The African American Performing Arts Center at Expo New Mexico will soon see the name of Sheryl Williams Stapleton, a former official with Albuquerque Public Schools and an ex-state legislator, taken down from its facade.
This decision comes in light of Williams Stapleton facing serious allegations at both the federal and local levels for misappropriating public funds. The name removal ceremony is scheduled for next Friday.
Earlier in the week, Williams Stapleton was hit with federal charges, including bribery, money laundering, and defrauding the U.S. government. These charges were brought forth in connection with accusations that she, in collaboration with Joseph Johnson, misused millions in federal funding for personal gain. Additionally, she was indicted on charges of racketeering and money laundering among others related to the misuse of state funds two years prior.
In response to these allegations, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham issued a statement, writing, “After careful consideration, I have decided that the serious charges levied against former Rep. Sheryl Williams Stapleton in a 35-count federal indictment this week warrant removal of her name from the African American Performing Arts Center at Expo New Mexico. If she is exonerated of these alleged financial crimes in a court of law, the New Mexico Legislature can consider returning her name to the facility.”
This stance marks a shift from the Governor’s previous position in 2021, following the state charges against Williams Stapleton.
At that time, Governor Lujan Grisham had expressed a more cautious approach, indicating that her office would refrain from “premature actions” given the principle that “Stapleton is innocent until proven guilty.”
Far-left Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, in an interview with Axios, trashed the Navajo Nation for its plight against the U.S. government over the Interior Department’s land grab of a 10-mile radius around Chaco Canyon — mandated under the Joe Biden regime.
Lujan Grisham said of the Nation, “Sometimes people assume that a sovereign nation’s interests [are] on the side of land, sacred sites, archeological issues … but sometimes it’s their own fossil fuel industry issues.”
“The governor also thinks the Biden administration’s protections for Chaco Culture National Historical Park will endure through a potential next GOP administration. But she also noted the disparate tribal views on Chaco, with the Navajo Nation opposed to the oil and gas buffer zone,” the article read.
Regarding the oil and gas industry in general, Lujan Grisham told the outlet, “For me, the debate has been about accountability. And if I can’t minimize how much is produced, it better be the cleanest … barrel of oil and the cleanest liter of gas in the world.”
The article continued, “To those who’d like to end production in New Mexico, she says: ‘Texas would still be able to get that oil out of the Permian. So if your goal is to produce less oil, you’re not doing enough about that.’”
The interview further underscores her enviro-Marxist views regarding land management and energy.
In 2019, she rammed through the state’s version of the Green New Deal, banning all oil production in the state by 2035. Every year since, she has continued an onslaught against the industry, which produces a majority of the state’s revenue in its various funds.
Despite the heavy reliance on the energy industry, Lujan Grisham, in a desperate attempt to pander to the fringe eco-leftists, has continued her relentless attacks.
In northeast Albuquerque, a community’s aspiration for a playground faced unexpected hurdles this year, entangled in political maneuvers at the highest echelons of the state.
Netherwood Park, nestled between Indian School and I-40, became the focal point of a heated debate initiated by families in the area over the proposed addition of a playground. Galen Loughrey, a supportive neighbor, highlighted the potential benefits of such a facility, emphasizing its role in fostering social cohesion and providing opportunities for children to interact.
However, dissenting voices, led by Democrat failed gubernatorial candidate and ex-Lt. Gov. Diane Denish and other neighbors near the park challenged the idea of introducing a playground.
Denish argued for preserving the park’s open space, asserting that children’s creativity thrives without structured play areas. Concerns were also raised about the potential for undesirable elements gathering at the park.
To gauge community sentiment, families conducted door-to-door surveys, revealing significant support for the playground.
“To gauge support, some of the families went door-to-door. Residents against the playground sent emails to the city. KRQE asked how many they received: 61 for and 22 against. Two-thirds of families were eager for a playground at Netherwood Park,” reported KRQE 13.
State Senator Gerald Ortiz y Pino sought $200,000 in capital outlay funding to materialize the project amid a slew of approved allocations for various initiatives across the state.
