MLG warns New Mexicans not to protest Inauguration: ‘Do that from your living room’

On Thursday, Gov. Lujan Grisham held a COVID-19 briefing for the first time in a month, going over her plans for increased testing and administering the COVID-19 vaccine. She also was asked about the upcoming Inauguration and her decision to declare a state of emergency while erecting a massive fence around the state Capitol

“We’re seeing a drop-off in appetite for testing and we can’t have that,” said Gov. Lujan Grisham, who appeared to want to boost testing numbers. She also said the following regarding her preparations for security ahead of the presidential Inauguration on January 20th:

We’ve taken seriously all of the intel, which is not public even to some governors, right? There’s some very secure information that the FBI and others have. But they are certainly alerting us that being prepared is prudent–that there are calls to action to domestic terrorism groups all across the country and that those groups might try to travel into your state, some members of your state may be part of those groups, and I take that incredibly seriously. 

So, the safety of every single New Mexican during this next week and and beyond is first and foremost on my mind, and I believe, to date, that we have taken effective precautions for everyone.

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Earnestly, there isn’t a governor in the country, including me, who doesn’t wish that we weren’t having to take these precautions and to do this preparedness and planning. My message to New Mexicans is… stay safe, and stay home. This is a week where if you’re celebrating the Inauguration, you can do that from your living room. If you’re displeased, then you do that from your living room. That we watch a peaceful transition of power, which is what this country is built on. 

And my last message is I ask for people to really work hard to keep everyone safe because no violence–domestic terrorism will not be tolerated here–and everyone who participates, if they participate, in any of those efforts in this state–they will be held swiftly and firmly accountable. And we will use the full extent of the law to do just that. But we are preparing every day. 

Earlier in the day, the Governor issued a melodramatic emergency declaration order due to the “threat of riots of insurrection.” It should be noted that the Inauguration of Joe Biden as president on January 20th is allegedly illegitimate due to widespread voter fraud across the United States.

It should be noted that during the summer, violent Black Lives Matter and Antifa protests erupted, resulting in the Governor giving these individuals a free pass to loot and riot in the streets, saying, “This is a violation of the mass gatherings, no doubt, but we’re just going to take a leap of faith in protecting protesters who have no other way, quite frankly. Right? There’s no other way to be seen, to be heard, to be respected, and to be clear about your message.”

Later in the presser, Gov. Lujan Grisham shoved local sheriffs and officials under the bus for not following her COVID-19 guidelines. She said the following:

I am still disappointed. I don’t think that we’re getting enough cooperation from local law enforcement on any of the public health orders, and you know, we recently received a complaint about a local mayor who continues to show up without a mask and engage in violations against the public health order. And we have an opportunity, and we have a court action that we have against this particular mayor to make sure this mayor is held accountable. 

I think this movement where people are confused that states are somehow using public health orders to thwart elected independence. It’s just frankly shortsighted and nonsense. Nobody wants a public health emergency. Everyone is required to do their part. Governors, in different fashions, absolutely have the power to declare emergencies and to work cohesively to do it. So I remain disappointed. That doesn’t mean that I don’t keep trying to do two things: engage more law enforcement personnel, including duly elected sheriffs, to work with us, not against us. Two, to make sure that they know that they don’t get to pick and choose which laws to enforce and not to enforce, and three to make all of our lawmakers clear that we have to be on the same page.

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I do hope as this nation heals and figures out ways to have a better platform to debate and disagree and be professional and work through that, I hope that also roots itself in law enforcement, all elected officials all across the country. This is just not how we ought to be working together. And again, it’s a violation of their oath. We pay attention. We see that blatant facebook and other posts or statement, and we give them to the Attorney General and others, and I expect folks to do all of their jobs statewide, but I remain a little frustrated that that’s where we still are a year later.