Michelle Lujan Grisham

Gov. MLG vetoes law enforcement training, ‘lifeline’ Valencia county hospital bills

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On Friday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham issued a slew of vetoes, 17 in fact, of bills she did not support for various reasons. Among them was a bipartisan bill from Sen. George Muñoz (D-Cibola, McKinley, and San Juan) and Stewart Ingle (R-Chaves, Curry, De Baca, Lea, and Roosevelt) merely meant to “implement new basic and inservice training requirements for law enforcement officers,” according to the bill’s fiscal impact report.

The bill, S.B. 375, passed both the Senate and the House unanimously, however, the Governor claimed the bill would “weaken” civilian oversight of the Law Enforcement Academy Board. “Eliminating these members would insulate the board from any civilian oversight, a necessary accountability measure,” Lujan Grisham said in a message to legislators.

“Supporters of a proposal to revise law enforcement training in New Mexico objected strongly Friday to one of the vetoes. The measure, Senate Bill 375, would have required annual training in de-escalation techniques, crisis intervention and responding to people in a mental health crisis, among other changes,” reports the Albuquerque Journal.

“We thought we were doing something there to make sure our police had extra training,” Sen. Ingle said Friday.

Rep. Stefani Lord, a staunch supporter of Law Enforcement while serving in the House, wrote on Facebook, “Lujan vetoed a bill that had bipartisan support that offered training for Law Enforcement. Just another way to defund the police and deny them critical training to benefit our communities.” 

Another proposal on Gov. Lujan Grisham’s chopping block was H.B. 240, sponsored by Sens. Joshua Sanchez (R-Cibola, Socorro, McKinley) and Greg Baca (R-Bernalillo and Valencia), another unanimous measure, which would have allowed certain property tax revenue in Valencia County to bring a 24-hour emergency health care facility to the area.

The Governor objected to the use of mill levy funds for the project, claiming the bill was usurping authority away from the will of the voters. She wrote, “While health care facilities are needed in our state, the funds described in HB 240 were part of a property tax previously approved by Valencia County voters with the understanding that the funds would be used for specific projects. To now use the mill levy funding for a purpose that was not presented during the election would abuse our democratic process and render the community’s decision as irrelevant. The voters’ decision about the use of mill levy funds must be respected.” 

The bill’s sponsors had a different tune, with Sen. Sanchez writing, “This was a nonpolitical bill that would have simply removed the final roadblock for rural, south central New Mexico to acquire a hospital.” He added, “The legislation was so sensible that it transcended the hyperpartisan session and went to the Governor’s desk with unanimous, bipartisan support. The Governor, however, is so out of touch with New Mexico that she is willing to ignore the decades-long plea for quality healthcare in Valencia County. This is a sad day for our county and our state.” 

“This was not just a piece of legislation – it was a lifeline for a community in need,” said Sen. Baca. “Our community has been working on this for almost 15 years and we hoped this was the year the Governor would look beyond the city and see the needs of her rural constituents. Instead, in vetoing this good faith bill, she has turned her back on Valencia County and certified her legacy as one of the most partisan and vindictive governors to ever ‘lead’ New Mexico. As for our local citizens, they will sadly spend another year wondering if their lives depend on how fast they can drive to Albuquerque.”

Many of the bills the Governor vetoed just so happened to be sponsored by Republicans or have a Republican co-sponsor. She also signed the Democrats’ bloated $7.4 billion budget and vetoed $1 billion in earmarked federal funds.

Gov. MLG vetoes law enforcement training, ‘lifeline’ Valencia county hospital bills Read More »

Gov. MLG rejects Congresswoman Herrell’s plea for National Guard troops at border amid crisis

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As migrants ravage New Mexico’s southern border with Mexico and local landowners in southern New Mexico have begged for relief from federal and state authorities, their pleas have so far fallen on deaf ears. 

One request from GOP Congresswoman Yvette Herrell asked Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to supply National Guard troops to the Southern Border amid Joe Biden’s border crisis, which has been so horrific that kids have been locked in metal boxes outside and migrants have flooded through the border, many including children who have been trafficked and sexually abused on their journey north.

“The U.S. Border Patrol is overworked, undermanned, and under-supplied,” Herrell wrote. “It is your duty as the governor of our great state to protect our citizens from both Covid-19 and the cartels that cross our border.”

In a snarky response by Lujan Grisham spokeswoman Nora Sackett, she wrote to the Associated Press (AP), “We encourage the congresswoman to most effectively address her own concerns by directing them to the federal agencies working on the issue.”

