Politics

Otero County votes to sue SOS Maggie Toulouse Oliver

5 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

On Thursday, the Otero County Commission held a special meeting at the Flickinger Center in downtown Alamogordo to discuss the findings of the Otero County audit, which resulted in the uncovering of multiple abnormalities. Presenting on the fraud included IT expert Jeffrey Lenberg, Professor David Clements, Erin Clements, and Cynthia Butler, a statistician. 

Butler’s findings from a statistical analysis of votes were that there are margins of error in Otero County around 20 to 30 percent, which she said “is consistent with mail-in ballot stuffing” and “digital ballot stuffing.” 

Erin Clements presented the abnormalities in voting registration data. One interesting finding in her presentation was that trends in voter registrations through the New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) continued in constant patterns even when Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham closed down the MVD during the pandemic, signifying algorithms artificially adding these new voters. She also mentioned ballot boxes in Doña Ana County found in a warehouse that had 3,000 to 5,000 ballots unsecured.

In Otero County’s case, Clements found indications that there were absentee ballot envelopes with multiple postmarks, birth years and Social Security numbers unfilled, indications that ballots were scanned twice, tabulators filling out unfilled ballot questions, tabulators counting folds as votes, and machines being incorrectly programmed for write-ins.

Lenberg focused on how the New Mexico voting machines were running out-of-date software while the 2020 General Election project file was missing from Otero County. Lenberg explained how risk-limiting audits, like those in New Mexico, do not work. He noted how Otero County is “one of the few counties to take action” and to “clear the air.” He noted how his inspection into fraud in Antrim County, Michigan triggered the Department of Homeland Security to demand a special prosecutor be appointed to persecute him.

The audit of Otero County resulted in a 500-page assessment report showing all the fraud found in the county. Recommendations for the County include decoupling the election process, where a tabulator company does not audit their own machines and where scans of ballots by the individual precinct are uploaded to a public site immediately following the election to ensure transparency. Other recommendations are included in their report. 

David Clements said, “Public trust has been eviscerated,” regarding the election process. 

The Otero County Commission approved two measures at the meeting. One was to pursue a lawsuit against Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver on a vote of 2-1 and a motion to remove drop boxes, remove voting machines, and hand count ballot on a vote of 2-1. Commissioners Marquardt and Couy Griffin voted in support of both measures, while the lone vote against both was Commissioner Gerald Matherly.

Matherly’s reservations regarding the measures were that he thought he would get in legal trouble if he supported them. 

“This right here means absolutely nothing except we’re gonna get in trouble,” Matherly said regarding the second measure to remove drop boxes. 

When discussing the lawsuit against Toulouse Oliver, Matherly said, “The Secretary of State is strictly doing her job to uphold what the representatives — the state law says. That’s in the book. To sue her is going to be a waste of time, in my eyes, because she was strictly doing her job.” 

Erin Clements said in response to Matherly, “And the statutes are clear that the Secretary of State is the one who certifies the machine, Commissioner Matherly…. She’s certainly culpable for certifying the machines.” 

Emshadi: Slayings wouldn’t have gotten media attention if victims not Muslim

1 Comment / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

Late Monday, a suspect had been apprehended in the slaying of multiple Muslim men in Albuquerque. The suspect, Muhammad Syed, 51, from Afghanistan, was apprehended near Santa Rosa, fleeing to Texas. 

Following the news of the alleged attacker’s arrest, Khalid Emshadi, candidate for New Mexico state House District 24, said in a statement, “It brings me great joy to know that the man responsible for the murders that have shaken and divided our community has been caught. I want to especially thank all of the law enforcement officers involved for their hard work.”

“However, the arrest of the man responsible for these crimes does not disqualify the fact that we have a lot of work to do as a state, city. and community. As a Muslim man, it breaks my heart to know that these homicides would not have received the media attention, nor the attention from politicians, that they received if the victims had not been Muslims.”

