Politics Archives - Page 96 of 185

Second-longest serving NM House Dem skewers Egolf in fiery letter

2 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By John Block

According to a report by the Albuquerque Journal, Rep. Miguel Garcia (D-Bernalillo), who is the second-longest serving House Democrat, blasted Speaker Brian Egolf (D-Santa Fe) in a fiery letter to the Democrat caucus.

He wrote in the December 30 letter, “His leadership has been most distasteful, elitist, chauvinistic, cowardly and detached from the needs, issues, values and beliefs of our traditional Hispano communities and from our Latino immigrant brothers and sisters.”

The comments came after he resigned his chairmanship from the Land Grant Committee, which was dissolved by Egolf. The Committee dealt with many important issues, specifically those that affect Hispanics in New Mexico.

In the letter, Garcia reportedly “also urged House Democrats to vote to censure Egolf, saying he had sabotaged a bill dealing with water leases that was important to Hispanic land grant groups.”

As well, the Journal writes that “In his recent letter to fellow House Democrats, Garcia claimed Egolf has used his position of House speaker to advance the business interests of his private law firm.” Those bills include H.B. 4 from 2021, which puts a target on law enforcers’ and public employees’ backs by stripping qualified immunity rights. It also allows civil lawsuits against local governments, which directly benefits Egolf.

Democrats, including Egolf, were forced to do damage control, with Egolf claiming, “I am proud to have always engaged in a leadership model that seeks out new diverse leaders and empowers them.”

House Majority Leader Javier Martinez (D-Bernalillo) who took over after failed ex-Rep. Sheryl William Stapleton was accused of stealing millions from the children of New Mexico through a decades-long alleged corruption scheme, wrote, “Rep. Miguel Garcia’s perspectives are his own and don’t reflect the sentiments of our caucus in any way.”

Regarding his current thoughts on his letter, Garcia told the Journal, “I have not wavered from that position.”

Legislative update: Wed. hearings for 35+ cent-per-gallon gas tax, ‘baby box’ bills

3 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By John Block

On Tuesday, the New Mexico House Labor, Veteran and Military Affairs Committee voted to revive a previously tabled H.B. 48 by state Rep. Cathrynn Brown (R-Carlsbad), which would exempt state taxes on social security, which is currently double-taxed in the state.

State Rep. Miguel García, (D-Bernalillo), asked Chairman Eliseo Alcon (D-Milan), to give the bill another shot since all members of the committee were present. The bill advanced and it now will be heard in the House Taxation and Revenue Committee.

H.B. 156, a radical anti-gun bill by Rep. Patricia Roybal-Caballero that would ban firearm magazines with more than 15 rounds, died in committee with a unanimous vote against it following concerns brought by the public and state Rep. Stefani Lord (R-Sandia Park) of the bill creating a “pipeline to prison” for minorities and low-income families. State Rep. Randall Pettigrew (R-Lea) made the motion to table the bill.

Here are the bills to note for Wednesday:

S.B. 14, ENACTING THE CLEAN FUEL STANDARD ACT, by Sen. Mimi Stewart (D-Bernalillo)

Stewart is an ardent anti-energy Democrat who has for years proposed this extreme legislation that would install “clean fuel standards,” resulting in a 20 to 35 cent per gallon tax on gasoline, which would harm the poorest New Mexicans. This bill harms the most vulnerable New Mexicans and testimony is requested against it.

The bill will be heard on Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. in the Senate Finance Committee. The Zoom details are below:

For public participation, click the following link
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81679647964 to join the Webinar or
via telephone 1-669-900-9128 Webinar ID: 816 7964 7964

H.B. 157, SURRENDER OF INFANTS, by Rep. Ambrose Castellano (D-Ribera)

This bipartisan bill is primarily sponsored by Reps. Castellano and James Strickler (R-Farmington) would appropriate funds for the installation of “baby boxes” for people to safely surrender infants and avoid situations like in Hobbs where a teen mother callously her newborn child in a dumpster. It would also provide for “educating the public about safe surrender of infants, including the location and use of surrender safety devices.”

The bill will be heard at 8:30 a.m. in the House Health and Human Services Committee on Wednesday.

Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84182969724 Or One tap mobile : US: +12532158782,,84182969724# or +13462487799,,84182969724# Or Telephone: Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 669 900 9128 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 646 558 8656 Webinar ID: 841 8296 9724

S.B. 144, INTIMIDATION OF ELECTION WORKERS by Sen. Katie Duhigg (D-Bernalillo)

According to the bill’s fiscal impact report, “Senate Bill 144 amends the Election Code relating to the crime of intimidation to include acts against employees and agents of the Secretary of State, county clerks, and municipal clerks’ offices. The bill maintains that intimidation against the aforementioned parties constitutes a fourth degree felony. There is no effective date of this bill. It is assumed that the effective date is 90 days following adjournment of the Legislature..”

This bill will be heard on Wednesday at 1:30 in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The Zoom details are below: For public participation click the following link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86412647187 to join the Webinar or via telephone 1-253-215-8782 Webinar ID: 864 1264 7187

House committee unanimously kills radical Democrat magazine ban bill

3 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By John Block

On Tuesday, the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee voted to table the radical H.B. 156 by Rep. Patricia Roybal Caballero (D-Bernalillo), which would ban magazines that hold more than 15 rounds of ammunition — making violators felons.

During the committee, a poll of attendees showed that 82 people were against the bill (93%) to just six in support (7%).

Rep. Stefani Lord (R-Sandia Park) called the bill a“pipeline to prison” that would affect low-income families. The committee’s vote was 5-0, with no one supporting it. Rep. Randall Pettigrew (R-Lea) made the motion to table the bill.

This bill would have made felons of gun owners who own firearms with “a magazine, box, drum, tube, feed strip or other container that is capable of holding more than fifteen rounds of ammunition to be fed continuously and directly into a semi-automatic firearm.” The bill reads, “A person who violates this section is guilty of a fourth degree felony” and the legislation includes no grandfather clause.

According to Roybal Caballero, the $1.5 million appropriation for the bill is for law enforcement to “execute the enforcement” of the law.

Following the committee vote, Rep. Lord wrote, “Rep Royball Caballero didn’t understand her own bill, had no experts, and got her stats off the internet. Law enforcement officers even called in to say they don’t support this bill. This bill DIED in committee!! This bill is a pipeline to prison and made lawful gun owners felons. Good job to all the callers! HB 156 did not pass.”

House committee kills GOP bill to ban Critical Race Theory from schools

1 Comment / New Mexico, News, Politics / By John Block

On Tuesday, far-left Democrats in the New Mexico House Rules Committee killed a bill, H.B. 91 by Rep. Rebecca Dow (R-Truth or Consequences), which would have banned Critical Race Theory in schools. The move came after the committee voted not to consider two other GOP bills relating to crime brought forth by Rep. Bill Rehm (R-Bernalillo). No public comment was allowed.

During the committee, Rep. Dow referenced scandal-ridden alleged serial groper Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s executive message, which showed that her bill was germane for consideration during the 30-day legislative session.

Lujan Grisham’s message read, “Pursuant to Article IV, Section 5(B)(2) of the New Mexico Constitution, I am authorizing for your consideration during the Fifty-Fifth Legislature, Second Session, submission of a bill bearing Legislative Council Service drafting number .221437, a bill enacting the Diversity Act; creating the chief diversity officer within the State Personnel Office; creating diversity and inclusion liaisons within state agencies; creating the Workforce and Diversity Council; providing certain duties; requiring agencies to develop and implement policies to address institutional racism; requiring annual reports; and making an appropriation.”

In response, Rep. Javier Martinez (D-Bernalillo) claimed, “I disagree wholeheartedly. I think the executive message that was referenced deals explicitly with the issue of institutional racism, which is in no way connected at all between Critical Race Theory. It is literally connecting apples and oranges.”

Rep. Rod Montoya (R-Farmington) clapped back, saying, “Critical Race Theory and institutional racism essentially are one and the same. I think if this were to state that more specifically Rep. Dow’s bill [said] that we cannot teach institutional racism, it’s exactly teaching the exact same thing.”

“Because it doesn’t say ‘Critical race Theory,’ that is how this is being presented that it’s not germane. The reality is this is exactly the same subject matter,” Montoya added.

Speaker Brian Egolf (D-Santa Fe) made a motion to not consider the bill further, with Rep. Gail Chasey (D-Bernalillo) seconding the motion. The committee ended up voting 10-4 to kill Dow’s bill, with Reps. Zach Cook (R-Lincoln) and Kelly Fajardo (R-Valencia) not voting on the bill, despite being in attendance and having no other bills to introduce or floor sessions to attend.

Attempts to reach both representatives for comment were unsuccessful.