Unexpectedly, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham vetoed the funding for Netherwood Park, citing a lack of neighborhood consensus. It later emerged that Denish, a close confidante of the governor, had lobbied for the veto. Ortiz y Pino expressed disappointment, questioning the governor’s decision-making process and highlighting the lost opportunity for community development.
The outlet further reported, “Denish said she called the governor and asked her to veto any funding for Netherwood Park. Neighbors accuse Denish of treating the park as her backyard. ‘I don’t apologize for having a lifetime of public service where I’ve known these people. I’ve worked hard for New Mexico and being able to call them and having a conversation about something that’s important to me,’ said Denish.”
Moreover, neighbors raised concerns about unequal access to city and state officials, pointing out instances where Denish appeared to wield undue influence. Despite efforts to redirect the funds to other parks, the underlying issues of political influence and community representation remained unresolved.
“The loudest voice, or the voice who seems to have the most direct line of communication, is getting the response, and it’s not representative of the community as a whole,” said neighbor Nadya Loughrey.
In response to inquiries, Governor Lujan Grisham declined to provide further insight into her decision, leaving lingering questions about the fate of Netherwood Park’s playground and the broader implications for grassroots initiatives.
Amid widespread backlash from New Mexicans after Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s State Parks Division of the New Mexico Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD) proposed over 100% price increases in state park fees, the division is canceling a scheduled April 1, 2024, hearing on the matter.
According to a study commissioned by the division and reported by KOAT & News, “The study shows proposed fees such as raising day-use per vehicle from $5 to $10; raising camping fees from $10 to $20 a night for New Mexico residents; electric service from $4 to $10 a night; water service for $10.” These proposed increases would cost over 100 percent more.
New Mexico House Republicans came out unanimously against the proposed fee increase, writing in a letter, “New Mexicans are among the most economically challenged Americans. Raising our fees to be consistent with the fees of neighboring states – which in some instances results in increases of 200% – fails to account for the vast differences in wealth of residents in our neighboring states, all of which have significantly fewer people living in poverty. The increased fees and new fees will make activities like camping, boating, and paddle sports unaffordable for many New Mexicans at a time when they are struggling to keep up with the significant inflation of recent years.”
EMNRD’s Field Operations Bureau Chief Jared Langenegger wrote in a Wednesday statement, “New Mexico State Parks, a Division of the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD) is announcing the postponement of the public hearing on its proposed rule revisions scheduled for April 1, 2024.”
He noted, “This decision allows additional time to review and consider over 800 public comments and feedback received regarding the proposed rule amendments. State Parks The Division will continue to receive public comments on the proposed rule changes through March 29, 2024.”
“State Parks The Division plans to review the public input received and revise the proposed rule changes in the coming months. Once the review and revision process is complete, recommendations will be presented through a rule revision process, which will include additional public meetings and another public comment period,” continued Langenegger.
In the 2024 legislative session, state legislators passed over 70 pieces of legislation, all of which required the governor’s signature to become official laws. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the majority of these bills, especially those she had specifically requested lawmakers to consider.
Despite the high rate of approval, two bills were “pocket vetoed” by the governor, meaning she let the deadline pass without signing them. These were Senate Bill 129, aimed at enhancing the implementation and reporting of cybersecurity procedures within government agencies, and Senate Bill 175, which sought to establish a fund for law enforcement recruitment. S.B. 129 passed the Senate 37-0 and the House 58-0. S.B. 175 received a 39-0 vote in the Senate and a 64-1 vote in the House, with far-left anti-law enforcement Rep. Angelica Rubio (D-Las Cruces) being the sole vote against.
Although Senate Bill 175 did not receive approval, the governor allocated $25 million through the state budget for law enforcement and correctional officer recruitment.
Additionally, Governor Grisham outright vetoed Senate Bill 217, which proposed transferring over $80 million from the state’s severance tax bonding fund to the severance tax permanent fund. The governor reasoned that a previous bill had already significantly contributed to the severance tax permanent fund, rendering Senate Bill 217 unnecessary.
