On Tuesday, a bipartisan panel of state legislators on the Legislative Council unanimously voted in favor of a probe into Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s spending during the COVID-19 pandemic, where she reportedly spent $40 million in state money on New Mexico’s response to the virus.
The panel included Democrat Speaker of the House Brian Egolf and Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth, both from Santa Fe, as well as dozens of lawmakers from across the state.
According to the Albuquerque Journal, “At issue is whether the governor is limited to $750,000 when she authorizes emergency spending in an executive order. Most of her orders are set for that amount, and it’s consistent with what previous executives have done, legislative staff said.”
By spending 53 times what the state allows, the Governor’s predicament is serious, even in a health crisis, as the panel affirmed on Tuesday.
Lujan Grisham’s office brushed off the critical issue, saying, “If Legislative Council would prefer a different mechanism for responding to life-and-death emergencies under the laws they write,” the Governor’s Spokeswoman Nora Sackett continued, “they are empowered to make one.”
Democrat Sen. John Arthur Smith, Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said, “Quite frankly, we need to be drawing a line in the sand on this.”
According to Democrat Rep. Patricia Lundstrom, the Chairwoman of the House Appropriations and Finance Committee, “I have a lot of heartburn… that we have to do research to get information as opposed to it being shared with LFC.”
House Republican Leader Jim Townsend said, “This has been a concern — whether the Legislature is going to protect and provide the appropriate checks and balances to appropriations that occur,”
On Monday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham posted what some are calling “virtue signaling propaganda” on her Twitter account, urging New Mexicans to “mask up” by wearing face coverings.
The 26-second video features far-left politicians, including Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller, Lujan Grisham’s cousin, Rep. Ben Ray Luján, Rep. Deb Haaland, among other unidentified people, presumably from the Governor’s “Mask Madness” competition, where New Mexicans submitted entries of them wearing unique masks.
The video features slogans such as “everyone is masking up,” “protect NM,” “protect yourself,” “protect others,” and “it saves lives” flashing in front of the screen. It is not clear if the Governor got permission from those featured in the video before posting.
So, does this appear to be propaganda or just a benign campaign video promoting mask use? You be the judge:
Lujan Grisham deleted the tweet a little over an hour after it was posted, however, people had already retweeted and shared their comments about it, as the below tweet reflects. The video was then pulled down a second time.
On Wednesday, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced “aggressive enforcement” of her mask order, mandating $100 fines for all who dare defy it, with businesses up against the threat of being charged with a misdemeanor.
And on Thursday, New Mexico Gov. Lujan Grisham took to Twitter to scold people under the age of 40 for spreading COVID-19, citing how “60% of COVID-19 cases reported since Sunday are New Mexicans under the age of 40.” She reprimanded them, writing, “Act right. Do not gather in groups. Wear a mask.”
Young New Mexicans – you are NOT IMMUNE.
60% of COVID-19 cases reported since Sunday are New Mexicans under the age of 40.
However, that’s a complete shift from her previous position, where she applauded and praised the “thousands of New Mexicans who peacefully protested in Albuquerque” in late May after the death of George Floyd sparked protests and riots nationwide. She went on to announce that “The state of New Mexico will stand ready to assist local governments in facilitating peaceful protests.”
She also acknowledged that these protests were a violation of her strict mass gatherings policy, but said they were fine she was going to “take a leap of faith” in protecting the protesters blatantly violating her rules.
She said, “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.”
But now, after she has applauded these “thousands” of protesters, some of whom did not wear masks or social distance, she’s backtracking after she’s allowed these mass gatherings of people.
While scolding young folks for spreading coronavirus, she wrote, “Young New Mexicans – you are NOT IMMUNE.” And these young people she’s blaming for spreading COVID-19 most likely spread it because they were at a protest.
According to Pew Research, 41% of those who recently attended a protest focused on race were younger than 30. Nationwide, only 19% of people are in this age group, so statistically, they were overrepresented by over 100% at protests.
Now, the Governor is doing damage control, trying to distance herself from her previous praise of the protesters taking to the streets in the thousands, saying, “I encourage them to continue demonstrating in a peaceful and safe fashion.” Clearly, they did not heed her advice to protest in a “peaceful and safe fashion,” especially since photographic evidence shows many protesters did not wear masks and were not standing six feet apart.
On Tuesday, President Donald J. Trump’s son, Donald Trump, Jr. spoke to the people of the Navajo Nation suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic and spoke fondly about his visit during the 2016 campaign to the Navajo Nation. The address was aired over the radio on KNDN 960AM.