Legislative update: Tuesday hearings for 15-round ammo ban, CRT in state agencies

4 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By John Block

On Monday, the House Government, Elections, and Indian Affairs Committee advanced state Rep. Stefani Lord’s (R-Sandia Park) H.J.R. 12 to allow recall of public officials in the legislative and executive branches by a vote of 3-2, with Rep. Daymon Ely (D-Corrales) joining Republicans on the committee in support of the measure. It now heads to House Judiciary Committee.

There are multiple bills you need to be aware of to take action on today:

H.B. 126, STATE PERSONNEL DIVERSITY ACT by Reps. Pamelya Herndon (D-Bernalillo) and Tara Lujan (D-Santa Fe).

This bill would implement Critical Race Theory into state agencies, which mandates the “Chief Diversity Officer” of the state to “lead the development and implementation of proactive diversity, equality, equity and inclusion initiatives in support of the state’s strategic plan to create a culture of diversity, equality, equity and inclusion pursuant to Section 6 of the Diversity Act.”

Here are some definitions, as written in the Critical Race Theory bill:

D. “diversity” means the practice of including or involving people from a range of different racial or ethnic backgrounds and may also include persons of every background, gender, race, sexual orientation, age and disability;

E. “equality” means the equivalent treatment of and opportunity for members of different groups within society regardless of individual distinctions of race, ethnicity, gender, age, social class, sexual orientation or other characteristics or circumstances;

F. “equity” means the consistent and systematic fair, just and impartial treatment of all people, including people who belong to underserved communities;

G. “gender identity” means the gender-related identity, appearance, mannerisms or other gender-related characteristics of a person, regardless of the person’s designated sex at birth;

H. “inclusion” means the process of creating a working culture and environment that recognizes, appreciates and effectively utilizes the talents, skills and perspectives of every state employee; uses state employee skills to achieve a state agency’s objectives and mission; connects each state employee to the organization; and encourages collaboration, flexibility and fairness in the workplace;

I. “inequities” means disparities in physical health, mental health, economic opportunities, education or social factors;

J. “institutional racism” means actions that result in differential access to the goods, services and opportunities of society due to the existence of institutional programs, policies and practices that intentionally or unintentionally place certain racial and ethnic groups at a disadvantage in relation to other groups;

The bill will be heard Tuesday, February 1, 2022 – 1:30 p.m. or 15 minutes after floor session in the House Labor, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee. The meeting details are below:

Please click the link below to join the webinar:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89015442467 Or One tap mobile :US: +13462487799,,89015442467# or +16699009128,,89015442467# Or Telephone: Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 346 248 7799 or +1 669 900 9128 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 646 558 8656 or +1 301 715 8592 Webinar ID: 890 1544 2467

H.B. 156 by Far-left state Rep. Patricia Roybal Caballero (D-Bernalillo)

This bill would make felons of gun owners who own firearms with “a magazine, box, drum, tube, feed strip or other container that is capable of holding more than fifteen rounds of ammunition to be fed continuously and directly into a semi-automatic firearm.” The bill reads, “A person who violates this section is guilty of a fourth degree felony” and the legislation includes no grandfather clause.

It will be heard on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. in the House Consumer, and Public Affairs Committee. The meeting details are below:

Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82353539692 Or One tap mobile : US: +16699009128,,82353539692# or +12532158782,,82353539692# Or Telephone: Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 669 900 9128 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 646 558 8656 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 Webinar ID: 823 5353 9692

H.B. 91, PROHIBIT CRITICAL RACE THEORY TEACHING , by Reps. Rebecca Dow (R-Truth or Consequences) and Luis Terrazas (R-Silver City)

This bill, as it says in the title, will ban Critical Race Theory from schools in New Mexico. This comes after every single Republican and Democrat senator and representative voted for the “Black Education Act” by disgraced former Rep. Sheryl Williams Stapleton (D-Bernalillo), which added CRT to New Mexico classrooms. Many classrooms already have CRT in one form or another.

When: Feb 1, 2022 11:00 AM Mountain Time (US and Canada) Topic: House Rules Committee Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82411185058 Or One tap mobile : US: +16699009128,,82411185058# or +12532158782,,82411185058# Or Telephone: Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 669 900 9128 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 646 558 8656 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 Page 7 of 8 Webinar ID: 824 1118 5058

House committee advances GOP bill to allow recall with bipartisan support

5 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By Piñon Post

On Monday, the New Mexico House Government, Elections, and Indian Affairs Committee advanced a bill, H.J.R. 12, which would allow recall of public officers in the executive and legislative branches of government.