As of the end of July, there have been 68 homicide cases and 73 victims of homicide in 2022 alone. This large number of killings appears on track to beat 2021’s homicide number, which hit a staggering 117 — the largest in the history of the Duke City.

Emshadi said, “Innocent people are being killed nearly every single day in Albuquerque. Victims are diverse in their skin color. ethnicity, religion, gender. sexual orientation, etc., but the thing that they all have in common is that they are New Mexicans. They had families, friends, children, co-workers, and people who loved them. We need to acknowledge the fact that we have a much deeper problem in Albuquerque. Policies and laws have outcomes. and we have been seeing those outcomes in Albuquerque: high crime, homelessness. poverty, just to name a few.”

He concluded, “Everyone needs to understand that this is not normal, and we, as citizens, can do something about this. Start a non-profit. run for office, volunteer for a campaign, and most importantly, vote. What we can’t do is stand by and continue to let these tragedies happen. I fear the day that I may receive a call that something terrible has happened to my children, or that my children hear of something terrible happening to me. We need to take our city back.”

Previously, Emshadi said he did not feel safe door knocking for his campaign against Rep. Liz Thomson (D) while a vigilante was out on the streets targeting Muslims. He said at the time, “As much as [I] hate to do this, I will not be in public with the exception of work until this killer is caught. I cannot risk my safety with a serial killer killing Muslims on the loose. I need to do what’s necessary to protect my family.”

MLG freaks out after news of DeSantis campaign stop for Herrell, Ronchetti

8 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

On Tuesday, shortly following the announcement that firebrand conservative Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) is coming to New Mexico to promote Congresswoman Yvette Herrell and GOP gubernatorial nominee Mark Ronchetti, Democrat Gov. Lujan Grisham went in full-blown panic mode.

In a frantic email to supporters, Lujan Grisham claim Ronchetti and DeSantis are the “extremist GOP,” while dubbing DeSantis “​​one of the key leaders of the MAGA movement.”

She wrote, “It’s no surprise that Ron DeSantis supports Mark Ronchetti. They’re both Trump-style Republicans who want to restrict abortion, deny science, and let white supremacist hate groups off the hook.”

Ronchetti “permits” abortion up to the 15th week, which is consistent with a majority of New Mexicans and Americans who believe there should be limits on the life-ending procedure. Lujan Grisham backs abortion up to birth and infanticide. 

It is unclear what the scandal-ridden governor means by “deny science” since she denies that there are two genders and that babies are humans in the womb. Her claim that Ronchetti and DeSantis “let white supremacist hate groups off the hook” is also unfounded, as there are no signs this is the case. 

“Ron DeSantis’ plan this weekend is to raise a boatload of money for my opponent, help him surge ahead in the polls, and turn New Mexico into MAGA territory. But we’re not going to let that happen,” Lujan Grisham claimed. 

She then begged for money, writing, “To put a halt to the MAGA movement, I need to hit my $25,000 before Ron DeSantis reaches New Mexico this weekend. It’s the only way I’ll have enough funding to counter GOP lies and reach voters with the truth.” 

She concluded with another plea, asking, “will you donate $5 right now to help me defeat GOP extremism?”

Ronchetti and DeSantis will be in Carlsbad on Sunday at a campaign stop. More information about it can be found here. 

APD chief: Suspect apprehended in Duke City slayings of Muslim men

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According to reports from the Albuquerque Police Department, a suspect in the murders of four Muslim men in Albuquerque has been apprehended.

According to a tweet from Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina, “We tracked down the vehicle believed to be involved in a recent murder of a Muslim man in Albuquerque. The driver was detained and he is our primary suspect for the murders. We will update the media later this afternoon.

Medina did not immediately release the name of the suspect. The killings of Muslim men in Albuquerque have garnered national attention, with both politicians and advocacy groups decrying the violence.

