effect on August 1, have been particularly contentious due to their requirement that schools allow “transgender” students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that align with their “gender identity” and to participate in sports teams that match said chosen identity. 

Those who protect women’s rights argue that these policies jeopardize the privacy and safety of female students and create an unfair playing field in women’s sports, as evidenced in many sporting events, such as the Olympics, where women have been beaten to a pulp by biological men, in many cases, forcing them to forfeit.

Riley Gaines, a prominent women’s rights leader and former 12-time NCAA All-American athlete who was unfairly beaten by a biological man, visited New Mexico earlier this year to advocate for women’s rights.

The court’s decision to block the implementation of these rules at certain New Mexico schools is seen as a victory for those who believe that Title IX should protect the rights of women and girls as it was originally intended.

 The rulings mean that schools like New Mexico State University, Eastern New Mexico University’s Roswell campus, and Central New Mexico Community College will continue to operate under the 2020 Title IX rules established during the Trump administration, which did not include the expanded protections for “gender identity.”

Amid Heinrich’s lies, Domenici puts him on notice

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In a bold move against dishonest campaign tactics, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Nella Domenici has issued a cease and desist letter via her attorneys to her Democrat opponent, Sen. Martin Heinrich, accusing his campaign of disseminating false and defamatory information. The letter, sent on Friday, takes aim at a television advertisement produced by Heinrich’s campaign, which falsely asserts that Domenici supports a national abortion ban—an accusation Domenici vehemently denies.

The letter, addressed to Heinrich’s campaign manager, Brad Elkins, outlines the clear and consistent position Domenici has taken on the issue of abortion. According to the cease and desist letter, Domenici’s stance is widely publicized that she does not support a national abortion ban. This stance, prominently featured on her campaign website, is backed by her appearances in television commercials, public speeches, radio interviews, and articles in reputable news outlets.

Domenici’s legal team, led by attorney Anna Mackin, argues that Heinrich’s advertisement is not only false but also deliberately misleading, intended to deceive New Mexico voters as the November 2024 election approaches. “By disseminating false statements about Ms. Domenici’s position, Heinrich is misleading New Mexico voters and is contributing to the public’s skepticism about truth in the media,” Mackin wrote. The letter highlights that even Heinrich’s own campaign materials acknowledge Domenici’s opposition to a federal abortion ban, making the ad’s claims particularly egregious.

The letter also calls for Heinrich to cease airing the ad and any other misleading materials immediately and to issue a public apology to Domenici for what her campaign describes as an “intentional, malicious misrepresentation” of her views. Failure to comply, the letter warns, could result in legal action against Heinrich’s campaign for knowingly spreading false and defamatory information.

This is not the first time Heinrich’s campaign has been accused of employing dishonest tactics. Domenici’s letter references a previous incident where Heinrich was caught disseminating false information about her positions, drawing criticism from local media outlets. This latest incident, however, marks a significant escalation, with Domenici’s legal team formally challenging Heinrich’s campaign in a public and legal forum.

The letter underscores the importance of honesty and transparency in political advertising, especially on sensitive issues like abortion. Domenici’s campaign contends that such falsehoods not only damage the integrity of the electoral process but also contribute to voter cynicism and distrust. “New Mexico voters deserve the freedom to make informed decisions on Election Day,” Mackin stated, emphasizing that Heinrich’s shady tactics undermine this fundamental democratic principle.

As the November 2024 election draws nearer, the stakes are high for both candidates. Domenici, who has built her campaign on a platform of integrity and service, views Heinrich’s actions as a direct threat to the democratic process. Her response signals a willingness to fight back against what she perceives as underhanded tactics, setting the stage for a potentially contentious legal battle if Heinrich does not retract the ad.

Recent polls show Heinrich neck-and-neck with Domenici, likely triggering his campaign’s string of untrue, patently false ads against Domenici.

Starbucks under fire in Taos—literally! What’s sparking the outrage?

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After two incidents of arson at a Starbucks construction site in Taos, New Mexico, a determined developer is making another attempt to establish the town’s first drive-through location for the coffee giant. The small community of 6,500, known for its history of resistance to outside influences, has given the would-be Starbucks the moniker “Charbucks.” In response to the attacks, a construction firm from Albuquerque has bolstered security with video surveillance and an on-site guard stationed in a camouflaged trailer.

