Ex-MLG aide claims groping by senator but was mum on MLG sex assault settlements

On Tuesday, a supposed accuser, Marianna Anaya, came forward claiming Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto in 2015 “groped and pinched” her buttocks while at the Drury Plaza Hotel, which Ivey-Soto denies. Anaya is a former staffer of then-U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM-01).

Anaya is a far-left activist who supported now-Gov. Lujan Grisham’s failed pro-voter fraud bill, S.B. 8 and S.B. 144, that would have instituted widespread voter suppression and election corruption, is now apparently bringing forth the claim after she didn’t get what she wanted — stolen New Mexico elections.

“You deliberately prevented the bill from receiving a timely hearing, knowing that such delays were an effective death sentence for any piece of important legislation during a short session,” Anaya claimed.

Anaya further claimed that at a recent dinner before the voting bill was considered, Ivey-Soto became “aggressive,” while at dinner where she said she confronted him over said accusations. She claims he “put the breaks” on the bill Senate Rules Committee, which he chairs, because of her.

She wrote, “The way that the bill was slow-pedaled by Sen. Ivey-Soto after this confrontation in his capacity as Rules chair had the indicia of retaliation.”

Anaya hired the same lawyer, Levi Monagle, who participated in the slander of former state Rep. Carl Trujillo (D-Santa Fe), which led to Trujillo losing his seat in 2018. Trujillo’s case happened in tandem with Planned Parenthood lobbyist Juliana Koob, whose dark money organization she represents spread the false accusations against Trujillo.

The attack on Sen. Ivey-Soto, whether true or not, comes at a strangely opportunistic time, where he and Senate Pro-Tem Mimi Stewart (D-Bernalillo) have had their squabbles, even during the 2022 Legislative Session, where she repeatedly clapped back at him regarding him allowing public testimony on the elections bill while in his committee. 

Ivey-Soto said in response to the allegation, “I don’t know what happened. I don’t know what the movement was. But I did not reach down and grab her buttocks. I did not reach over and grab any part of her. But I’m not discounting that she has a recollection of that, and that’s why I said I was horrified.” Anaya is calling for Ivey-Soto’s resignation.

It should further be noted that Anaya, being a former staffer of Michelle Lujan Grisham, has not spoken out about the disgraced Governor who paid off $150,000 to a former staffer after he claims Lujan Grisham groped his crotch. Another man has also come forward accusing the chief executive of a similar groping incident. 

But after Anaya’s claim, allis of alleged groper Lujan Grisham descended upon Twitter, writing without evidence, “I see you. I believe you. #nmleg needs to investigate this NOW,” as a far-left dark money organization director for “OLÉ” wrote. It just so happens most of her supposed “support” for her claim comes from those who also supported the failed pro-voter fraud legislation. 

Interestingly, a well-organized group of dark money organizations that lobbied for the pro-voter fraud bill claimed they believed Anaya, writing, “We hold our elected officials to a high standard.” All of these groups were mum on Lujan Grisham’s sexual assault settlements, as well as corruption by former Democrat House Majority Leader Sheryl Williams-Stapleton (D-Bernalillo), who resigned in disgrace.