The bill, which is sponsored by Rep. Stefani Lord (R-Sandia Park) and Rep. Randall Pettigrew (R-Lea), had 13-2 support by members of the public, with 87% of attendees voting in support of the bill in a poll.

Supporters of the bill, such as Piñon Post editor John Block commented that the bill would provide a much-needed “added layer of accountability” for public officials to vote correctly and carry out the will of the people while in office. There were no attendees who commented against the resolution.

Far-left state Rep. Gail Chasey (D-Bernalillo) attempted to stop the bill by asking for members to table it. That motion died on a vote of 3-2, with state Rep. Daymon Ely (D-Corrales) voting against Chasey and all the other Democrats on the committee.

The resolutions ultimately passed with Rep. Ely’s support and it now heads over to House Judiciary Committee for consideration.

Rep. Chasey had an issue with the succession process for a recalled public official while Rep. Ely had an issue with reasons given for recall in the bill.

Legislative Update: Many extreme bills to be heard in committee Monday, Tuesday

4 Comments / Action Alert, New Mexico, News, Politics / By John Block

As we enter the third week of the 2022 Legislative session, there are many hot-button bills that require the public’s attention on Monday and Tuesday, including recall bills and multiple anti-gun bills. Below, please find the latest information for you to take action on these pieces of legislation:

New Mexico House Bills:

HAPPENING TUESDAY: H.B. 156 by Far-left state Rep. Patricia Roybal Caballero (D-Bernalillo)

It will be heard on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. in the House Consumer, and Public Affairs Committee. The meeting details are below:

URGENT — BILL HEARING MONDAY MORNING: H.J.R. 12 RECALL OF ELECTED OFFICIALS, CA by Rep. Stefani Lord (R-Sandia Park)

State Rep. Stefani Lord (R-Sandia Park) dropped the bill last Wednesday to allow the recall of all elected leaders in New Mexico. It is unclear if Democrats will allow it to get to a committee, much less pass a single chamber. If passed and signed, it would go to the voters for final approval at the next election. Testimony is urgently requested at the 9:30 a.m. Monday hearing in the House Government, Elections, and Indian Affairs Committee:

Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88201222358 Or One tap mobile : US: +13462487799,,88201222358# or +16699009128,,88201222358# Or Telephone: Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 346 248 7799 or +1 669 900 9128 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 646 558 8656 or +1 301 715 8592 Webinar ID: 882 0122 2358

URGENT — BILL HEARING MONDAY AFTERNOON: Anti-gun H.B. 9 by Rep. Pamelya Herndon (D-Bernalillo)

On Monday at 1:30 p.m., the House Judiciary Committee will be considering H.B. 9, by Democrat ballot harvester and Rep. Pamelya Herndon (D-Bernalillo), a radical anti-gun bill that would mandate citizens to lock up their guns.

“It is unlawful for a person who keeps or stores a firearm to do so in such manner that the firearm is accessed by a minor without the authorization of the minor’s parent or guardian or when used in the commission of a crime,” the bill reads.

It continues, “When a firearm is accessed by a minor and used in the commission of a crime, the person who keeps or stores the firearm commits unlawful access to a firearm by a minor and is guilty of a misdemeanor.”

Please show up to testify against this radical anti-gun bill. The meeting details are below:

Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85381395136 Or One tap mobile : US: +16699009128,,85381395136# or +12532158782,,85381395136# Or Telephone: Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 669 900 9128 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 646 558 8656 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 Webinar ID: 853 8139 5136

H.B. 126, STATE PERSONNEL DIVERSITY ACT by Reps. Pamelya Herndon (D-Bernalillo) and Tara Lujan (D-Santa Fe).

Here are some definitions, as written in the Critical Race Theory bill:

D. “diversity” means the practice of including or involving people from a range of different racial or ethnic backgrounds and may also include persons of every background, gender, race, sexual orientation, age and disability;
E. “equality” means the equivalent treatment of and opportunity for members of different groups within society regardless of individual distinctions of race, ethnicity, gender, age, social class, sexual orientation or other characteristics or circumstances;
F. “equity” means the consistent and systematic fair, just and impartial treatment of all people, including people who belong to underserved communities;
G. “gender identity” means the gender-related identity, appearance, mannerisms or other gender-related characteristics of a person, regardless of the person’s designated sex at birth;
H. “inclusion” means the process of creating a working culture and environment that recognizes, appreciates and effectively utilizes the talents, skills and perspectives of every state employee; uses state employee skills to achieve a state agency’s objectives and mission; connects each state employee to the organization; and encourages collaboration, flexibility and fairness in the workplace;
I. “inequities” means disparities in physical health, mental health, economic opportunities, education or social factors;
J. “institutional racism” means actions that result in differential access to the goods, services and opportunities of society due to the existence of institutional programs, policies and practices that intentionally or unintentionally place certain racial and ethnic groups at a disadvantage in relation to other groups;