The Department previously released a wanted poster showing a photograph of the suspect driving a gray Volkswagen Jetta:

ABQ Raw reported:

Downtown ABQ – A suspect in the Muslim killings around the metro is in police custody. We have learned from a source that was not authorized to speak to the media that a person of interest is currently being detained by the NMSP and APD officials downtown. The man is said to have been taken into custody last night by a joint NMSP/APD SWAT team in the ABQ metro area. Detectives have been working relentlessly for days to figure out who the killer is.

According to a City of Santa Rosa Police Dispatch supervisor, last night a pursuit was going through the town of Santa Rosa with New Mexico State Police in pursuit of the Volkswagen suspect vehicle from APD’s flyer. The local agencies helped shut down the highway exits to keep the pursuit out of town. At the 277 exit east bound the suspect vehicle was stopped by police. Officers took the suspect into custody by force using a bean bag non lethal weapon.

Emergency medical services were called to the scene and the suspect was checked out and cleared. He was then transported to Albuquerque for interviews with investigators.

Ron DeSantis visiting NM to stump for Herrell, Ronchetti

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Firebrand conservative Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) is visiting Carlsbad on Sunday to stump for Congresswoman Yvette Herrell of the Second District for her reelection and GOP nominee for governor Mark Ronchetti as he attempts to knock off far-left Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. Herrell is facing far-left Democrat candidate Gabe Vasquez.

According to Reuters, “DeSantis is also scheduled to join a New Mexico rally for Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Ronchetti and House of Representatives incumbent Yvette Herrell, who are running neck-and-neck against their Democratic opponents.”

The Hill reports that DeSantis will visit Carlsbad on Sunday and then travel to Phoenix, Arizona, to stump for Trump-backed candidates Kari Lake, who is running for governor, and U.S. Senate candidate Blake Masters.

“Each of the candidates that DeSantis is rallying for has been endorsed by Trump, with the exception of Herrell, though she previously won the former president’s support during her successful 2020 campaign for her House seat,” The Hill reports.

The popular governor is poised to offer an emphatic endorsement to the two New Mexico Republicans, which could boost them going forward toward the November 8 election. Absentee voting starts in around two months, with the race just around the corner.

The event will take place at the Walter Gerrells Performing Arts and Exhibition Center located at 4012 National Parks Highway in Carlsbad. Doors open at 2:00 p.m. The event starts at 4:00 p.m. Tickets can be found here or by visiting MarkRonchetti.com.

The event website notes, “All guests upon entry will walk through a metal detector at the doors,” and “All homemade signs may not exceed 22×28 inches and will be reviewed upon entry.” As well, “All bags, large purses, backpacks and other carriers are prohibited from being brought into the event.” Exceptions include:

  • Purses or bags that are no larger than 4.5”x 6.5”x 3″
  • Medically necessary items and diaper bags; however, contents must be contained in a clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bag that does not exceed 12.75″ x 6.5″ x 12.75″
  • Other than the above-noted exceptions, all other bags must be returned to the patron’s vehicle.

Prohibited items, according to the event, include:

  • Firearms, weapons, fireworks, and other illegal substances
  • Brooms, poles and staffs of any kind
  • Weapons (including, without limitation, pocket knives), fireworks and other illegal substances
  • Camera lenses in excess of eight inches, tripods, monopods and selfie sticks
  • Animals (except service animals)
  • Beach balls and other inflatable items
  • Laser pens and laser pointers
  • Alcohol, Cigarettes, and E-cigarettes
  • Noisemakers
  • Skateboards, hoverboards, and wheeled footwear
  • Drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles
  • Self-defense sprays (including, without limitation, pepper spray and mace)
  • Toy guns or toy knives (including, without limitation, water guns)
  • Non-collapsible umbrellas
  • Any other item deemed dangerous or inappropriate

All other information about the event can be found on the event homepage on Eventbrite.