However, the Governor felt the need to dispatch National Guard troops to Washington, D.C. for the installation of Joe Biden as occupant of the White House in January. Now, somehow, the integrity of the border with a neighboring country is less important than that, in the Governor’s view.

According to the AP, “The governor’s office had no comment about the recent cases of children being abandoned along the border in southern New Mexico.” 

On Thursday, the U.S. Border Patrol reported nearly 170,000 encounters with migrants on the U.S.-Mexico border in March, marking a 20-year high. “That includes nearly 19,000 children traveling alone across the border, which was the largest monthly number ever recorded. March’s count was roughly double the number of unaccompanied children encountered by the Border Patrol in February and more than five times the number in March 2020,” wrote the report. 

One horrifying scene showed a horrified 8-year-old illegal migrant child who was abandoned by smugglers and spend the night alone. He came crying to Border Patrol agents. This is just one of the many horrors happening around the Southern Border.

“The number of people attempting to cross our southern border is unprecedented and something must change in order to deter migrants from making that life-threatening journey,” Herrell wrote the governor. “I believe that change is deploying National Guard troops to the border, and I again call on you to do so.”

The Governor first ripped National Guard troops from the Southern Border early in her tenure, just two months following her taking office. She erroneously claimed there was no crisis on the Border.

Gov. MLG rejects Congresswoman Herrell’s plea for National Guard troops at border amid crisis Read More »

Mayhill VFD and EMS: ‘NM Civil Rights Act’ is the final straw for NM’s volunteer fire and EMS depts.

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What if you called 911 and no one answered? That will start to happen very soon in rural New Mexico.

Volunteer fire and EMS (Emergency Services) departments are the one place where political parties, religious differences, and racial and age biases all disappear. We are family, and we need and depend on each other for the good of our communities. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed H.B. 4, the “Civil Rights Act” into law this week. It has the potential to shut us down and close our doors. Qualified immunity is not just a bad cop issue; it is a huge issue in so many other areas. In the fire service, fire officers make huge decisions almost daily that affect human life, safety, and due process based on the deprivation of life and property, secured rights in the New Mexico Bill of Rights. 

Our training helps, but the rapid, explosive, and unpredictable nature of fire and having only the information available at that time make these decisions difficult. On wildfires, firefighters often have to write off homes and other structures for the greater good at that time. Some homes are defendable, and some are not. Sometimes we may make the right decision and know it is the responsible thing to do, yet you may not feel that way if it is your home. Qualified immunity prevents frivolous, groundless, and costly lawsuits against public servants. If a public officer has truly committed a criminal act today, they still face prosecution, and the qualified immunity defense cannot be used. 

New Mexico’s fire service is 88.6% volunteer. We get sued because we did not save their home, we were not there fast enough, we allegedly made the “wrong” decision (under the constitutional right of “safety”), we did not let that repeat convicted felon become a member, someone posted something online, etc. 14% of all firefighter lawsuits fall under civil rights violations, most are alleged denial of due process based on the deprivation of life or property.  

We have used the qualified immunity defense on numerous occasions. Without qualified immunity, we can see a huge exodus of our volunteer firefighters, especially our invaluable, most knowledgeable fire officers. Some say that under H.B. 4, a person can only sue the entity that a person works for and not the individual. However, suppose a judge or jury without adequate knowledge deems that a firefighter did not make the right decision despite their training, despite the explosiveness of the situation, and in spite of their very best intentions to consider life and structure safety. In that case, that firefighter will face civil suits as well. 

We have consulted five attorneys regarding the result of losing qualified immunity for our volunteer firefighters. Two attorneys told us that the entity we represent could come back on the individual to recoup their losses. Who would risk all they have and all they have volunteered to be sued by someone who thinks they have been wronged and denied their rights or privileges? Even if a volunteer firefighter or fire department is found not negligent or not guilty, we will have to spend hours upon hours in depositions, in a court judged by our peers, and in the production of evidence. 

Dealing with these extremely stressful lawsuits will take more time away from our paid employment and our family, even though we are volunteering night and day already. Some of our most valuable volunteer fire personnel spend 20-60 hours a week serving Mayhill VFD/EMS. Volunteer fire departments have the same responsibilities as paid departments along with our calls: NFIRS reports, NMEMSTARS reports, ISO evaluations, training, meetings, station maintenance (MVFD has four stations), vehicle maintenance, recruit training, policy creation, personnel files, inventory, budgets, purchase requisitions, and bids, etc. 

Volunteer departments have a further task: that of recruiting personnel. It is a constant issue. We always need more. Lawsuits wear on personnel. Their effects are lingering. Everyone will be hesitant to respond to critical calls, wondering if this is a situation that might lead to a lawsuit. We will have a very difficult time finding anyone willing to become an officer and a harder time recruiting new personnel.

