Politics

Two years after indictment, Stapleton’s corruption trial finally set for 2024

3 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

Two years after the indictment of disgraced former New Mexico House Majority Leader Sheryl Williams Stapleton (D-Albuquerque), a trial date was finally set for the 28 federal counts against the former top Democrat.

According to the Associated Press, the court date for the former high-ranking official is January 2, 2024, on charges of racketeering, money laundering, fraud, bribery, and tax evasion, among other allegations.

Stapleton’s house was raided in July 2021 after it was revealed she had been allegedly embezzling around $1 million from New Mexico’s taxpayers — specifically New Mexico’s Children through the Albuquerque Public Schools, where she used to work. She was fired from the cushy $ 79,000-per-year gig.

She later resigned from the New Mexico House of Representatives in disgrace.

The Piñon Post’s exclusive report uncovering her ties to other high-profile New Mexico Democrats has revealed Stapleton’s alleged graft has been going on for around 30 years, in tandem with Joseph Johnson, a shady former New Mexico secretary of health who also has previously been hit with bribery and fraud charges.

In 2011, Larry Barker of KRQE 13 News found that Stapleton “pocketed more than $100,000 — money she didn’t earn — from APS over the years while serving in the legislature. But instead of being punished or forced to pay it back, Superintendent Winston Brooks changed the rules for Stapleton.” Brooks dismissed Stapleton’s $167,000 worth of unauthorized leave from APS, saying, “What I did was I changed the employee handbook so that anyone can be a legislator in Santa Fe and be paid for it.” 

In 2018, former Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission executive director Kimberly Greene and former employees Cheryl Yazzie and Charles Countee pleaded guilty to fraud and embezzlement charges by creating phony state vouchers to heist over $67,700 from the Commission. According to Greene, she claims she “was coerced by [then]-House Minority Whip Sheryl Williams Stapleton, D-Albuquerque, to enter into a no-bid contract with eRead, an outside contractor for ACT/SAT program,” according to the New Mexico Political Report. However, Stapleton claimed, “I was never involved, never spoke to anybody about a no-bid contract.”

In November 2022, it was reported that Stapleton was not in custody as her corruption trial looms. 

EXCLUSIVE: Ex-NM cabinet secretary’s ties to Williams Stapleton expose other top Dems

Two years after indictment, Stapleton’s corruption trial finally set for 2024 Read More »

Redistricting group praises NM Supreme Court’s ruling in gerrymandering case

12 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

This week, the fully Democrat New Mexico Supreme Court dealt Democrats a shocking blow when it denied Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s appeal for the high court to strike a bipartisan lawsuit challenging the state’s extremely partisan congressional district gerrymander. That means the case can now be heard at the state district court level.

In 2021, the Democrats in the New Mexico Legislature rammed through maps that cut communities of interest in halves or thirds while creating snake-like districts that are clear of a partisan gerrymander. 

During the process, the Democrats gerrymandered the Second Congressional District, which swung the seat from favoring Republicans by 14 points to now favoring Democrats by four points, resulting in New Mexico’s only Republican congresswoman, Yvette Herrell, losing to far-left Democrat Gabe Vasquez, in 2022.

The nonprofit group that was heavily involved in the redistricting process, which the Democrat legislature subverted, Fair Districts New Mexico, applauded the state Supreme Court on its move.

“Some people are declaring yesterday’s decision a victory for New Mexico Republicans, who are challenging in court the state’s redrawn congressional map,” said Hannah Burling co-President of the League of Women Voters of New Mexico and Project Leader of Fair Districts for New Mexico. “But no one knows what the final decision on that question will be. Instead, yesterday’s decision is a victory for voters who believe the courts can – and must – protect voters’ constitutional rights by considering cases alleging partisan gerrymandering.”  

Heather Balas, Vice President of the Election Reformers Network, said, “New Mexico’s court rightly joins a growing number of other state supreme courts in holding what the U.S. Supreme Court once recognized and what every voter knows to be true: that extreme partisan gerrymandering is incompatible with democratic principles and causes constitutional harms. Such cases must be at least heard.” 

Mason Graham, Policy Director for Common Cause New Mexico noted that New Mexicans deserve a fair and transparent process for redistricting. “This process was flawed from the outset. When elected officials from either party meet in secret to manipulate maps and protect their political power, voters lose faith in our institutions and in democracy itself. In that way, gerrymandering harms us all. Ensuring the courts retain the power to protect the interests of voters is an essential safeguard.”