Dem who compared police to the KKK now claims to ‘support law enforcement’

8 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

On Tuesday, following months of horrific attacks against Muslim men in Albuquerque, where four individuals have already been slain, the Albuquerque Journal highlighted Republican House District 24 candidate Khalid Emshadi as he steps back from the campaign trail in fear of a serial killer on the loose.

In the article, far-left Rep. Liz Thomson (D-Bernalillo), Emshadi’s opponent, now claims to back the police as they work to track down the killer. 

“We have to support law enforcement and do everything we can to get this person or people caught,” Thomson said. 

But that is in dire opposition to her record over the past few years, where she has not only signed onto anti-police legislation but has personally demeaned the men and women in law enforcement.

As we previously reported: 

On another day, Thomson also shared hate speech against the police, comparing them to the Ku Klux Klan. The tweet Thomson shared came in response to news that New York police officers would be calling out following orders for their forcible inoculation, or else they would lose their jobs. This appears to be the regard Thomson has for law enforcers who work each day to protect communities — she compares them to the KKK.

…

Thomson has long been known for her nasty and personal attacks against fellow New Mexicans, demeaning them as “uneducated” for asking questions about the virus jab and claiming in one rant, “Anyone who continues to back the orange traitor (apparently referring to President Donald Trump) after the terrorist attack, is forever branded with a scarlet S for seditionist.” 

She also called concerned parents asking questions about the jab for their kids “low iq voters.” Then, Thomson snitched on fellow citizens to the attorney general regarding pandemic mandates.

Thomson also voted for a rabidly anti-police bill, 2021’s H.B. 4, which stripped peace officers and local governments of qualified immunity, thereby putting a target on law enforcers’ backs. She has lauded and backed other anti-police bills while bashing them.

Following Thomson’s 180-degree shift in position, state Rep. Stefani Lord (R-Sandia Park) wrote, “Liz said to the media that ‘we have to support law enforcement.’ Well, that would be a first for her. Every session, she has supported bills that tie Law Enforcement’s hands and make it more difficult for them to do their jobs.”

Thomson’s fate will be decided at the November 8 General Election, where Emshadi could likely unseat the far-left legislator. 

Thanks to violence in Dem-run ABQ, GOP candidate unsafe to door knock

7 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

Over the past few months, four Muslim men have been killed in Albuquerque in what police are calling an apparent coordinated attack on Muslims in the Duke City.

The latest slaying was of Naeem Hussain, who was an employee of the City of Española, killed in an ambush in Albuquerque two Fridays ago.

KRQE reports, “Until the suspect or suspects are caught, the Muslim community is in fear.” The outlet reports that APD is saying, “they do believe these men were targeted because of their race and religion.”

Republican House District 24 candidate Khalid Emshadi, who is a member of the Islamic faith, ripped Democrats for causing the violence against his community. He called out not only the city leaders but also his far-left Democrat opponent, Rep. Liz Thomson.

On Twitter, Emshadi wrote, “I don’t feel safe in my own district because @lizthomsonnm and @MayorKeller won’t do a damn thing about crime.” He added, “We need to change this … I will stand and fight for our rights.”

Emshadi wrote in a subsequent tweet, “As much as [I] hate to do this, I will not be in public with the exception of work until this killer is caught. I cannot risk my safety with a serial killer killing Muslims on the loose. I need to do what’s necessary to protect my family.”

After Joe Biden made a statement appearing to condemn the anti-Muslim attacks in Albuquerque, Emshadi wrote, “These politicians are good for nothing but tweets. They’ve done nothing to prevent this from happening again.” He tagged Biden, Thomson, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, and Mayor Tim Keller in the post. 

Emshadi fled civil war in Libya to immigrate to the United States, seeking the American dream. He is running for the Legislature to “keep it alive for all New Mexicans.”

Thomson, his opponent, has fanned the flames of racism and bigotry through her social media posts. She has demeaned police officers, conservatives, parents, and many other groups. 