“We recognize out of all the tribes, the Navajo Nation had been impacted hardest by the COVID-19 disease,” said Don Jr., standing in solidarity with the victims of the disease.
“I still have the incredible turquoise necklace Rep. Sharon Clahchischilliage and former Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly gave me,” continuing to speak of how he has enjoyed his time visiting the Navajo Dam and hunting in Indian Country.
“As a hunter, I pursued elk and mule deer in your great state,” said Trump. “The Navajos and the Native Americans as a whole are the original conservationists.” He added, “I know I am the son of a New York billionaire, but I don’t spend my time in the cocktail party circuit. I spend it in the great outdoors.”
“No Navajo child should have to leave the Navajo Nation to pursue the American dream,” said Don Jr. He also said the Trump Victory team and his team will have “staff on the grown throughout the campaign,” something many Republican candidates have not done in the Navajo Nation.
“The person that can bring us back up from under the scourge of this virus, disease, this epidemic, is the guy who did it last time — Donald Trump,” Don Jr. said in conclusion. The son of the 45th President’s address to the Navajo Nation is just one of the ways the campaign looks to reach out to Native people in healing during this COVID-19 pandemic.
After the address, an announcer thanked the President for his efforts on behalf of the Navajo Nation, saying, “130 million in federal stimulus COVID-19 funding.” According to the Navajo Nation Department of Health, there are 6,633 positive COVID-19 cases and 311 deaths.
On Wednesday, while responding to a citizen’s questions about the upcoming special session called by Gov. Lujan Grisham, Speaker of the House Brian Egolf was asked about the decision to not have in-person comment, which Egolf claimed in a Zoom call was to slow the spread of COVID-19.
New Mexico resident Todd Hathorn wrote to Egolf, “Closed means no public interaction. Actions taken by the Speaker belie the words. This move to close the session requires a suspension of disbelief.”
Egolf responded to Hathorn, writing back, “That is not true. We explained in yesterday how the public will participate live by video and give comment directly to committees, by video or in writing. The public does not offer comment on floor debates…never has. This was a unanimous and bi-partisan decision.”
That is not true. We explained in yesterday how the public will participate live by video and give comment directly to committees, by video or in writing. The public does not offer comment on floor debates…never has. This was a unanimous and bi-partisan decision.
But the Speaker’s comment appears to be false, as at least one Republican representative says they never were asked for their input on the matter, and that they disagree with the closed meetings.
Rep. Greg Nibert (R-Roswell), wrote in an email to the Piñon Post, “The question was never presented to me. If asked, I would respond that the Capitol is the people’s house and if people want to attend and take the risk, they should be allowed to do so.”
Other members have confirmed they were never asked their opinion including Rep. Martin Zamora (R-Clovis), Rep. Jane Powdrell-Culbert (R-Corrales), and Sen. Pat Woods (R-Broadview).
According to House Republican Leader Jim Townsend (R-Artesia), the motion to keep the Capitol closed was made during a WebEx virtual meeting, where there was no way for members to comment. He also noted that Republican Whip Rod Montoya also could not comment during the meeting and he texted the Speaker directly, which let him speak on the matter.
New Mexico Senate Republican Whip Stuart Ingle’s staff confirmed that he was not present for that conversation or vote, so no, it was not “unanimous.”
Speaker Egolf’s claim that the decision was both bipartisan and unanimous is false, since not every member of the House was asked their opinion. Piñon Post has reached out to every Republican member of the New Mexico House and the Senate, with none responding in support of closed meetings as of 11:57 P.M. on Thursday.
The closed-door special session will take place on June 18th, with no public allowed in the Capitol. Also, legislators will be paid per-diem before and during the special session if they choose to work from home.
The Republican Party of New Mexico called this decision “an insult and another hard slap in the face to all hard-working New Mexicans,” Chairman and former Congressman Steve Pearce saying, “The funds are tapped out, but they’ll still find a way to squeeze more for themselves and squeeze the public.”
In late May, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham was under heavy fire from New Mexico citizens, local commentators, and even national outlets for disobeying her own stay-at-home order to buy expensive jewelry from Albuquerque jeweler Lilly Barrack.
While the Gov. was adorning herself with luxury jewels, New Mexicans were suffering — and still are — from her strict lockdown orders barring small businesses and working families from providing for their loved ones. However, the Governor allowed big box stores such as Costco and Walmart to stay wide open for business. Over 210 restaurants have permanently closed during the shutdown.