The governor also made selective vetoes within the massive $10.2 billion state budget, mainly targeting language that she believed would restrict spending inappropriately. For instance, she vetoed a stipulation that tied $1 million allocated to the General Services Department to the publication of building use fees and removed restrictions on the state healthcare authority’s capacity to expand Medicaid eligibility.
One notable veto was against language limiting the New Mexico Public Education Department’s power to mandate a 180-day school year. Following this, on March 7, the Public Education Department announced it would implement the 180-day requirement, despite the Legislature’s firm stand against such mandates.
In a recent podcast interview with Greg Sargent of “The New Republic,” a far-leftist group, Democrat New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham stirred controversy with statements admitting to blatant voter manipulation and hypocrisy on key issues. Amidst an array of contentious topics, Lujan Grisham’s remarks on the “New World Order” and her reflections on policy and demographic responses drew particular attention.
Lujan Grisham, who made the controversial decision to remove National Guard troops from the border early in her tenure, said during the interview that more politicians need to embrace unconstitutional public health orders to get issues like immigration fixed.
“I think southwestern governors can show an impact in workforce development, in public safety and security, and in ways that are more meaningful but can sort of set the model in the same way. Not every state should or will embrace a public health order to deal with particular high-cost, high-stakes gun violence emergencies in their communities. But I think you’ll see them talk about it in more of a public health context, and I think this way, it isn’t a fight between extremism on either side of an issue,” she said.
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The governor added, “The same issues are expected to be addressed here, and Hispanics and Latinos both want that. For example, if I had to wait in line to come here, then other people should too. But they also recognize you can’t get a visa anymore. They recognize that all of the drama about all the nefarious activity at the border — they recognize that more of that nefarious activity is organized crime at ports of entry.”
However, she nor her legislative allies have proposed any legislative action to alleviate the border issue. At the same time, political leaders like State Rep. John Block (R-Alamogordo) have led the Republican effort to help secure the state’s border, which has fallen on deaf ears to Democrats in the Legislature.
Her interview highlighted what many see as a pattern of failing to address the tangible crisis at the border — a crisis amplified by her early actions as governor, which directly contributed to the current state of affairs.
“I’m not gonna give it up now for this extremism effort in this country and around the world,” Grisham declared, framing her political stances as a fight against what she labeled as a rise in fascism and sexism.
It is notable that the governor repeatedly tried to declare Republicans as “extreme,” while during her tenure as governor, she has pushed for the most extremist policies in the country, including abortion up-to-birth laws, executive orders and bills banning all gun possession, hiking prices on gas, and enacting socialist programs that are costing taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars annually.
“I see it in my state with, you know, MAGA extremists, not with everyone else, but certainly there. And I can see that the risks are greater for me as I campaign or go out publicly. They are really angry, but I think it’s intimidation and insecurity and a New World Order, which I hate using that language. But we’re talking about fascism and sexism and inequality, and I think, uh, it somehow makes some people feel better about themselves. And Trump plays into that, I think, very effectively, but it’s incredibly dangerous,” she told Sargent.
When asked about citizens exercising the right to vote and potential fears of violence during the 2024 elections, Lujan Grisham said, “I hope not, but I don’t think it’s outside the realm of possibilities. Just look at the Trump era pre-, during, and post-COVID. Anyone making any policy decisions was at risk. Certainly, I was threatened. Any of our marches or protests were met with far too many individuals who were very angry and were carrying automatic weapons and rifles that does not create an environment where people can, in fact, peacefully protest. That level of intimidation is purposeful.”
It is worth noting that the governor applauded Black Lives Matter/Antifa rioters who protested in the streets and bucked her own public health orders during her years-long COVID-19 lockdown. In her above statement, she also incorrectly claims that New Mexicans counter-protested these marches and riots with “automatic weapons,” which did not happen. Automatic weapons are illegal in the United States, per federal law.
