According to a new amicus brief filed in the state Supreme Court supporting a lawsuit regarding scandal-ridden alleged serial groper Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s unilateral use of federal funds, four Democrat state senators are claiming the embattled Governor defied the Constitution. The case was originally filed by Sen. Jacob Candelaria (D-Bernalillo), who said he will not seek another term, and Sen. Greg Baca (R-Belen), the Senate minority leader.
Senators George Muñoz (D-Gallup), Joseph Cervantes (D-Las Cruces), Jerry Ortiz y Pino (D-Bernalillo), and Daniel Ivey-Soto (D-Bernalillo), all wrote that “New Mexico’s Constitution and previous court rulings make it clear Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a fellow Democrat, should not have sole authority to decide how to spend what’s left of $1.7 billion in federal relief funds,” according to the Albuquerque Journal.
The Constitution states “money shall be paid out of the treasury only upon appropriations made by the Legislature,” except interest or other payments on public debt.
“Our Constitution creates a separation of powers that vests the appropriation function primarily but not exclusively in the Legislature,” the document states. “Our Constitution also creates checks and balances among all three branches of government, so that no one branch can attain disproportionate power.”
“The Constitution vests the appropriation power in legislators from 112 districts across the state because it is essential to have a diversity of interests represented when the Legislature sets spending priorities,” the four legislators wrote in their filing. “This representation of diverse views would be lost if the appropriation power were vested in one person.”
According to the Santa Fe New Mexican, “In their amicus brief, the senators wrote counsel for the governor ‘misconstrued’ a previous court case, ‘as can be seen by actually reading the case rather than grabbing a few lines from it.’ The senators also claimed the governor’s counsel advanced a ‘confusing and erroneous argument’ in a brief filed Oct. 15. Her attorneys argued a ‘suspense fund’ where federal relief funds are being held ‘is somehow separate from the state treasury,’ the senators wrote.”
“The ‘suspense’ argument is disproved by the very statute that the governor quotes in the brief,” they wrote. “How could the governor’s counsel misread the plain text of this statute? The statute says that all public money shall be paid into the state treasury.”
However, Lujan Grisham’s press secretary claimed, “Courts have previously made clear the Legislature may appropriate state, not federal, funds,” She added, “We have no further comment on pending litigation, and the Lujan Grisham administration looks forward to continuing to provide ongoing support for economic rejuvenation throughout the state.”
Isn’t it interesting the legislators don’t speak up about MLG spreading the Bill of Rights but want become involved when money is involved. This speaks directly to their character and integrity which they have none.
So the Legislation allowed unlawful and unconstitutional Mask Mandates and want to support unlawful and unconstitutional vaccine mandates……but now want to stop her from spending all of this money? Curious.
Thief’s, of one sort or another, one and all. Washington or Santa Fe. The only cure……term limits!
They only care when they do not get the money they feel they deserve. When are they going to stand up for the people they are supposed to represent. MLG does not think she is governor and she works for the people. She believes she is the ruler and queen of New Mexico. She gets away with it because we have worthless legislators that are only concerned with filling their pockets. Shame on them for only crying when the money is not jumping into their pockets.
I am in favor of a citizens arrest of this individual for crimes against humanity.