The planned Starbucks, which the company aims to open by the spring of 2025, has sparked a range of reactions among locals. Just a short distance away, patrons at World Cup, one of Taos’ oldest independent coffee shops, remain guarded in their comments. One local, Todd Lazar, expressed his thoughts, saying, “We don’t know who did it, but we loved it,” reflecting the sentiment that national chains like Starbucks are unwelcome intrusions into the town’s unique culture.

Opposition to Starbucks in Taos mirrors the criticisms the chain has faced globally, with detractors arguing that it threatens local businesses and drains money from communities. Stickers opposing the Starbucks, featuring the company’s mermaid logo engulfed in flames with the face replaced by La Calavera Catrina—a figure associated with Mexico’s Day of the Dead—have appeared on local businesses.

The site of the intended Starbucks has been marred by two fires, the first in August 2023, followed by another in October. The initial attack left the words “NO” (preceded by an expletive) spray-painted on the partially burned structure. 

Sylvia Rodriguez, an emerita professor of anthropology at the University of New Mexico, described Taos as a “dynamic and volatile contact zone,” reflecting the town’s complex cultural landscape and historical resistance to outside influence. Despite these challenges, the Taos town council has supported the Starbucks project, viewing it as a source of jobs and tax revenue. However, local business owners like Andrea Meyer argue that jobs aren’t the issue, but rather the lack of affordable housing that forces many workers out of the area.

Following the second arson attack, two or three national chains reconsidered their plans to set up shop in Taos, according to Christopher Larsen, the town’s economic development director. He noted that the prevailing sentiment is that “Taos doesn’t want corporate America.”

Starbucks, a wake corporation, has emphasized the safety of its employees as a top priority. While no injuries are reported from the fires, the company plans to work closely with local law enforcement once the store opens. The town has offered a $30,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the fires, but so far, no arrests have been made, though authorities believe they have identified suspects.

Pablo Flores, owner of the Coffee Apothecary in Taos, expressed a mix of dismay at the growing presence of national chains and condemnation of the violent actions against them. Flores urged those unhappy with Taos’ changes to simply not support such businesses rather than resort to destruction, emphasizing, “Don’t burn it down, that’s not cool.”

Texas Gov. Abbott’s plan to close the illegal immigration loophole through NM

21 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, has made curbing illegal immigration a top priority, and his efforts go beyond focusing solely on the southern border with Mexico. He is now turning his attention to preventing individuals who have crossed the U.S.-Mexico border from entering Texas through neighboring states, specifically New Mexico.

In an interview with NewsNation, Abbott highlighted a key concern: “There are people who cross from Mexico into New Mexico and then right over into El Paso, and that’s something we have to deal with.” To address this issue, Abbott has proposed constructing a fence along the Texas-New Mexico border, in addition to the razor wire and other barriers Texas has already installed along the Mexican border in places like Eagle Pass. These measures are part of his broader initiative, Operation Lone Star, aimed at tightening border security. However, Abbott’s border strategy has faced legal opposition, with the Biden administration arguing that Abbott is exceeding his legal authority.

Despite these legal challenges, Abbott remains steadfast in his goal of stopping illegal immigration. “Let’s assume Texas does succeed in reducing illegal immigration to zero percent into our state, which is our goal,” Abbott stated. “All those terrorists, all those murderers, all those rapists, they’re just going to go through New Mexico and Arizona and California.” Abbott’s stance underscores his belief that illegal immigration is a nationwide problem that cannot be solved by state efforts alone.

In terms of illegal immigration numbers, New Mexico faces its own unique challenges. According to data from the Department of Homeland Security, New Mexico has seen a significant number of border crossings in recent years, although the state’s overall border traffic is much lower than Texas or Arizona. 

Data from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) show that apprehensions in New Mexico fluctuate but remain a consistent concern for border officials. In fiscal year 2021, CBP reported over 200,000 migrant encounters in the El Paso sector, which includes southern New Mexico. 

Abbott has also pointed to an 85% decrease in border crossings as evidence of the effectiveness of his border security measures. However, he argues that this decline started before Joe Biden’s late actions aimed at deterring illegal immigration. “That was after Texas began our accelerated operations to deny illegal entry, using the guard, using the razor wire, using the pepper ball,” Abbott said, attributing the initial decrease to Texas’s enforcement efforts.