The governor did not shy away from touting her socialist educational policies, implying that initiatives such as “free” college and pre-k were key to garnering votes, particularly from younger demographics. She said, “So, in New Mexico, free college, free daycare, free universal pre-k, leaning in to make sure that every New Mexican reads, not just at but above grade average, which is something we haven’t leaned into.”
She then admitted, “And I think with the rhetoric with every other issue except the economy, Biden needs to lean in hard for his successes there. He needs to lean in hard for education. I will tell you, I got voters in record numbers — younger voters — because of free college,” Lujan Grisham stated, in an admission that these socialist programs are actually a mechanism to buy votes.
Her commentary also ventured into the realm of identity politics, criticizing Hispanic men who didn’t support her while at the same time trying to court their votes. “I had economic messaging work to do with Hispanic men, in particular, in rural areas,” she confessed, acknowledging a need to recalibrate her strategy to appeal to this demographic.
The interview also saw Lujan Grisham attacking her own constituency, specifically Hispanic men in rural areas, suggesting that their disapproval of her stemmed from outdated sexist ideologies supposedly revived by the Trump era. She accused MAGA supporters of sexism and intimidation, categorizing their political passion as “MAGA fury” and claiming it was rooted in a fear of losing power.
Moreover, Lujan Grisham criticized the GOP’s approach to immigration, framing it as failure and fear-mongering. “They would actually want a candidate not to poison the debate and not to create fear and anger, which is racist, but to actually resolve some of the problems,” she said, trying to position herself as the more reasonable and solution-oriented leader despite her administration flatly ignoring border policies.
Also, in the interview, Sargent asked the governor about the bill she just signed, S.B. 5, banning some guns at polling places and if it was meant to increase public safety, specifically at the polls.
She responded, “Certainly not in the day-to-day violence that we’re seeing playing out in far too many communities in New Mexico. But if you’re gonna take measures and you’re gonna focus on — we all have a constitutional right to be safe at work and at our churches, grocery stores, movie theaters, and homes and neighborhoods, then I think it’s really valuable we have this piece of legislation that I signed into law yesterday that says ‘Look, we care about polling workers and we care about creating safe spaces for people to exercise their right and privilege to vote.’”
It is unclear why the governor is now creating new constitutional “rights” when she herself claimed while signing an illegal, anti-gun executive order that no constitutional right, including her oath of office, is “absolute.” She also openly admitted that the anti-gun law relating to polling places would “certainly not” help alleviate crime, proving it was just another Democrat feel-good messaging bill.
The governor’s dialogue with Sargent revealed much about her political strategy and low views about her constituents. Her candidness may resonate with the fringes of her base. However, her words appear to only evidence her prioritization of partisanship and political gamesmanship over the substantive issues facing New Mexico and the nation.
Far-left Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED) has announced a new rule to enforce a mandatory 180-day school calendar, stirring fury among educators, administrators, and lawmakers. While the rule aims to standardize instructional time across the state, exemptions have been included for certain schools, acknowledging the major pushback from the educational community.
Public Education Secretary Arsenio Romero articulated the Department’s stance, “In order to equalize instructional time across the state, we have chosen to adopt the 180-day calendar rule. We must improve student outcomes across the state, our students deserve better, and that begins with quality instructional time in the classroom.”
This adjustment is slated to be implemented in the 2024-25 academic year. Notably, the Santa Fe Public Schools had preemptively planned for such a change, indicating an adaptation of the school year calendar to fit the new requirements by modifying holiday breaks and other scheduled closures.
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has been a vocal advocate for this expansion of the school year, reiterating her commitment to a 180-day school year in her State of the State address and displaying her stance by vetoing language in the budget that would have precluded her from enacting the 180-day rule.
However, this proposal has been met with substantial resistance from the educational sector, including the state’s teacher’s unions, who came out in full force against the mandate. A large number of teachers and school administrators voiced their dissent at a public hearing, labeling the move as an overextension of the Public Education Department’s authority. This sentiment was echoed in the thousands of written comments submitted in opposition to the rule change.