“As New Mexicans we are proud that on the day following Independence Day, the New Mexico Supreme Court affirmed the balance of power enshrined in our state constitution and respected by the U.S. Constitution. This is not a win for any political party; this is a victory for all New Mexicans.” 

The support for sending the case to the lower court to determine the case and the condemnation from all sides of the extreme partisan gerrymander by the New Mexico Democrats in the majority at the Legislature is a testament to the bipartisan groups and officials, such as Democrat Roswell Mayor Tim Jennings, in supporting fair districts. 

Redistricting group praises NM Supreme Court’s ruling in gerrymandering case Read More »

MLG’s 82% EV mandate comes as less than 1% of New Mexicans own EVs

28 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

Far-left Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is continuing her crusade against gas-powered cars in the name of “climate change,” with a recent announcement she wants to mandate 82 percent of all cars being sold in the state be electric vehicles by 2032, with a 43 percent threshold by 2027.

However, in New Mexico, a rural state that requires traveling long distances many times for citizens to go to work and purchase necessary goods, only 0.8 percent of residents own an EV as of May 31, 2023, according to the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department.

Larry Behrens of the pro-energy group Power The Future said, “This is a move that isn’t going to help rural New Mexicans and going to raise prices on all New Mexicans.”

“The average price for a brand-new EV is about [$61,488]. That’s considerably higher than the average four-door sedan, which runs about [$48,681], according to Kelley Blue Book. Tax credits and gas savings can save you money. However, it’s going to take a few years to make up a potential $20,000 difference,” Bloomberg reported.

EVs are also more expensive to maintain, repair, and insure. Lauren Fix of Car Coach Reports said to GOBankingRates, “Gas-powered vehicles cost less to repair if in a collision.” 

“The average cost of an electric car is 23% or more expensive because the car itself and its parts cost more to repair and replace,” she continued. “Totaling all factors in, an EV will set you back $71,770. A gas-powered car? $58,664. You will never make up the initial expense difference over the lifetime of your more expensive electric vehicle. Put another way, a gas-powered car will cost you $600 more a year to drive. But over an average of six years of owning an EV versus a gas car, the EV will set you back $13,000 more.”

The average range for an EV is also 250-500 miles — a deal-breaker for many New Mexicans who travel long distances. The longest-range EV is the 2023 Lucid Air, which has the capability of up to 516 miles, but it comes with a price tag of $139,650 for the base model, according to Car and Driver.

“Studies have shown that most of the people who buy electric vehicles have an annual income of over $150,000 a year,” Behrens said to KOAT 7.

The outlet’s report noted, “While electric vehicles make up less than 1% of cars, the data did show that about 4% of cars in New Mexico are hybrids.”

MLG’s 82% EV mandate comes as less than 1% of New Mexicans own EVs Read More »

NM Supreme Court lets GOP’s gerrymandering case proceed

14 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

On Wednesday, the New Mexico Supreme Court allowed the Republican Party of New Mexico’s (RPNM) challenge to gerrymandered maps drawn in 2021 to proceed, according to multiple reports.

RPNM is suing after Democrats rammed through extreme partisan gerrymandered maps last December that shifted the congressional map extremely in their favor. In the Second Congressional District, represented by GOP Rep. Yvette Herrell, the gerrymandering swung the seat from favoring Republicans by 14 points to now favoring Democrats by four points, according to FiveThirtyEight. That made Democrat Gabe Vasquez narrowly win the seat in the November 8 election.

The lawsuit claims Democrats illegally designed the new map to damage the reelection chances of the only Republican in the state’s congressional delegation, which now has proven to be an accurate assertion following the November 8 General Election.

The “drafters intentionally ‘cracked’ Republicans in southeastern New Mexico, thereby substantially diluting their votes,” the lawsuit alleges, adding that Democrats intentionally split communities of interest for political gain.

The Democrat-drawn map, which was originally made by the dark money George Soros-funded group the “Center for Civic Policy” (CCP), achieved the partisan gerrymander by plunging the Democrat-dominated South Valley of Albuquerque into the Second District while putting more conservative areas such as Hobbs and Roswell in the First and Third Congressional Districts.

In April, District Judge Fred Van Soelen of Clovis ruled it was too late to hear the case due to the approaching June 7, 2022, primary election. That has sent it to the state Supreme Court, which has taken the case. All five members of New Mexico’s fully Democrat Supreme Court either have been supported by Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who signed the maps into law, or were appointed by the governor. 