The same goes for our volunteer EMTs.  59.1% of all of the EMTs in New Mexico are volunteers. We are sued on occasion and are saved from sue-happy citizens by qualified immunity. We have alleged HIPAA violations. We have triage situations and have to make the best decisions we can as to who we can save and who we cannot. We also legally have to stay with a patient until we can hand them off to someone of equal or higher medical qualifications. Often, it makes us look uncaring when we are only doing our job. Believe us, we care. 

Often, we are asked to “stage” before going into a scene because of the danger involved. This leads to a delay in medical attention and opens EMTs to lawsuits. Again, without qualified immunity, we think there will be a mass exodus of these volunteer EMTs who will fear and most likely face civil suits if QI is lost. None of us can afford the legal fees of a civil suit, even if we are found not guilty. None of us can afford to repay the entity we serve if they come after us personally for all or part of the damages they had to pay, as one attorney advised could happen.

We talked amongst ourselves at our general Zoom meeting last week. Most indicated they would definitely consider leaving the fire and EMS service if H.B. 4 became law. Well, it did. Currently, Mayhill VFD/EMS is one of the largest fire departments (45 members) and EMS departments (12 EMTs) in the Sacramento Mountains. While most volunteer EMTs have quit during the pandemic, Mayhill EMS responds to our district and 5 others. What a shame to tear apart a strong, vital service to rural New Mexico due to H.B. 4. New Mexico, in general, will be much less safe and even more underserved since H.B. 4 is now law. 

In order to retain our firefighters and EMTs, Mayhill VFD is currently looking into purchasing individual liability insurance that covers our firefighters and EMTs in numerous areas, including civil rights lawsuits and civil suits. We asked the New Mexico Interim Fire Marshall (the one who never came to the table for the fire departments of New Mexico). The Marshall responded, “not in my job description or job duties,” as we sat stunned. If we would even be allowed to use state fire funds for this, and he is looking into it and has not gotten us an answer, even after three weeks. 

This much we know: it will be extremely expensive. Without qualified immunity, we are getting quotes between $1000 to $5000 an individual per year. Look at Mayhill VFD’s numbers. To protect our volunteers, even if we only insured our officers and most active firefighters, it will cost from $25,000 to $125,000 a year. We will then have to purchase separate insurance for our EMTs at the same rate, costing Mayhill VFD another $12,000 to $60,000 a year. To put this into perspective, Mayhill VFD serves a fire district of 150 sq. miles. 

We have four aging stations (built 1971-1982) in need of constant maintenance. We have a fleet of three wildland trucks (cost of $130,000 to $200,000 each), four structure trucks (cost of $200,000 to $400,000 each), one medical rescue (cost to Otero County of more than $100,000), four command/troop carrier vehicles (cost of $1500-$3,000 each; bought used from GSA), all needing constant costly repair and maintenance. 

Mayhill EMS receives between $5,000-$6,000 a year from the New Mexico EMS Bureau to run our EMS services. The insurance on our 12-lead monitor and keeping our medical unit stocked takes more than this amount yearly. To replace our gurney in today’s market would cost $33,000. Our heart monitor is almost the same amount. To supply our EMTs with jump bags to respond quickly to a scene before the unit gets there costs about $1500 each. AEDs are $1500 each, with one on every fire unit as well. And then we still need to pay for the ever-valuable training and sometimes travel for each of our 12 EMTs. 

So, where does Mayhill VFD get this money? Some come from our ever-dwindling ¼% funds ($27,000-$30,000 a year); we write grant after grant. And then our members hold fundraisers. On the fire side of this, Mayhill VFD received $172,433 this year. Out of that, we pay utilities on the four stations; buy structural, wildland, and hazmat PPE, firefighting equipment, repair trucks, purchase new trucks, pay insurance, replace septic systems, and much more. If one looks at our allocation, buying a fire unit of any kind takes good, sound financial management and planning. Volunteer fire departments write grants, save and save, and then more often than not, take out loans. Yes, your local volunteer departments are in debt already. Let’s start taking out more from our budgets, as in our case, $37,000-$185,000 for individual liability insurance, if we are allowed. 

The passage of this bill further cements the lack of respect that the New Mexico Legislature has shown to volunteer firefighters. Currently, if a volunteer firefighter serves his or her community night and day in a high-risk environment for 10-24 years, he or she receives $125 a month in retirement. Legislators receive almost $11,000 a year with only ten years of partial service. 