Ultimately, Abbott believes that the solution to the border crisis lies at the federal level, arguing that immigration reform can only be fully addressed by Congress, which refuses to act on H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act, which passed the House with bipartisan support. Democrats, who control the Senate, have refused to let it come before the chamber for a vote.

As illegal immigration continues to bludgeon Democrats, Kamala Harris has now come out in favor of the border wall along the southern border after previously claiming it is a waste of money. Far-left New Mexico Congressman Gabe Vasquez, a close ally of Harris and in a difficult reelection battle to keep his seat, which stretches across New Mexico’s entire southern border with Mexico, has attempted to come off strong on the border in recent months. However, he has previously called the border barrier “racist,” racist,” urged the Biden-Harris administration to “tear what’s left of it down,” and called it a “vanity project.”

“Gabe Vasquez and many of his fellow progressives just had the rug pulled out from under them by Kamala Harris after her abrupt flip-flop on the border. As a politician unable to think for himself, it won’t be surprising if he, too tries to change his anti-border security position. Even if he tries, Vasquez won’t be able to hide his lengthy pro-illegal immigration record from voters,” said the Congressional Leadership Fund’s Regional Press Secretary Maureen O’Toole.   

Sen. Martin Heinrich is also taking the heat for his open-borders stance, being extremely critical of the border wall, calling it a “symbol of hatred, fear, and intolerance.” He is polling within single digits of Republican U.S. Senate nominee Nella Domenici. 

New Mexico’s Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a far-left Democrat, and Vasquez ally, remains the only border state governor who has done nothing to curb the flow of human trafficking and fentanyl from across the border. Even Democrat Govs. Katie Hobbs of Arizona and Gavin Newsom of California have put state resources to help alleviate the humanitarian crisis on the border. 

Lujan Grisham hates walls so much that she even ran through a wall in a political ad during her gubernatorial run, labeling a strong border as “Trump’s wall.”

NM high court cites technicality to free murderer of 71-year-old disabled man

11 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

The New Mexico Supreme Court has overturned the conviction of Seig Isaac Chavez, a Las Vegas man who had been sentenced for the brutal 2019 murder of 71-year-old William Smith, a disabled elderly man. Chavez was originally found guilty of first-degree murder and tampering with evidence by a jury in 2022. Smith’s body was discovered in August 2019, bearing 24 stab wounds. Chavez’s conviction was overturned due to the improper admission of key evidence during his trial.

According to court records, a witness saw Smith getting into Chavez’s truck on the night of the murder, and investigators later found Smith’s blood inside Chavez’s vehicle as well as on his jacket. This evidence was used to build the prosecution’s case against Chavez, tying him directly to the crime.

During the trial, prosecutors introduced a jailhouse phone call between Chavez and his teenage son. This call, however, became the center of the New Mexico Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the conviction. The court found that the audio recording of the conversation should not have been admitted as evidence. In its opinion, the court noted that the call “significantly affected the verdicts.”

In the phone call, Chavez instructed his son that he was now the “man of the house” and had the responsibility to protect the family. He gave disturbing instructions, telling his son to stab anyone who got close to him or attempted to harm him, particularly instructing him to aim for the throat. Chavez also expressed his own belief that he would soon be imprisoned, saying, “Daddy’s going to prison,” as outlined in the Supreme Court’s decision.

The key issue, as the court pointed out, was that the phone call was not directly related to the murder of Smith but instead revealed Chavez’s propensity for violence. This evidence was deemed “highly inflammatory” by the justices and prejudiced the jury against Chavez. “The district court committed plain error by allowing the jury to hear evidence that was relevant only to Defendant’s propensity for violence. This evidence was highly inflammatory and deprived Defendant of a fair trial,” Justice C. Shannon Bacon wrote in the opinion.

The court’s decision to overturn the conviction hinged on the improper admission of this inflammatory evidence. The justices ruled that this error deprived Chavez of his right to a fair trial, leading to the decision to vacate his conviction.

Despite the overturned conviction, the court ruled that Chavez could be retried for the murder. This means the state has the option to pursue the case again, but without the tainted evidence that led to the initial conviction.

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