Other plaintiffs in the lawsuit include Roswell’s Democrat Mayor Tim Jennings, State Sen. David Gallegos (R-Eunice), and a group of Republican voters. 

The Democrats’ attorney, Holly Agajanian, representing Lujan Grisham, argued strangely against democracy while arguing in front of the Court. She said, “Just because something is considered anti-democratic doesn’t mean the court has to step in. And I know that doesn’t feel right based on what everything we think justice is. It feels funny for me to say that. But at the end of the day, the fact of the matter is that’s the case. Because in our system of government… These anti-democratic effects we see can only be remedied through the legislature.” 

Attorney for the plaintiffs, Daniel J. Gallegos, argued the maps drawn by the Democrat legislature are a “violation of the state’s equal protection clause,” citing the Legislature throwing out all the maps proposed by the Citizens Redistricting Committee and instead drawing their own hyper-partisan map.

The state Supreme Court ruling read that “that the verified petition for writ of superintending control is GRANTED with respect to Petitioners’ request that this Court provide the district court guidance for resolving a partisan gerrymandering claim” and that “the district court shall take all actions necessary to resolve this matter no later than October 1, 2023.”

In a writ of superintending control, the Court wrote, “a petition for writ of superintending control having been granted by this Court on July 5, 2023, and the Court being sufficiently informed and good cause appearing for the issuance of a writ of superintending control; NOW THEREFORE, you, Hon. Fred Van Soelen, are ordered to proceed in D-506-CV-2022-00041 in accordance with the order issued contemporaneously with this writ.”

NM Supreme Court lets GOP’s gerrymandering case proceed Read More »

Disturbing truth uncovered about Lujan Grisham’s abortion hotline: Report

24 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

According to an investigation by the pro-life group Abortion Free New Mexico (AFNM), Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s recently created “reproductive health” hotline through the New Mexico Department of Health appears to be doing as expected — pushing abortion and only abortion.

According to a recent KOB 4 report, “The governor’s spokesperson says the hotline is also meant to connect women with housing and transportation needs as well.”

AFNM noted, “​The representative that answered the call confirmed that she was with the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) and when the investigative caller tells her that she is [eight] weeks pregnant and calling for resources, the NMDOH representative immediately assumes that the caller wants an abortion.”

“When the investigative caller says she’s not sure if she wants an abortion or to keep the baby and asks if there are pregnancy resources, the NMDOH representative gives her phone numbers for pro-abortion groups, ‘All Options’ and ‘ReproCare.’ The representative then circles back and gives the caller all of the Albuquerque abortion centers names, addresses and phone numbers.”

The report continued, “The investigative caller then asks about other resources like maternity homes and housing during the pregnancy,” as previously mentioned were offered by Lujan Grisham’s office. “The investigator is told to call the New Mexico Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (NMRCRC) for housing information. However, upon calling the NMRCRC a recording instructs women to visit their website and fill out their Abortion Fund Application.”

However, according to the NMRCRC website, the group is solely an organization aiding women in obtaining abortions and nothing else. “UNLESS YOU ARE SEEKING ASSISTANCE OBTAINING AN ABORTION, PLEASE DO NOT CALL OUR PATIENT HELPLINE,” the website reads in bold letters.

When the AFNM caller asked the NMDOH hotline about prenatal care and parenting classes, “and was told that all hospitals provide those instead of referring to life-affirming organizations like CareNet that provide free parenting classes outside of a hospital setting.”

Listen to the full audio via AFNM:

Abortion Free New Mexico’s Tara Shaver wrote in response to the revelations from the call, “​​It is misleading and downright dishonest for the Governor to state that the NM Reproductive Health Hotline is comprehensive. This couldn’t be further from the truth. During the investigation conducted by Abortion Free New Mexico, the New Mexico Department of Health representative had to research housing on the spot and only referred to domestic violence shelters and a radical group that ONLY helps women obtain abortions.”

Last year, there were 11,000 abortions committed in New Mexico, with most of those (6,000) being done on out-of-state women. Abortion up to birth with no restrictions or protections is legal in the state. 

Lujan Grisham’s new abortion hotline cloaked in secrecy

Disturbing truth uncovered about Lujan Grisham’s abortion hotline: Report Read More »

Lujan Grisham reveals her plan to mandate EVs, hike gas prices

34 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

In her latest act to reach her so-called “climate change” goals, far-left Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham wants to mandate that nearly half of all cars sold in New Mexico be electric vehicles by 2027 (43 percent), she announced on Monday.