Mary Parr-Sánchez, president of the New Mexico branch of the National Education Association teacher’s union, underscored the opposition, stating, “We believe that [the calendar] is a local decision. There was public outcry, and educators were included in that outcry.”
Legislators also criticized the rule, suggesting it contradicts the Legislature’s intention and the principle of local autonomy in decision-making. The 2023 bill passed by both legislative chambers advocated for increased school time measured in hours rather than days.
Concerns have also been raised about the potential erosion of public trust in state decision-making. House Education Committee Chairman Andrés Romero voiced his apprehensions: “I really fear for that, that they’re not going to trust what the state is doing,” alluding to the close timing between the legislative extension of the school year and the new rule’s introduction, per the Santa Fe New Mexican.
Democrat New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham enacted numerous line-item vetoes in the massive $10.2 billion House Bill 2 budget. Wednesday was the last day to sign or veto legislation otherwise it is by default pocket vetoed.
The governor’s vetoes, reflecting a strategic adjustment of the executive branch’s budgetary powers, axed several legislated spending specifics, reducing the Legislature’s prescribed utilization of funds.
She wrote in her veto message, “…I have vetoed parts of the Act that impermissibly intrude into the executive managerial function. I object to provisions in the Act that unduly restrict appropriations to specified types of expenditures. These restrictions on agency functions exceed the Legislature’s proper, constitutionally defined role, unduly constraining the Executive’s ability to effectively administer programs to meet the State’s needs.”
Governor Grisham also reduced various reporting obligations of executive agencies, continuing her trend of continuing her quest for less oversight from the Legislature.
In a turn that veered from her administration’s usual narrative, Governor Grisham removed numerous mentions of “evidence-based” services, an approach her office often champions for its program expansions.
Notably, the governor refrained from vetoing the $6 million allocated for legislative district staffing.
While only a single junior appropriation item was entirely eliminated, Governor Grisham revised numerous others, subtly redirecting the flow and application of funds.
The governor’s vetoes affected a wide array of appropriations and mandates, ranging from education, health, infrastructure, to cultural initiatives. This included the removal of restrictions on the Department of Education regarding the number of instructional days and school week configurations, as well as blocking expansions in Medicaid eligibility without legislative consent.
A significant $50 million destined for the unestablished Indian Education Trust Fund was struck down, alongside a $24 million earmark for a Paid Family and Medical Leave Act bill, which did not pass in the legislative session.
Other notable vetoes targeted special appropriations for health facilities in Taos County and Tucumcari, Quay County, with the word “construction” being specifically removed.
The Veterans Services Department faced a cut regarding a mobile unit meant to expand outreach services. At the same time, earmarks for the Navajo Nation and Zuni Pueblo, as well as for the University of New Mexico’s School of Public Health, were also scrapped.
Changes to junior appropriations spanned a spectrum from public-private partnerships to cultural events, highlighting the governor’s nuanced approach to budget management.
To read the governor’s full executive veto message, it is available linked here. The final version of H.B. 2 is linked here under “Final Version.”
On Tuesday, the far-left, anti-energy Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed H.B. 41 into law. The bill sponsored by Sen. Mimi Stewart (D-Albuquerque) is dubbed the “clean fuel standard.”
The bill will increase gas prices by at least 50 cents per gallon, and you can expect similar increases in groceries and supplies and pretty much everything else. This bill will make life more expensive in New Mexico for average consumers — harming the poorest New Mexicans, who will take the biggest hit with the new law.
The bill finally passed the Legislature by a thin margin of 36-33 in the House of Representatives.
California, Oregon, and Washington have similar laws in place, and the gas prices in these states have risen significantly due to the radical proposal.
According to the California Energy Commission, “Filling up the tank in California also costs more since gasoline prices are higher on average than the rest of the United States for a few reasons. These reasons include the isolated nature of the state’s transportation fuels market, a special gasoline recipe that reduces air pollution, environmental program costs, and taxes.”