Like some legislators, Mayhill VFD has volunteer firefighters and EMTs with doctoral and master’s degrees. We have career firefighters and retired career firefighters who go on to volunteer for 10-25 years. We have professional nurses in our EMS corps. We are dedicated citizens who genuinely serve our communities. Now, we are laid bare with no legal protection.

Thus, to deny volunteer firefighters qualified immunity while retaining immunity for the legislators, the judges, and the select others is another show of disrespect the New Mexico Legislature has for volunteer firefighters and EMTs and all who serve in the other public service professions. If it is such a great idea, why did the legislators retain their immunity? 

What is good for the goose should be good for the gander. It is saying to us, “You be good, but I don’t have to be.” Are we not guaranteed equal protection under the law? The New Mexico Civil Rights Act can have far-reaching negative results for all of New Mexico. Governor Lujan Grisham: you now need to recall this law.

Mayhill VFD and EMS: ‘NM Civil Rights Act’ is the final straw for NM’s volunteer fire and EMS depts. Read More »

‘It is done’: MLG signs anti-life assisted suicide via lethal drugs bill

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On Thursday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed one of the most extreme assisted suicide via lethal drugs bills in the country. She called the bill “remarkable” before signing it over a Zoom conference, saying, “It is done.”

The bill passed the Legislature despite bipartisan opposition to the radical measure, with a final vote of 24-17. Democrats, Pete Campos of Las Vegas, George Muñoz of Gallup, and Benny Shendo Jr. of Jemez Pueblo joined Republicans in voting against the measure. Despite invoking his Catholic faith and saying he attended mass at the Cathedral, Sen. Joseph Cervantes (D-Doña Ana) voted with anti-life Democrats to approve the bill.

During debate. Sen. Gregg Schmedes (R-Tijeras) said, “My concern is that when we legalize this practice, as we’ve seen in other states, the overall suicide rate goes up.” He added, “When I use the word ‘suicide,’ I don’t use it flippantly. Suicide’s the intentional taking of your life.”

The bill, which is opposed by multiple disability rights groups, the Navajo Nation, and many patients living with terminal conditions, seeks to further normalize a culture of death in New Mexico by letting medical professionals prescribe lethal drugs to patients who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness that could take their lives anytime up to six months.

The bill would legalize doctors to prescribe a “cocktail” of lethal drugs to patients suffering from terminal illnesses, which will save insurance companies money. 

During the bill’s hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Sunday, the “expert witnesses,” law professor Robert Schwartz and physician Steven Kanig could not even list the drugs that would be prescribed to end an individual’s life and admitted that there is no set “cocktail” that is used. Schwartz claimed the concoction of harmful drugs “has been refined over the years” and that “these drugs do change.”

H.B. 47, which devalues human life and dangerously violates ethical codes in medicine, is sponsored by anti-life extremist Rep. Deborah Armstrong (D-Bernalillo) and a few other partisan Democrats in the Legislature. 

Gov. Lujan Grisham’s press secretary Nora Sackett said in a statement, “The governor has been a lifelong advocate for seniors and their independence, as well as for the importance of dignity and respect in making choices about one’s own health and treatment.” 

The American Medical Association (AMA) itself decries assisted suicide as an affront to the practice of medicine. According to the American Medical Association’s Code of Ethics Medical Opinion 5.7: 

“Physician-assisted suicide is fundamentally incompatible with the physician’s role as healer, would be difficult or impossible to control, and would pose serious societal risks.” 

“Instead of engaging in assisted suicide, physicians must aggressively respond to the needs of patients at the end of life. Physicians:

Should not abandon a patient once it is determined that cure is impossible.

Must respect patient autonomy.

Must provide good communication and emotional support.

Must provide appropriate comfort care and adequate pain control.

In Oregon and California–states that allow assisted suicide–patients have been denied payment for treatments to save their lives, but have been told that less-costly lethal drugs would be covered. Assisted suicide creates a strong economic incentive to deny treatment, which is the antithesis of the above medical ethics mandate from the AMA to provide appropriate comfort care and adequate pain control. 

According to official numbers from Oregon, suicide in the general population in the state is 40% above the national average during the 20 year period that Oregon has had legal assisted suicide. 

In July, it was reported that New Mexico’s suicide rate was the highest in the nation. This bill would further encourage suicide as a socially acceptable alternative to life–a dangerous mindset to place in the minds of people young and old living in our state. By embracing more death and treating people who have a terminal illness as expendable, New Mexico would be dehumanizing individuals and treating them as a burden. 