The proposed mandate would make the percentage increase to 82 percent by 2032.

The average cost of an electric vehicle is $64,000, while the average cost of a new vehicle in the U.S. is $48,000 — which is 33 percent higher for an electric vehicle.

She wrote on Twitter, “Today I promised to enact advanced Clean Car & Truck rules to expand consumer vehicle options, combat climate change and improve air quality. This is how NM continues to be a #climate leader.”

Although the plan was not released Monday, the Albuquerque Journal noted the final rule should be finalized by Friday. It reported, “Under the proposal, automakers would also have the option of buying credits from other companies to help meet the 43% requirement for 2027 electric vehicles.”

Also on Monday, the governor demanded the state Legislature pass the extremist “clean fuel standard,” which would hike gas prices by over 50 cents per gallon, according to estimates. The bill has died three years in a row and is unlikely to get through with the makeup of the current New Mexico House and Senate. 

Larry Behrens of the pro-energy group Power The Future wrote of Lujan Grisham’s proposal, “This is another misguided proposal that begs the question if the governor’s electric vehicles are so popular,” adding, “why does she have to force them on us? These arbitrary goals with arbitrary deadlines have real consequences as the cost of vehicles rises on New Mexico’s families.”

Lujan Grisham reveals her plan to mandate EVs, hike gas prices Read More »

Chevron, largest acreage owner in the Permian, selling its NM, TX land

16 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

According to a Reuters report, Chevron is selling its Texas and New Mexico properties in the Permian Basin up for sale as it attempts to divest from the region.

The outlet wrote, “This month, it launched an auction for a parcel covering 2,134 net acres in New Mexico and a second covering 29,901 acres in the New Mexico and Texas, according to listings on the EnergyNet online auction site.”

“The combined value is about $100 million, according to a source familiar with shale asset values. Both bids are due on July 27, according to marketing brochures.”

Reuters noted, “Production at the larger parcel on offer was estimated at about 770,000 barrels of oil and gas net and the smaller parcel was estimated to be about 1,818 barrels of oil and gas equivalent (boe) per day, according to the documents.”

Last month, Chevron agreed to buy PDC Energy Inc. in a stock and debt deal worth $7.6 billion. It also recently acquired Noble Energy to boost its international holdings and U.S. shale positions.

Zacks Investment Research, which currently has the Chevron stock (CVX) as a “hold,” adds, “The dealmaking is presumably a move to sell lower-valued assets in the area and choose high-performance assets. This strategy is perfectly in line with Chevron’s long-term goals.”

Chevron, largest acreage owner in the Permian, selling its NM, TX land Read More »

Shocking questions arise after another disabled patient dies under state care

4 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

According to Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH), another disabled patient on the state’s Developmental Disabilities Waiver (DD Waiver) has passed away.

NMDOH wrote in a press release, “The client reportedly fell, was treated at a hospital for a head injury and subsequently died on June 17, 2023. The department’s Division of Health Improvement continues to investigate this case for any instances of abuse, neglect and exploitation in relation to the care provided to this client.”

“The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office is actively investigating this matter. In an abundance of caution the DOH is also referring this case to the Attorney General’s Office for further review and investigation.”

The Department added, “The individual received an in-person wellness check on April 4, 2023, and appeared healthy without evidence of abuse or neglect when the state conducted in-person wellness checks on all individuals being cared for under the state’s Developmental Disabilities Waiver (DD Waiver) programs.”

However, the revelation of the April wellness check raises more questions.

In May, a 38-year-old disabled woman, Mary Melero, died due to constant physical, emotional, and sexual torture for years under her two caregivers. She was also on the state’s DD Waiver, and her abusive caregivers raked in $250,000 of taxpayer money.

At the time, the NMDOH wrote on May 18, 2023, “This shocking case prompted DOH to conduct and complete in-person wellness checks on all individuals being cared for under the state’s Developmental Disabilities Waiver (DD Waiver) programs to ensure they are in good health and being well cared for by providers.”

So, if NMDOH did, indeed, conduct wellness checks in May, why is the state now only noting the wellness check from early April? 

After Ms. Melero’s death caused by her caregivers’ torture, NMDOH wrote, “State leadership and the DOH also immediately established what is now an ongoing independent, third-party investigation evaluating both the agency’s Developmental Disabilities Support Division and the Division of Health Improvement procedures to identify systemic flaws that allowed the alleged incidents to occur.”