The bill will be heard Tuesday, February 1, 2022 – 1:30 p.m. or 15 minutes after floor session in the House Labor, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee. The meeting details are below:

Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89015442467
Or One tap mobile :
US: +13462487799,,89015442467# or +16699009128,,89015442467#
Or Telephone:
Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 346 248 7799 or +1 669 900 9128 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 312 626 6799 or
+1 646 558 8656 or +1 301 715 8592
Webinar ID: 890 1544 2467

New Mexico Senate Bills:

URGENT — BILL HEARING MONDAY AFTERNOON: S.B. 159, LEGISLATIVE RETIREMENT CHANGES by Sens. Stuart Ingle (R-Portales), Peter Wirth (D-Santa Fe)

This bill would further enrich legislators with increased retirement benefits, with a pension increase of 27 percent for legislators who retire at the age of 65 or older, according to the bill’s fiscal impact report.

This bill will be heard at 1:30 p.m. on Monday in the Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee. The Zoom details are below:

For public participation, click the following link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87967039414 to join the Webinar or via telephone 1-669-900-9128 Webinar ID: 879 6703 9414

URGENT — BILL HEARING MONDAY AFTERNOON: S.J.R. 8 “SALARIES FOR PUBLIC OFFICIALS” by Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto (D-Bernalillo)

This bill would attempt to change the New Mexico Constitution to give authority to the Democrat-controlled State Ethics Commission to “review and establish the salaries of all elected state officers every two years.”

This legislation could open the door to sweeping increases in raises for elected officials in New Mexico, as well as bestow even more authority to the Democrat-controlled Supreme Court:

“When necessary, the chief justice of the supreme court may designate any justice of the supreme court, or any district judge of the state, to act as a judge of the court of appeals, and the chief justice may designate any judge of the court of appeals to hold court in any district, or to act as a justice of the supreme court.”

According to the fiscal impact report on the bill, it conflicts with H.J.R. 10 being proposed by socialist Rep. Angelica Rubio (D-Doña Ana) and Rep. Javier Martinez (D-Bernalillo), which would attempt to change the Constitution to give a salary to legislators — despite legislators making per diem and a pension. New Mexico’s legislature is supposed to be a “citizen legislature” not made up by career politicians.

This bill will be heard on Monday at 1:30 in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The Zoom details are below:

For public participation, click on the following link
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83347538157 to join the Webinar or
via telephone 1-669-900-9128 Webinar ID: 833 4753 8157

URGENT — BILL HEARING MONDAY AFTERNOON: S.B. 144, INTIMIDATION OF ELECTION WORKERS by Sen. Katie Duhigg (D-Bernalillo)

This bill will be heard on Monday at 1:30 in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The Zoom details are below:

For public participation, click on the following link
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83347538157 to join the Webinar or
via telephone 1-669-900-9128 Webinar ID: 833 4753 8157

House committee advances anti-gun bill costing taxpayers millions

5 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By John Block

On Saturday, the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee (HCPAC) voted 3-2 to advance H.B. 68, a radical anti-gun bill proposed by Rep. Meredith Dixon (D-Bernalillo) that would make a felon of 18-year-olds who are knowingly carrying a handgun on their person except when attending a safety course, target shooting, or other minor instances.

Section three of the bill would raise the offense from a misdemeanor to a felony, which would stay with the person for the rest of their lives, their voting rights would be taken away, and they could not apply for grants, or serve on a jury.

As state Rep. Stefani Lord, one of the representatives to oppose the bill said, the legislation would be a “pipeline to prison” and would punish survivors of domestic abuse who buy guns and don’t know they can’t carry them.

Also, the bill’s fiscal impact report notes that it would cost taxpayers $3 million over the next three years to implement the new provisions, such as imprisonment and legal costs, etc. This cost would be directly at the expense of taxpayers.

Both state Reps. Joanne Ferrary (D-Doña Ana) and Liz Thomson (D-Bernalillo) voted along with Randall Pettigrew (R-Lea) to advance the bill, while Reps. Stefani Lord (R-Sandia Park) and Andrea Romero (D-Santa Fe) opposed the measure.