Washington State’s Department of Ecology’s May 12, 2022 report admitted the price increase due to the Clean Fuel Standard in the state, while an Oregon Department of Environmental Quality report acknowledged significant cost increases due to its version of the law.
Now, as New Mexicans battle the crippling burdens of inflation among ramifications from other legislation passed, consumers will be saddled with the brunt of the extreme legislation to hike gas prices to high levels the state has never seen before.
Despite the ramifications to New Mexicans, Democrats celebrated the extremist bill being signed into law:
State Rep. John Block (R-Alamogordo), also the Piñon Post’s editor, wrote about the bill taking effect, “Remember the gas prices now here in NM — and this is after over three years of Joe Biden’s hellscape. The governor and her allies in the Legislature are hiking our gas prices by over 50 CENTS PER GALLON with the horrific HB41. Hold THEM accountable by electing the strongest conservative fighters in the June primary and then the November general election to take them out and finally take out the trash!”
“It’s clear that Governor Lujan Grisham took a look at California’s highest gas prices in the nation and decided that’s what she wants for New Mexico’s families,” said Larry Behrens, Communications Director for Power The Future, following the bill’s signing. “As a national leader in oil production, New Mexico’s leaders should do all they can to support our energy industry. Instead, Santa Fe politicians want to copy failed policies that punish families by driving up prices.”
On Monday, far-left anti-gun Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham had a photo op at Albuquerque’s West Mesa High School, where she signed two anti-gun bills and two crime-related bills.
“These four bills are an incredible effort to do more,” she said at the presser, per the Santa Fe New Mexican.
At the press conference, she was flanked by discredited anti-gun group “co-president” Miranda Viscoli of “New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence” and the sponsor of the extreme H.B. 129 anti-gun bill State Rep. Andrea Romero (D-Santa Fe)
“All four bills become effective immediately, the governor said as she prepared to sign them,” the outlet reported, although the governor’s remark is inaccurate because these bills did not pass with an “emergency clause.” They will go into effect 90 days following the Legislature’s adjournment, which is in mid-May.
Among the bills set to become law is House Bill 129, which forces through a mandatory seven-day waiting period for all gun purchases, with minor exceptions of law enforcement agencies and those who hold concealed carry permits. This is the most stringent anti-gun law passed this session, although it was significantly weakened from its original form.
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She will also sign Senate Bill 5 to make carrying a firearm within 100 feet of a polling station during active voting a misdemeanor. This rule comes with exceptions for law enforcement personnel on duty, legitimate business activities, individuals in their vehicles, and those possessing a concealed firearm, rendering the bill essentially meaningless.
Another bill she is set to sign is Senate Bill 96, which will toughen penalties related to violent crimes, escalating the punishment for attempted murder from a maximum of three years to nine years in prison. The bill also proposes to increase the sentence for second-degree murder from 15 to 18 years.
Finally, Senate Bill 271 introduces a new measure for repeat felony offenders, establishing an automatic no-bail hold for those who breach their release conditions by committing another felony, a minor fix to the state’s catastrophic 2016 ballot measure, which resulted in violent offenders to be released without bail pending trial.
The governor wrote on X, formerly Twitter, following the event, “It’s time that we treat crime like the serious problem it is in New Mexico. That’s why today I signed four bills that will help make our state safer. Thank you to West Mesa High’s wonderful students for the warm welcome today!”
It's time that we treat crime like the serious problem it is in New Mexico. That's why today I signed four bills that will help make our state safer. Thank you to West Mesa High’s wonderful students for the warm welcome today! pic.twitter.com/BCXS9G2hGe
— Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (@GovMLG) March 4, 2024
It is not uncommon for the governor to use children for political gain, especially to promote her extreme anti-gun agenda.
Of the over a dozen extreme anti-gun bills proposed during the 2024 Legislative Session, these two measures were the only ones that passed — a huge defeat for the anti-gun governor who attempted to ban most firearms in the state after signing an illegal, unconstitutional executive order last year to snatch guns.