During the lockdown, some commenters, such as Rio Rancho’s “Salon Deluxe” opined that the Governor is still getting her hair and makeup done in Corrales, despite her harsh lockdown on such businesses operating. Others also wondered if she had salon visits during the lockdown, one commentator claiming a hairdresser named Nam Tran in Corrales is doing her hair.
In emails obtained by the Piñon Post, KOAT 7’s Nancy Laflin asked Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s press secretary, Nora Sackett, about the Governor’s trips to the salon, writing, “…viewers have said [Lujan Grisham] has been getting hair treatment at a salon in Corrales before news conferences. Is that accurate, and if so, was she following state guidelines?”
Sackett snarkily unloaded on the citizens asking these questions, writing back: “I understand that you have to do your job, but ‘viewers saying something online’ is in no way any actual proof or reason to suspect something. I am so entirely tired of people choosing to spend their time by making up lies about the governor getting her hair done. She has not gotten a haircut, or had it colored, or had her nails done, or anything else that angry people on the internet would like to make up unsubstantiated nonsense about. Nor has she been to Corrales – again, people making things up online does not make them true. Every day, the governor is taking serious action to do her best to save lives and keep New Mexicans from getting sick, and all people ‘online’ want to do is complain about her hair. She has not gotten a haircut, as salons are closed and non-essential person-to-person interactions are not allowed, and she expects every other New Mexican to continue to adhere to the public health order just as she is doing.
Also for what it’s worth, woman to woman, you can clearly tell that the governor hasn’t gotten her hair cut just by looking at it. I mean come on.”
Sackett also defended Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s breaking of her health order to buy fancy jewels, writing in an email:
“There were no state guidelines broken. It was an entirely contact-free purchase. The governor asked if she could make an order and pay for some merchandise online or remotely – as was permitted under the prevailing health order at the time, see Page 6, Section (3) of the April 6, 2020, public health order. To be clear, none of the state’s public health orders have ‘otherwise restrict[ed] the conduct of business operations … in which an employee only interacts with clients or customers remotely.’ The transaction was entirely contact-less and remote. The store was never ‘opened’ and a good safe process was followed. The governor has of course in both her personal and professional lives adhered to all of the public health measures the state has enacted for the duration of this pandemic.”
The Governor’s staff essentially doing backflips to try and explain away whether Lujan Grisham did or did not break her own stay-at-home order speaks volumes to the level in which they will go to justify her actions — which were dishonest, if not worse. The snark given by Sackett toward everyday New Mexicans asking questions about the Governor following the same orders everyone else should be an eye-opener for citizens looking for transparency in government.
On Thursday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (MLG) started off her coronavirus press briefing by showing off her new face mask, which featured had an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The choice of clothing is surprising, as Our Lady of Guadalupe is a sacred image known as the “Patroness of the Americas” and the “Patroness of the Unborn,” who, since her apparition in 1531 to St. Juan Diego, brought cruel human sacrifice to an end all over the Americas.
In the 1400s and 1500s, babies were ripped out of their mothers’ wombs, their hearts ripped out while still beating, and their skulls thrown down temple pyramid steps. According to the early Mexican historian Ixtlilxochitl, it was estimated that one out of every five Mexican child was sacrificed to the Aztec “gods.”
Throughout centuries, Our Lady has been the Patroness of the Unborn for her apparition and creation of a culture of Life in the Americas, spreading that message of peace across the world.
But according to the National Right to Life Educational Foundation, over 61,628,584 babies have been killed by abortion. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is an outspoken advocate for killing babies through abortion and has been lauded by multiple abortion up-to-birth groups, such as Planned Parenthood, which have given her endorsements for her gubernatorial and congressional runs.
In 2019, Lujan Grisham unsuccessfully tried to ram through an extreme anti-life bill, HB-51, which would have legalized abortion up-to-birth for any reason and stripped away protections for women, including underage girls who would not need permission to get the procedure.
Given Lujan Grisham’s unabashedly pro-abortion stance to end the lives of unborn children through her policy proposals and advocacy, she has no business using a religious figure as sacred as the Patroness of the Unborn Our Lady of Guadalupe, much less place her likeness and image on her face in the form of a mask.
Pew Research reports that 34% of Christian adults in New Mexico are Catholic, and the Catholic Church’s 2014 numbers show over 1.4 million church members in New Mexico.
Lujan Grisham, who claims to be a Catholic herself, appears to be once again shooting herself in the foot with her desecration of Our Lady. This week, it was also reported that she broke her own lockdown orders by purchasing high-end jewelry from an Albuquerque jeweler, Lilly Barrack, a non-essential business.