The bill will now head over to the House Judiciary Committee, where language that became an issue in the HCPAC committee may be revised.

NM AG candidate Colón grasps for headlines over his attempt to stop Otero election audit

3 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By John Block

As Democrat New Mexico State Auditor Brian Colón attempts to grab headlines amid his run for the state’s open attorney general post, he is trying to stop Otero County from doing a forensic audit of the 2020 election. The audit was exclusively reported on first by the Piñon Post.

“New Mexico State Auditor Brian Colon’s Office confirmed it opened a special examination over an agreement between Otero County and a firm to audit the results of the 2020 Election, asserting the contract could violate state [procurement] laws,” one report notes.

Colón’s basis for making a publicity stunt against the audit is that he thinks the $49,750 approved by the Otero County Commission this month is against the New Mexico Procurement Code, claiming the procedure of how the contract was procured “raised questions.”

But Otero County Attorney RB Nichols said, “The contract was sourced and approved under (the small purchases section) of the Procurement Code. The contract is for professional services and under the $60,000 threshold,” crippling Colón’s apparent politically motivated argument.

Colón then further proved his attempt to hinder the audit was politically motivated by appearing on MSNBC’s far-left The Rachel Maddow Show.

When Maddow asked what prompted his inquiry into the contract for the audit, Colón told Maddow, “This initial examination was opened due to a whistleblower who anonymously provided a complaint to our office about this expenditure.” He claimed, “My job is to restore people’s faith in government, and I’m not sure that’s what’s going on in Otero County right now.”

Maddow branded the company, EchoMail, which was awarded the contract, as being started by an “election conspiracy theorist,” Shiva Ayyadurai, who is reportedly the founder of email and highly educated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

When asking about political motivations Colón has about his inquiry into Otero County’s audit, the state auditor responded, “For us, every dollar in New Mexico — particularly rural New Mexico — is important to the taxpayers. And we gotta make sure that there isn’t any waste, fraud, or abuse. You know, when we have elected officials who are abusing power, potentially, we hold them accountable with our investigations and our findings.”

Colón said, “For me, what I always have to look through the lens of is this translation in the best interest of taxpayers? In this particular concern, we gotta wonder whether this has something to do with a personal agenda and that’s gonna be part of the question. What drove this translation? Was it appropriate… legal and compliant with all our codes, regulations, and procurement process”

“And was this in the best interest of the taxpayers, or was this a situation where we really had waste in government? There has already been an audit on this election by a bipartisan panel. Is it appropriate to spend another $50,000 to audit the election, or is a personal agenda driving the decision?”

He added, “In this case, we are gonna do a full and complete investigation to make sure not one dollar was misspent or spent without the appropriate process.”

It should be noted that Colón has yet to do a “full and complete” investigation into alleged fraud to the tune of millions of dollars during the allegedly corrupt Susana Martinez administration, which he noted in 2019 abused power. Nor has he done an investigation into scandal-ridden alleged serial groper Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham regime, which misplaced hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer money from the Department of Workforce Solutions, misuse of taxpayer dollars for $200/lb Wagyu steaks and liquor, or the Governor paying off a former staffer $150,000 for allegedly groping his crotch.

But now, Colón is striving for “transparency” despite an election audit being just that — a search for the truth. If there is nothing to hide, why fight an audit?

MLG’s alleged groping victim breaks silence, rips her for headline ‘grab’

4 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By John Block

On Friday, James Hallinan, who Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham paid off $150,000 in her campaign donors’ funds to keep silent about claims she groped him, broke his silence on Michelle Lujan Grisham.

Hallinan shared a photo of the Albuquerque Journal front page which read, “Teacher for a Day” about the Governor’s latest publicity stunt to fill in as a substitute teacher as she ships National Guard personnel to New Mexico classrooms to fill vacancies.

He wrote, “Oh my, what a horrible & foolish tweet… so MLG didn’t do it to help kids, educators, & parents to battle COVID? Appears you admitted it was all a press stunt to grab those ‘front pages’ you all ‘love.’”

He tagged Lujan Grisham’s campaign account, the Democratic Governors Association, the National Educators Association’s public relations arm, as well as the Republican Governor’s Association.

According to his account, Lujan Grisham poured a bottle of water over Hallinan’s crotch at a party and then groped his penis through his pants. The alleged groping Governor has not faced criminal prosecution for her reported assault on Hallinan and is still allowed to teach elementary school kids in the classroom.

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