On Wednesday, it was revealed in a bombshell report that ProgressNow NM’s founder and current Albuquerque City Councilor Pat Davis has a past that includes the shooting of a black man while working for the Washington, D.C. Police Department, among other more recent actions. In a desperate move to distance itself from its founder, ProgressNow NM is now calling Davis a “racist.”
In the report, it cites a recent comment by Davis saying, “For far too long we’ve seen people of color targeted by police and underserved by those in power. Seeing the brutalization and death of individuals at the hands of those who are supposed to protect and serve is a disgrace to our nation and I’m glad to see so many people stand up, say ‘Black Lives Matter.’… As [a] former police officer myself, I acknowledge that … I also made arrests and instigated some encounters I wouldn’t be proud of today.”
The report details Davis’ 2006 shooting of a black man:
“While on patrol, the officers observed a red … Nissan … occupied by two black males. The passenger in the vehicle was observed without his seatbelt on, and the vehicle also failed to use a turn signal while making a left turn. … [A]t that time, [officers] conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle. … Davis approached the driver’s door of the vehicle and observed the driver with a semi-automatic pistol in his hand attempting to conceal the handgun in the middle of the console area of the vehicle. … Officer Davis reached inside the vehicle and attempted to grab the handgun from the driver and a struggle ensued. … The driver of the vehicle then sped off at a high rate of speed with Officer Davis partially inside of the driver’s window struggling with the driver and being dragged by the vehicle. … Officer Davis, fearing for his life, fired his service weapon into the vehicle. … Officers continued to canvass the area and … located the defendant … hiding under a stairwell … The defendant was suffering from a gunshot wound to the left shoulder. …. ”
The report also details how in 2017 Davis said, “[I was a] ‘zero-tolerance cop’ – the kind you wouldn’t want to pull you over. … I came from a conservative background. … If you broke the laws, there are consequences for that.”
Now, his past is coming back to bite him as the socialist group “ProgressNow NM,” which he himself founded is now denouncing Davis as a racist and calling for his resignation. In a statement by Progress Now, they blasted Davis’ record as a policeman in Washington, D.C. as well as at UNM, and his recent work on a supposed “racist” and “sexist” mailer against County Commissioner-elect Ariann Barboa.
“As a self-proclaimed ‘progressive’ Davis is not exempt from accountability. Davis’ sustained pattern of racist actions over a long period of years has led us to call for Davis to step down from his positions of authority, including the Bernalillo County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, the Judicial Selection Committee, Governor Lujan Grisham’s Marijuana Legalization Task Force, and his seat on City Council. Surely, our community does not need someone who routinely targets and criminalizes Black and Brown people to be serving on committees that select judges, decide the future of marijuana legalization in our state, or pass policies and make financial decisions for the City of Albuquerque,” writes ProgressNow NM.
“This pattern of racist behavior targeting Black and Brown communities should be concerning to everyone.”
The group’s executive director, Alissa Barnes wrote, “You can’t lead a task force for the legalization of marijuana and simultaneously weaponize the substance to criminalize people who use it so that you can gain personal, political power.”
Davis has a chequered past, including a DWI charge, a failed run for Congress, in which he tastelessly shouted “F*ck the NRA” and showed his ignorance relating to guns in a campaign ad, and a recent power-grab to help ascertain more power by using Coronavirus as a cover, to name a few. Now, both the Left and the Right are uniting in opposition to Davis.
? Why did NM end up with so many politicians from Washington DC,,, they are all connected i am thinking…. And the Agenda is to turn the US socialist . In Santa Fe, we have the same issue a Mayor was elected by theft – Ranked Choice Voting – Wake up we are being played strait up
Agree.
Santa Fe is being destroyed by outsiders & insiders. The shutdown will kill it….all those apartments are meant for subsidized people who will be captive voters for Dem policy. Entrepreneurs will leave town. Then what? Fake college set up at the old College of Santa Fe, owned by city, to enforce liberal ed agenda like tans sexs. More small business will close.
That’s what they want….a captive, serf population.
WHAT DOES NEW MEXICO WANT TO BE? This resident wants freedom.