Voters head to the polls on June 2nd, and her latest stunt may irk Catholic voters, pro-lifers, and people of faith into participating in the electoral process to elect pro-life leaders. Lujan Grisham has endorsed multiple Democrat candidates for the 2020 election, all of whom are pro-abortion extremists. Some candidates she has endorsed are challenging pro-life Democrats who voted against her 2019 abortion up-to-birth bill.
Lujan Grisham’s latest stunt seems to be a sick way to spit in the eye of pro-lifers and desecrate a sacred image, which has continually given people hope for the unborn for generations. Our Lady of Guadalupe does not belong on pro-abortion extremist MLG’s face, but unfortunately, her past disregard for rules and norms of respect makes her foul gimmick predictable.
John Block is the editor of the Piñon Post and a longtime New Mexico political activist. With the Piñon Post, John looks to bring true representation to conservatives in the Land of Enchantment and cut through the mainstream media red tape by providing independent, fair, and conservative journalism to New Mexico. Follow John on Twitter @JohnforNM or send him an email at John@PinonPost.com.
On Tuesday, it was reported that Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham broke her own “stay-at-home” order, where she had a staffer pick up “expensive” jewelry for her from Lilly Barrack on Paseo in Albuquerque.
According to the article, Lujan Grisham’s aide had picked up the jewelry for her in April, smack dab in the middle of the Governor’s COVID-19 lockdown. Her strict orders forbade “non-essential” businesses from staying open under any circumstances. In late April, Lujan Grisham had fined a small pawn shop in Grants $60,000 for remaining open.
Lujan Grisham also sent her State Police to deliver a cease and desist order on Mother’s Day to New Hope Revival Church’s pastor, Caleb Cooper. The Truth or Consequences church was deputized by Sierra County Sheriff Glenn Hamilton, but the Governor was unrelenting in her crackdown.
The Governor’s spokesman confirmed that the Governor’s forbidden purchase from the “non-essential” store did happen, saying, “Lujan Grisham did call an employee, saying they had a longstanding personal relationship. The employee came here [Lilly Barrack], got the jewelry and took it home, left it outside their home, and then someone came and picked it up.”
“The governor’s office first said it was a campaign staffer, then later told KRQE it was the governor’s friend, but wouldn’t release a name. They also said the transaction was entirely contact-less, remote, and permissible,” reported KRQE News.
While New Mexico businesses and churches are being forcibly closed and facing crippling fines, Gov. Lujan Grisham is indulging herself in expensive jewels from a business clearly outside of her stay-at-home order. But small businesses, such as local restaurants are permanently closing by the hundreds, and other businesses are being forced into foreclosure.
New Mexicans can no longer stand Michelle Lujan Grisham’s tyrannical rule, clearly driven by delusional political ambitions of being Joe Biden’s vice-presidential pick. The Governor’s audition for a longshot nomination is more important to her than the wellbeing of the working families of New Mexico, struggling to put food on the table as a result of her despotic orders.
The primary election is just one week away, and New Mexicans have an opportunity to buck the Governor’s tyranny and choose pro-freedom candidates to go and fight for us and our rights in the General Election. Be it through the mail, voting early, or on Election Day, we cannot afford to get it wrong this time — or Gov. Lujan Grisham’s abusive rule is just a taste of what is to come.
If Republicans can take one of the two chambers of the New Mexico Legislature in 2020, we can stave off further detriment to our state by the Tiny Tyrant and protect the freedoms we have left as a people. We will not be scared into submission by Lujan Grisham’s repressive rule — which is why we must VOTE, VOTE, VOTE.
Some have even contended that we can impeach Lujan Grisham if we secure the New Mexico House of Representatives, with an impeachment petition found at ImpeachMLG.com.
Listen, if you can afford to flock to Walmart or Costco to hoard toilet paper during COVID-19, you can show up to the polls or send in an absentee ballot for pro-freedom Republican candidates. Our future and our freedom are hanging in the balance and the only way to keep those freedoms is by utilizing the freedom men and women have died for: our right to vote. If you need to find more information or register to vote, find all the resources you may need here.
John Block is the editor of the Piñon Post and a longtime New Mexico political activist. With the Piñon Post, John looks to bring true representation to conservatives in the Land of Enchantment and cut through the mainstream media red tape by providing independent, fair, and conservative journalism to New Mexico. Follow John on Twitter @JohnforNM or send him an email at John@PinonPost.com.