Group appeals MLG admin’s latest move to raise the cost of gas

11 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

While New Mexicans struggle to make ends meet amid high gas prices, skyrocketing food costs, and an economy that remains in a recession, Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s administration is working overtime to raise the cost of gas.

New Mexico’s Environmental Improvement Board adopted new ozone pollution rules in April, which went into effect on Friday, spurring the Independent Petroleum Association of New Mexico to file a legal appeal challenging the rule, which would increase the cost of gas.

Jim Winchester, Executive Director of the Independent Petroleum Association of New Mexico (IPANM), said, “At a time when the public supports responsible domestic production to reduce gasoline prices and a decrease in our dependency on foreign sources of energy that are unquestionably worse for the environment, IPANM strongly feels this is the wrong rule at the wrong time.”

He continued, “While IPANM does support a fair and balanced Ozone Precursor regulation, we have no choice but to appeal this version of the rule that will force operators to plug still-productive wells and will inflict economic hardship on New Mexicans with little to no gain for the environment.”

IPANM wrote in a press release, “Today’s filing with the New Mexico State Court of Appeals against the Environmental Improvement Board will be followed by technical arguments to be filed by IPANM within 30 days that will identify the specific provisions to be challenged. With the matter now in the court, IPANM will not comment on the specifics of the pending objections other than to point to our concerns raised throughout the 3-year process that were not included in the New Mexico Environment Department’s final draft rule submitted to the EIB.”

In April the group noted the out-of-state environmental groups rigging the process to benefit their interests while ignoring consumers who will be saddled with the cost of such regulations. IPANM wrote then, “IPANM’s concern throughout this process is that the state would appease out-of-state environmental groups pushing provisions based on anti-oil & gas ideology instead of real emissions data and facts. Unfortunately, the state’s own news release seems to confirm our suspicion by offering the celebratory quotes of environmental groups and a Biden administration that has blatantly declared war on domestic production while encouraging foreign adversaries to produce, pollute, and export fuels to the United States without any accountability.”

Following the new rule going into effect, Larry Behrens, the Communications Director of Power The Future, wrote, “It’s clear Michelle Lujan Grisham feels our families aren’t already paying enough. After her failed attempt to raise the cost of gas through the legislature, Governor Lujan Grisham is acting like Joe Biden and simply issuing new orders.”

“This rule will not only raise the cost of living on our families, but it will place a massive burden on the remaining small businesses that are already struggling. This appeal is a critical first step to stopping Governor Lujan Grisham from taking unilateral action to raise the cost of gas even further,” Behrens concluded.

Fellow Democrat files ethics complaint against lame duck Speaker Egolf

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On Thursday, it was reported by the Santa Fe New Mexican that state Rep. Miguel García (D-Bernalillo) had filed an ethics complaint against lame duck Speaker of the House Brian Egolf (D-Santa Fe) over his self-appointment to the nominating committee for the Public Regulation Commission (PRC).

The Commission was changed from an elected position to an appointed one after voters approved the constitutional amendment in 2020.

“The PRC Nominating Committee is statutorily created. It is not the creation of a simple memorial or a joint memorial. It is singularity the most important step in transitioning from an elected board to an appointed board. Such transitional power should rest with the people, not an elected politician,” García wrote in his complaint to the State Ethics Commission. He characterized Egolf’s self-appointment as a dereliction of duty.

Egolf, who previously faced another ethics complaint over his use of his office for personal gain by passing 2021’s H.B. 4, which stripped qualified immunity rights from local governments, opening them up to frivolous civil rights lawsuits. Egolf just so happens to be a civil rights lawyer who was the primary sponsor of the bill that would enrich himself. The Ethics Commission, in true form, tossed the credible ethics complaint.

“I had thought the speaker was set to pick up a lot of work in his retirement following the passage of the civil rights bill,” said House Republican Leader Jim Townsend (R-Artesia).

Now, Egolf is claiming García, who is in his third decade of serving as a legislator, suddenly is going after Egolf over a “personal vendetta” to get “publicity.” But it is unclear why now — after serving 25 years in the Legislature — García would suddenly grasp for headlines.