The Department repeated this claim verbatim, writing in the June 29, 2023, statement on the latest death, “State leadership and the DOH established what is now an ongoing independent, third-party investigation evaluating both the agency’s Developmental Disabilities Supports Division and the Division of Health Improvement procedures to identify systemic flaws and improve processes.”

While the complete details of the latest DD Waiver patient’s death are unknown, the state’s claims to have done wellness checks on “all individuals” after Ms. Melero’s tragic slaughter identify more problems with the NMDOH’s care for people with disabilities under state oversight and care.

State paid $250K to culprits who tortured disabled woman to death

Shocking questions arise after another disabled patient dies under state care Read More »

This detail from Heinrich’s pre-Fourth of July tweet screams hypocrisy

31 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

Anti-fossil fuels Democrat U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich posted on Twitter Saturday a picture of him standing in what is supposed to be a New Mexico backyard with grilling supplies and an outdoor wok-type burner, traditionally used for cooking chicharrones, but one thing stood out in the photo.

The burner was attached to a propane tank. Propane is made through the processing of liquified natural gas. 

The Rio Grande Foundation’s president Paul Gessing wrote, “Gas grill. Love it.”

State Rep. John Block (R-Alamogordo), the founder and editor of the Piñon Post, wrote, “The dude who wants to ban your gas stoves and ‘electrify everything’ cooks with propane,” adding along with a laughing emoji, “Who’s gonna tell him?” 

Heinrich has made headlines recently for his crusade against all fossil fuel-using products, including gas heaters, stoves, and water heaters.

The senator has adopted the far-left “Electrify Everything” movement of radical eco-leftists attempting to ban appliances, such as stoves, that run on gas. 

The Joe Biden administration has recently been under fire for its proposed attempt to ban gas stoves. The State of New York recently did just that, but going further to ban gas furnaces as well. 

During a 2021 nomination hearing for then-U.S. Energy Secretary Designate Jennifer Granholm, Heinrich pushed for electrifying “everything,” adding in a tweet, “Addressing the climate crisis means we need to focus on full electrification of our building, transportation, and industrial sectors. Thankfully, Secretary of Energy nominee @JenGranholm is on board to help us begin to electrify everything.”

He has since pushed for the electrification of everything from appliances to government buildings, such as some in Las Cruces. 

Now, Heinrich made one big faux pas in his supposed genuine quest to “electrify everything” by forgetting to electrify his Fourth of July cookout as he seeks to swindle the voters of New Mexico into another term in the U.S. Senate.

This detail from Heinrich’s pre-Fourth of July tweet screams hypocrisy Read More »

MLG-appointed DA Bregman running for election after claiming he wouldn’t 

7 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman has announced his candidacy for election in a campaign launch video released on Friday.

However, this announcement directly contradicts statements Bregman made about six months ago. In a previous interview, he expressed his satisfaction with not worrying about politics or campaign preparations, stating that he could solely focus on accomplishing tasks. Furthermore, in January, he declared that he would not seek election to the seat in his own right.

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham appointed Bregman as the Bernalillo County district attorney after Raúl Torrez’s successful election as attorney general last November. The governor’s news release at the time also mentioned that Bregman “will not run for re-election to the office.”

Bregman (far-left) at a press conference with Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, Democrat anti-gun lawmakers, and anti-gun activists.

However, during a recent news conference, Bregman clarified his change of heart, stating that he now intends to run for district attorney. He claimed that his initial decision was sincere, but the supposed positive impact he believes he has made in his current position motivated him to continue working towards making a difference.

“I will be running for district attorney. When I got into this office, I was sincere in the sense that I didn’t think I would. But we have put things in place that I believe are starting to make a difference,” Bregman claimed.

Bregman has advocated for far-left policies as district attorney, including support for anti-gun legislation and weak-on-crime bills that would reward bad actors for breaking the law.

Bregman’s campaign website and Twitter account were established in May, and he has already begun accepting donations. The New Mexico Secretary of State’s website confirms that he registered his campaign on June 1, 2023.

Lujan Grisham’s office told KOAT 7, “Gov. Lujan Grisham wanted to make sure that whomever she appointed as Bernalillo County DA would be squarely focused on the work of the office, and not a re-election bid. In his first six months in office, DA Bregman has illustrated his commitment to fighting crime, resulting in a safer New Mexico. Our expectation is that he will continue that focus moving forward.”

No other individuals have declared their candidacy for the Second Judicial District Attorney position.

MLG-appointed DA Bregman running for election after claiming he wouldn’t  Read More »

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