Lujan Grisham’s face mask requirement began on May 15th, “requir[ing] everyone to cover their faces in public, with exceptions for eating, drinking and exercise.”
“If New Mexicans don’t help us as we ease restrictions, we’ll see cases rise, and as they rise, we’ll have to shut down again. That’s the only tool I have,’’ Lujan Grisham said in a statement. “If I can’t get New Mexicans to protect vulnerable populations, to protect our seniors and children and minority populations and homeless populations and essential workers and health care workers and first responders and so many more, I will do whatever it takes to protect them. But you can help me. And if we all do this together, we can keep easing restrictions in a safe manner and go on living in a COVID-19 world.”
Sunday’s tweet came after multiple leaders in New Mexico criticized her strict face mask mandate. Eddy County’s Sheriff Mark Cage said, “This is America. Make your own decisions, make your own informed decisions as an adult. If I am not wearing a mask and you feel that you could be comprised by being around me not wearing a mask, then you have the right to move away from me.”
House Minority Leader Rep. Jim Townsend (R-Artesia), said Lujan Grisham could be overstepping her authority by mandating everyone wear face masks. “That’s troublesome. There’s a number of other entities that challenge whether it’s a proven method,” he said.
On Sunday, hundreds of New Mexicans gathered in Truth or Consequences at the New Hope Revival Church to openly defy the Governor’s previous cease and desist order given to the Church for holding services despite her order. The Church was previously deputized by Sierra County Sheriff Glenn Hamilton, but received the citation from the State Police regardless.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s Sunday tweet appears to be her best attempt at strong-arming citizens into complying with her latest mask mandate. Many citizens from across the state are refusing to comply.
Thursday is the National Day of Prayer in the United States, where people of faith unite as one nation to “turn to God in prayer and meditation at churches, in groups, and as individuals.”
The President is required by law to proclaim this holiday on the first Thursday of May each year and has survived the test of time, since being formally enacted in 1952 despite failed attempts by atheists to have it ruled unconstitutional.
But as our nation faces the ramifications from the COVID-19 pandemic, our prayers are especially critical at this consequential time, as our nation is locked down, our jobs are being lost, our friends and family may have been dealt with the loss of loved ones, and uncertainty looms ahead.
As New Mexicans, we are a people of faith, and our prayers can make a difference on this national holiday to help contribute to the healing of our nation — including our state.
Our President, Donald J. Trump is working hard to get our country back open and save as many lives as possible, despite the ravenous media looking to tear him down at every turn. Today, we must pray for our strong Commander-in-Chief, our beautiful First Lady Melania Trump, our Vice President, Mike Pence, our Second Lady Karen Pence, and their families as they support our great leaders in this time of crisis.
We must also pray for New Mexico as our people are hurting and our state is battling a strict lockdown by our despotic ruler. We pray for our brothers and sisters facing catastrophic fines for trying to put food on their tables by working. We pray for the workers being laid off and furloughed, the health care workers and necessary employees on the frontlines combating the pandemic, the brave law enforcers, firefighters, first responders, and military members keeping us safe, and every New Mexican as they survive this crisis.
We pray for the unborn and their mothers as they face the brutal slaughter of abortion each day, despite the crisis closing, the medically compromised as they fight to stay safe from COVID-19, and all who live in uncertainty as injustices are carried out all around us.
Today, we pray for our voters to choose candidates who will uphold our New Mexico values of faith, family, the sanctity of life, support for our President, and who will uphold ALL of our rights enshrined in the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of New Mexico.
As our nation prays for healing, we must pray for the healing of hearts and minds so that our fellow citizens can open their arms to freedom, and reject the tyrannical rule that aims to keep us downtrodden, poor, and uneducated. By our prayers and our actions, we will take our state back into the right hands, and we will overcome whatever afflicts us.
As Americans and New Mexicans, we are strong, patriotic, fair, just, and most importantly, prayerful. Our prayers work, and God hears every single plea, multiplying with each one prayed. Although we may not be together during this National Day of Prayer, God is everywhere, and he is with us always.
From the gypsum majesty of White Sands and the towering spires of the Organ Mountains to the breathtaking wings of Shiprock, these reminders of God’s hand give us hope for the future, and give us something to fight for — our people, our state, our culture, and our identity.
We are not alone. We must look up and give thanks for all the beautiful things God has provided us. With Him, all things are possible, if they be His will. We can turn our state around through our hard work, our prayer, and our love for each other.
May God bless our state, our President, and our nation.
“Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction.” — Philippians 4:11-14, KJV