In Canada, where assisted suicide is legal for the ill and the elderly, they are now trying to force through assisted suicide for people who have disabilities, claiming it will save health care costs (as the country has a socialized medicine system). They are threatening patients, such as a man named Roger Foley, who has cerebellar ataxia, a degenerative neurological condition, giving him only two options: pay $1,800 per day to remain in a hospital after he was mistreated at a government-assigned agency home care center, or kill himself with life-ending drugs. The legalization of H.B. 47 would usher in Canada’s so-called “progressive” policies, ultimately leading to disabled people being included in future bills to kill themselves because they are given impossible choices such as the one Mr. Foley had.

Also, the unsafe life-ending drugs used in the killing of these terminally ill patients would force patients to agree to the below statement that they understand it could take longer than three hours of excruciating pain for them to finally be poisoned to death:

“I understand the full import of this request, and I expect to die if I self-administer the medical aid in dying medication prescribed. I further understand that although most deaths occur within three hours, my death may take longer.” 

As Charlie Camosy, a bioethics professor in the theology department of Fordham University in New York said, “A medical system that kills is no longer recognizable as healing and caring.”

The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Deb Armstrong (D-Bernalillo) gleefully rejoiced at the final Senate passage of the anti-life bill, writing on Twitter, “This is a tremendous win.”

The bill now ushers in an even more aggressive culture of death in New Mexico, following the passage of S.B. 10, a bill legalizing abortion up-to-birth and infanticide and stripping all protections for women, medical professionals, and babies in the womb.

‘It is done’: MLG signs anti-life assisted suicide via lethal drugs bill Read More »

MLG signs anti-police bill lining Brian Egolf’s pockets with bankrupted local communities’ funds

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On Wednesday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed, H.B. 4, the “Civil Rights Act” into law, an extreme assault on local communities, which will put a target on the backs of law enforcers, and consequently line the pockets of Speaker of the House Biden Egolf’s (D-Santa Fe) pockets with payouts from civil litigation.

The left-wing American Civil Liberties Union applauded the radical bill, “This groundbreaking law allows New Mexicans to hold public officials accountable in our state courts.” However, many claim it will do the opposite by crippling law enforcers’ abilities and taking away much-needed funding from localities already hurting due to the effects of Gov. Lujan Grisham’s COVID-19 lockdown.

The Governor tried to quell the anger of those opposed to the bill, claiming it is not an anti-police bill. She said, “This is not an anti-police bill. This bill does not endanger any first responder or public servant – so long as they conduct themselves professionally within the bounds of our constitution and with a deep and active respect for the sacred rights it guarantees all of us as New Mexicans.” But by removing protections for law enforcers and other government workers, it is doing the opposite of what she claims.

During the Senate debate of the bill, Sen. Bill Sharer (R-San Juan) said, “We don’t want to deprive somebody of their civil rights, but we also don’t want to make the taxpayers of whatever jurisdiction just pour money into this endless pit of lawsuits.”

Sen. Stewart Ingle (R-Chaves, Curry, De Baca, Lea, and Roosevelt) said, “We have the most liberal liability laws of any place except Washington, D.C., and the stuff we didn’t have has now been added through this.” He added, “It’s going to open up areas for liability that we have never seen before. And our counties and our cities, our highway departments, every state agency we have, I think, is going to be subject to things that they have never even thought about.” 

“More money for insurance or claims means less money for essential services or higher taxes,” said Santa Fe County Attorney Greg Shaffer during testimony against the bill in a Senate committee. “This shifting of risk impacts all citizens,” he said. “More money for insurance or claims means less money for essential services or higher taxes.”

In a previous hearing of the bill, Detective Shaun Willoughby of the Albuquerque Police Officers’ Association said, “This particular bill takes away our ability. This is basically a tax increase. We are taxing the public all over the state of New Mexico. Hurting budgets that can be used for training on the mental health, can be used for resources and social programs in the poorest state in the nation.” 

Proponents of the police-attacking bill came sponsored by dark money groups like billionaire Mike Bloomberg’s “Moms Demand Action,” the Soros-funded “Sierra Club,” “ProgressNow New Mexico,” and “Equality New Mexico.” These groups’ supporters claimed H.B. 4 was a necessary reform for civil rights while not addressing how it would cripple local municipalities’ budgets, open these localities to million-dollar frivolous lawsuits, and put targets on peace officers’ backs. 

Egolf has been criticized for sponsoring the bill, as it would directly benefit his private law practice, which is 60% civil litigation and claims. His unethical sponsorship of the bill led a prominent retired judge to file an ethics complaint against Egolf. He had his lawyer file a motion to dismiss the ethics complaint, as reported on Friday. During House consideration of H.B. 4, Egolf voted against an amendment proposed by Rep. T. Ryan Lane (R-San Juan) to bar legislators from financially benefiting from the bill.