“It goes counter to the customs and traditions of Speakers’ appointing the people to statutorily created committees, boards, or commissions,” he wrote. “In my 25 years as a State Representative, the Speakers’ that I served under never appointed themselves to a statutorily created committee. Speaker Raymond Sánchez, Speaker Ben Luján, Speaker Ken Martínez, and Speaker Don Tripp never crossed the line. In the sixteen years that Raymond Sánchez served as Speaker, he states that he never self-appointed himself to a statutorily created committee of which protocol called for people participation,” García noted in his complaint, referring to both Republican and Democrat speakers of the New Mexico House of Representatives.

The seven-member committee that Egolf appointed himself to will seek at least five nominees to serve on the three-member board. The PRC will now be appointed from the nominees by the governor. If Republican Mark Ronchetti defeats incumbent Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, that could change some things for the trajectory of the panel.

MLG mercilessly discredited by media over latest bizarre attack ad

9 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

Far-left Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has recently been airing bizarre attack ads against her Republican opponent, Mark Ronchetti, claiming he supports “defunding the police.” The problem is the GOP nominee, who has multiple endorsements from law enforcers, does not support the position. On the contrary, Lujan Grisham actually has supported police defunding radicals.

As we previously reported:

But if Lujan Grisham was focused on eliminating crime, she would not have been a staunch supporter of many anti-police bills proposed last legislative session, including H.B. 4, which put targets on peace officers’ backs by stripping them of qualified immunity and opening police departments and localities up to frivolous lawsuits — bankrupting them.

H.B. 4’s sponsors, Speaker Brian Egolf (D-Santa Fe) and state Rep. Georgene Louis (D-Bernalillo), just so happen to be “civil rights” attorneys who would directly profit off of their legislative proposals. Lujan Grisham signed the anti-police, anti-public safety bill anyway. 

Lujan Grisham’s allies in the Legislature, such as state Sen. Linda Lopez (D-Bernalillo), sponsored the most extreme anti-police bills in the nation, including S.B. 227, which would have implemented the “strongest” anti-police “use of force” standard in the nation.

Now, Lujan Grisham, amid record-breaking homicide rates in Albuquerque and some New Mexico streets looking like warzones, is trying to save face despite her support for Black Lives Matter protesters who want to defund the police. 

In her ad, a narrator reads, “Keeping New Mexicans safe is part of the governor’s job. But Mark Ronchetti will slash budgets for police and law enforcement agencies in every corner of New Mexico.”

On the screen, the words, “Mark Ronchetti is promising to defund the police” appear. The ad cherry-picks a short clip of Ronchetti during a KOAT 7 debate saying, “They don’t want more money. They don’t want more guns.”

But KOB 4’s fact-check mercilessly discredited the embattled governor’s false claims. The news station wrote, “The snippet is wildly out of context.”

According to the fact-check:

[Ronchetti said], “We have to back the blue. We have to tell them we will support them no matter what they need from us. We have some of the best law enforcement in the country here. And when you ask them, ‘What do you need? What would help you?’ the answer is simple: They don’t want more money. They don’t want more guns. They want to know that the governor of the State of New Mexico and their leaders backs them up.”

Whether police agencies truly do not want more money or guns might be debatable, but Ronchetti isn’t threatening to cut funding in full or in part. In fact, the crime plan posted on his campaign website says he wants to “fund and support police.”

…

As proof, the governor’s campaign points to a July 15 tweet from Ronchetti. He criticizes the $8.5 billion state budget, but makes no specific mention of state police pay raises.

A press release from the governor says the raises will cost $9 million this fiscal year –  which is one-tenth of 1% of the total budget.

The latest lies from Lujan Grisham come after she also claimed Ronchetti wants to ban all abortions in the state, despite him taking the stance that New Mexico should “permit” abortions up to 15 weeks.

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