The measure barely squeaked by the Senate Judiciary Committee on a vote of 5-4, with Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto (D-Bernalillo) voting with all Republicans against the radical measure. Another similar measure was brought forth by Sen. Joseph Cervantes (D-Doña Ana) regarding tort claims and qualified immunity. However, it was swiftly rejected, with two Democrats voting to kill the bill. Cervantes also may profit off of his co-sponsorship of H.B. 4 despite his claims that he has “no conflict of interest or financial motive in bringing this legislation.” Only time will tell on that.

The Senate amended the bill to eliminate mandatory attorney fees. However, the small concession did not fix New Mexico’s small communities and local governments’ many concerns. In its amended form, the bill passed the House of Representatives for concurrence before it was sent to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for a signature. It passed the Senate on a 26-15 with one Democrat in opposition, Sen, George Muñoz (Cibola, McKinley, and San Juan), siding with all Republicans against the extreme bill.

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MLG signs anti-science trapping ban bill despite 19K+ New Mexicans opposing the measure

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On Monday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed 50 bills into law, many of them negatively affecting the state financially and in practice. One such bill was S.B. 23 by Sen. Bobby Gonzales (D-Los Alamos, Rio Arriba, Santa Fe, and Taos), banning trapping on public lands.

The bill squeaked by its last chamber, with the House of Representatives narrowly passing the measure by a vote of 35-34. During this session, many rural residents and wildlife conservation officers say trapping remains critical for managing wildlife and protecting livestock. 

The bill, which many Republicans and Democrats vehemently oppose, has garnered formidable opposition, with one Change.org petition named “Support science-based wildlife management,” gaining over 19,000 names of those opposed to the bill.

“This bill is not based on science, data or wildlife [biologists’] input.  It is not based on the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation and the Public Trust Doctrine, which define fish and wildlife resources as the property of the people to be managed by the state and federal agencies entrusted with their stewardship.  This model should be used as the foundation of science-based fish and wildlife management and hunting, fishing and trapping are appropriate management tools,” reads a portion of the petition. 

Despite the vast opposition to the bill by wildlife experts and everyday New Mexicans, Lujan Grisham signed the extreme bill into law, signaling “an unbalance and sets a precedent for what could end up listing many animals as endangered or threatened in the future,” according to the petition organizers.

The signing and passage of the bill come with little to no public or scientific involvement in its fast-track to the Governor’s desk, and the massive bipartisan opposition to the bill indicates just how corrosive it is.

The disgraced fringe eco-left group “WildEarth Guardians” celebrated the bill’s signing, writing on Twitter, “Woo-hoo! Minutes ago, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed into law a bill banning traps, snares, and poisons on public lands across New Mexico. Join us in celebrating this huge milestone for #wildlife and #publiclands.”

The Governor also signed multiple other bills into law, such as a bill banning “hair discrimination” regarding cultural hairstyles and headdresses, a bill dumping vast amounts of mostly unregulated money into failing public schools, a bill forcing New Mexico public schools to “develop programs and curricula to teach Black history and culture,” and a bill promoting the use of solar power.

The Governor also signed S.B. 112, a radical environmental bill sponsored by Sen. Mimi Stewart (D-Bernalillo), which moves $100,000 from the General Fund to form a “Sustainable Economy Task Force” tasked with “developing an annually updated strategic plan to transition the state economy away from reliance on natural resource extraction.” Leftist “Republican” Rep. Kelly Fajardo (Valencia) was the only Republican in either chamber to vote in favor of the extreme eco-left bill, which is corrosive to the oil and gas industry. Fringe groups celebrated the newly created commission to destroy the oil and gas industry in New Mexico:

The Governor has yet to sign many other more extreme bills into law, but she is allowed 20 days since the Legislature delivered the bills to her to sign them into law, or else they are considered “pocket vetoed.”

MLG signs anti-science trapping ban bill despite 19K+ New Mexicans opposing the measure Read More »

MLG has photo-op at Los Alamos school after finally lifting one-year ban on in-person learning

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After closing public K-12 schools in the state of New Mexico for over an entire year to supposedly “mitigate the risk of community spread of COVID-19,” Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s ban on in-person learning left countless children without schooling and crippling relapses for many students. In many instances, children in rural areas could not access their “virtual” classrooms due to the lack of technology or wireless connection to the internet. 

The damage the Governor’s lockdown caused was much more painful than merely the year of education many children lost altogether. Hundreds of children in New Mexico took their own lives in 2020 and early 2021, with New Mexico ranking the second-worst state for suicides. As for teen suicides, New Mexico ranked as the fifth-highest state nationwide in 2020. In July 2020, New Mexico hit a boiling point as the state with the highest rate of suicide in the nation, with the rate for children ages 4-15 increasing by 88%.

The Albuquerque Journal reported that around 12,000 “missing” children were going without instruction at all during the pandemic. 

A mere month before the end of the school year, the late reopening of schools has been met with opposition by radical science-denying teachers’ unions. Some even claimed going back to school is still unsafe despite vaccines readily available and CDC guidelines updated. 

Far-left state Rep. G. Andrés Romero, a teacher at Atrisco High School in Albuquerque, said he “worried that switching from remote learning to a hybrid model could be an added stress on teachers and students who already strained. He urged caution to districts considering the option,” according to the Santa Fe New Mexican.

Now, as schools are opening back up, Gov. Lujan Grisham is trying to capitalize as much as she possibly can, trying to portray herself as a hero for reopening the schools despite the countless New Mexico students who have been affected adversely by her strict and arguably cruel lockdown. 

She posted a photo of her visiting a sparsely-attended playground photo-op at Aspen Elementary School in Los Alamos, writing, “I was glad to have the opportunity to visit Aspen Elementary School in Los Alamos this morning, where students and staff were excited to see each other and to be back in the classroom. I look forward to a continued successful and safe re-entry to in-person learning statewide.”

On Sunday, the Governor shared a video made by teachers at Lew Wallace Elementary school in Albuquerque, writing, “Students & educators across the state are excited to be going back to the classroom this week & safely resuming in-person learning. The teachers & staff at Lew Wallace Elementary can’t wait to see their students again – check out this amazing video they made welcoming them back!” 

The tweets come as Lujan Grisham appears to be trying to move public perception away from her strict lockdown and to her reopening of schools. However, New Mexicans will likely not forget her stringent lockdowns, which have cost the lives of multiple children and irreparably harmed the state’s teachers, parents, and youth for years to come. 

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An Easter Sunday reflection on Gov. Lujan Grisham’s hostility toward people of faith

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Today is Easter Sunday, and although the strict COVID-19 restrictions from Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham have been slightly amended, New Mexico remains one of the six states on “advisory” status, one of the few with mandatory mask mandates, and some businesses still shuttered.

On Holy Saturday 2020, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham made a proclamation that all in-person Easter church services of five or greater were banned, effectively stopping New Mexicans from attending church on Easter Sunday. 

She said she wanted to make “absolutely clear that mass gatherings of any type are not permitted in houses of worship.” She continued, “We know that you want to practice your faith, as you should. But this year we must remember that home is holy. The best thing you can do for your community is to stay there.”

Gov. Lujan Grisham had completely shuttered church services on a state level, however, abortion clinics were allowed to stay wide open, despite health concerns.

Then, on Easter, the Governor made a “proclamation” from the Governor’s mansion, writing on Twitter, “This Easter, home is the holy place. I expect all New Mexicans to stay safe by staying home to celebrate, not gathering with friends and family. Together, we will have a safe and happy Easter – by staying apart. BUT tell the kids not to worry: the Easter Bunny is essential!” 

She “expected” New Mexicans to just throw their faith out the door to comply with her mandates. Throughout the lockdowns, the Governor’s religious persecution continued.

Then in May, on Mother’s Day, Gov. Lujan Grisham sent out her State Police to serve a cease and desist order to Truth or Consequences pastor, Dr. Caleb Cooper.

“Here’s a notice that we need to get through, and it’s a cease and desist order,” said the officer serving the order. When Cooper asked why he was being served the order, the officer responded, “for violating the public health order,” citing the May 2nd church service held at the church.

Pastor Jeff Carr of Mesa Baptist Church in Rio Rancho was told by the Governor’s Office that while in-person services were prohibited, he could still hold “online services, drive-in services where people remain in the car with their windows rolled up… or listen to a radio service, honk their horns for ‘Amen!’ and so on.”

But others fought back, such as Legacy Church in Albuquerque which sued the state and remained under scrutiny by the Governor and the liberal media for living out their faith through fellowship in their church.

Las Cruces Bishop Peter Baldacchin instructed his diocese that “While it is true that we need to take every reasonable precaution to reduce the spread of Coronavirus, it is equally true that we offer the greatest ‘essential service’ to our people. The past few weeks have brought to light many unintended consequences of the ‘stay-at-home’ order.” 

This Easter, the struggles still remain, with the Faithful being instructed by the Governor to “celebrate safely” and important traditions such as the pilgrimage to El Santuario de Chimayó are being prohibited. But people of faith are not backing down, and should never forget Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s hostility toward them. New Mexico is a state founded upon faith and its people have proven they will not take kindly to persecution.

An Easter Sunday reflection on Gov. Lujan Grisham’s hostility toward people of faith Read More »

MLG’s Oil Conservation Commission passes new extreme regulations on the oil and gas industry

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On Thursday, the three-member New Mexico Oil Conservation Commission voted unanimously on new rules that will severely handicap the oil and gas industry in regards to emission standards due to venting and flaring, according to a report from Bloomberg News.

Gas producing plants, oil companies, and pipeline operators will have until 2026 to reduce their gas emissions to 2% of production. “The two counties that make up the New Mexico part of the Permian have seen flaring and venting soar as drillers move past legacy acreage in Texas to the newer — and gassier — Delaware sub-basin,” reports Bloomberg. 

According to the report, the rules are a “compromise” between regulators, industry, and environmentalists to curb methane emissions. The Commission’s vote on Thursday follows two years of debate and two weeks of public comment in January. The new rules are expected to go into effect in May.

The commissioners include Adrienne Sandoval of the Conservation Division, who serves as the chair, Dr. Thomas Engler of New Mexico Tech, and Greg Bloom, Assistant Commissioner for Mineral Resources at the New Mexico State Land Office. 

According to a spokesman for the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association, which has stayed neutral on many job-killing anti-energy bills said, “We will strive for full compliance with the final rule, and we commend this commission for undertaking a collaborative approach throughout this two-year process.”

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department secretary Sarah Propst claimed the new rule, “creates a level playing field for the industry.” She also said, “Some companies are already investing in that takeaway capacity upfront and doing everything right while others maybe aren’t because they didn’t have to before.”

These new rules will heavily impact drilling and production on federal lands. According to radical leftist environmental group Environmental Defense Fund’s Daniel Grossman, “The Trump administration rolled back strong regulations.” He said, “But now with the Biden administration, that’s probably something that the Department of the Interior will address with the new leadership of [Interior] Secretary Deb Haaland, who is from New Mexico and understands the issue better than most.”

Haaland is an extremist when it comes to oil and gas, favoring a complete ban on fracking, which produces clean natural gas and fuels New Mexico’s economy. The Governor’s commission and its new ruling makes it clear that the oil and gas industry, which produces nearly 40% of revenues for the state budget, is in danger of extinction if Lujan Grisham gets her way.

MLG’s Oil Conservation Commission passes new extreme regulations on the oil and gas industry Read More »

Glorieta Camps could house thousands of illegal migrant kids from Biden’s border crisis

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On Tuesday, it was reported that Joe Biden’s White House had asked the Glorieta Camps near Pecos to “house and feed potentially 2400 unaccompanied children” from Biden’s border crisis set forth by his failure to protect the southern border with Mexico.

The Glorieta Camps are run by a Christian faith-based non-profit called “Glorieta 2.0” which “offers a variety of lodging options for families and kids, including hotel-style rooms with full private bathrooms for families and bunk-style dorms with in-room sinks and shared bathrooms,” according to the Santa Fe New Mexican.

According to the Washington Post, more than 8,500 unaccompanied illegal alien children and teens were being housed in Department of Health and Human Services shelters, and a record-setting 3,500 children were backlogged at a Border Patrol station, as of March 10. That number has likely skyrocketed since. 

Over the past few weeks, Joe Biden has been blasted for his failure to control the ravaging of New Mexico’s southern border after he encouraged these criminal alien children to cross into the United States with his weak immigration messaging.

Many illegal immigrants flooding into the U.S. can be seen wearing Joe Biden shirts and holding Joe Biden flags with the messaging “Please Let Us In” written on them. 

There are thousands of illegal migrant children currently in federal custody who are in cramped makeshift holding cells while other children are being housed in metal prison-like boxes outside. 

Josh Nelson, an executive assistant for Glorieta Camps, said he expected the Glorieta 2.0 to issue a press release regarding a federal contract about housing the children, but “he was unsure when the deal would be finalized,” reports the New Mexican.

Congresswoman Yvette Herrell and other members of Congress previously toured the Southern Border to shine a light on Joe Biden’s border crisis after he encouraged illegal aliens to flout immigration laws and stopped construction of the wall built by President Donald J. Trump.

Early in her term, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham left the border defenseless when she removed the New Mexico National Guard troops stationed near the border who were assisting the Department of Homeland Security. 

Previously, Gov. Lujan Grisham claimed President Trump “failed” in his response to the border crisis despite him bolstering the border with resources, leading to fewer people crossing the border illegally. Trump had lower deportation numbers than the Obama administration, which Biden was a part of.

Glorieta Camps could house thousands of illegal migrant kids from Biden’s border crisis Read More »

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