New Mexico Senate

Legislators advance Dem gerrymandered congressional, state House maps

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On Friday, the New Mexico Senate passed a revised map from what was originally proposed by state Sen. Joseph Cervantes (D-Doña Ana). The originally proposed map by Cervantes made two D+4 districts in the Third and Second Districts, while one D+11 performing district in the First District. The plan looped the First District with parts of Santa Fe County while it extended all the way down from Albuquerque to Lincoln County.

It put the Third District in a snake-like figure, which went all the way from northeast New Mexico, including Taos and Santa Fe, to Lovington and Hobbs. The Second District would include Albuquerque’s South Valley and parts of Valencia County it once had would be plunged into the First District.

However, the Senate voted on an update from Cervants’ original map he presented, which kept Santa Fe County intact in the Third District and swung it one more point Democrat, leaving it at D+5. The Second District would remain a D+4 district and the First would be a D+11. The First District, in this new map, would snake all the way over to Roswell and include Fort Sumner.

Despite backlash from Republican and independent members, the Democrats rammed it through on a vote of 25-14, with Sen. Jacob Candelaria (DTS) voting with all Republicans against it. 

Candelaria dubbed the map “inherently racist.” “I don’t use those words lightly, but when you are drawing the line in this map, I’ll tell you exactly how it’s drawn: It’s drawn along the wealthy homes along the bosque — million-dollar estates, $500,000 homes. That’s who this map says gets to be part of the Albuquerque ‘community of interest.’ But poor, working-class Hispanic folks in the southeast part of Albuquerque and the South Valley are no longer part,” Candelaria said, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican. 

The vote came after a tumultuous Senate Judiciary Committee hearing where most New Mexicans in attendance were against the newly proposed map and virtual attendees via Zoom were not allowed to speak until public backlash forced the committee to allow virtual testimomy. Even Rep. Teresa Leger de Fernandez’s (D-NM-03) brother, Martín Leger, testified against the bill.

In the House, Speaker Brian Egolf and Democrats rammed through the heavily gerrymandered state House redistricting map based on a George Soros-funded group’s proposal, the Center for Civic Policy (CCP). It passed by 43-23. 

The CCP map would create extreme-looking shapes that are traits of heavy partisan gerrymandering. 

“We can’t always get what we want,” Rep. Dayan Hochman-Vigil (D-Albuquerque) said. “Sometimes we have hard races in front of us, but we shouldn’t be looking at maps in a protectionistic manner.”

Now, the House’s state House map moves to the Senate, while the Senate’s heavily gerrymandered congressional map moves to the House for consideration.

Also on Saturday, all Republicans excluding Rep. Stefani Lord (R-Sandia Park) helped Democrats pass their $1.06 billion spending spree with federal funds, further assisting the leftist agenda in New Mexico.

See the partisan analysis of the congressional maps via FiveThirtyEight here.

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NM Redistricting Committee holding Thursday hearing at Highlands University in Las Vegas

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On Thursday, August 5, 2021, the New Mexico Citizens Redistricting Committee will be holding a hearing in Las Vegas, New Mexico to discuss redrawing state House, state Senate, congressional, and Public Education Commission maps.

This redistricting year is the first in the state’s history where citizens are allowed to submit their very own district maps along with written testimony fo free.

According to the committee staff, “Use the public input portal to submit a map or written testimony.  The link to do that is here. Submit a Public Comment or Map – New Mexico Citizens Redistricting Committee (nmredistricting.org) This is the first time that communities have had access to this kind of FREE mapping technology during redistricting to help policy makers better understand and respect what we want and need in terms of representation.”

In order to ensure fair districts are drawn, New Mexicans are encouraged to submit their maps to keep communities of interest together and to ensure the maps do not give any side a partisan advantage. The Committee will listen to concerns from voters and make determinations based upon the public’s input, which makes attending these meetings extremely important.

Tomorrow’s Las Vegas, New Mexico meeting information is below:

New Mexico Highlands University, Student Union Building, Governance Room SUB 320

The Citizen Redistricting Committee will hold a public meeting on Thursday, August 5, 2021 from 3pm to 7pm or until adjourned, to provide members of the public an opportunity to share public comment and testimony with the Committee before they begin the development of district maps for New Mexico’s offices to be redistricted.

To submit a public comment, district plan, or community of interest online, visit the CRC’s Public Redistricting Portal.

For in-person attendance at meetings:

Masks are required for those who have not been vaccinated and encouraged for those who have been vaccinated. You are also encouraged to practice social distancing.

To attend the meeting virtually, please see the details below:  

Agenda & Meeting Materials: Click here

NMHU COVID notice 

Join Zoom meeting through internet browser: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87454457724?pwd=K0Jka0hLL1dYREYyTUlYODhYWGJBdz09 

Meeting ID: 874 5445 7724

Dial-in Number: 1 (346) 248-7799 

Passcode: 247365

CRC Rules of Procedure 

The Redistricting Committee meetings begin this week. The first round of eight meetings can be accessed here: Meetings & Transparency – New Mexico Citizens Redistricting Committee (nmredistricting.org) There will be a second round of meetings in late September and early October. All meetings should be Zoom accessible if you cannot attend in-person. 

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Dems want NM taxpayers to subsidize recreational pot bill with over $7M in funds

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On Tuesday, the New Mexico Legislature met for the Governor’s special session on recreational marijuana legalization. She and her party failed to pass it through the Legislature despite having big majorities in both chambers.

The bill, which Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has promised will be a money-maker for the state through the sale of marijuana, turns out to be an apparent scam to subsidize the industry heavily.

As reported earlier, the upfront cost for implementing the marijuana industry, according to the previous 2021 session’s fiscal impact report, was $659,400 in 2022. However, the newly resurrected pot bill in this current legislative session paints a wildly different picture, forcing the state to delve out millions of dollars in taxpayer funds to prop up Big Pot.

The current bill introduced this special session calls for $1.7 million to the Regulation and Licensing Department to “administer” the bill, $750,000 to the Department of Public Safety for “drug recognition expert field certification for law enforcement,” $4 million to the Taxation and Revenue Department for expenditures in the 2021 and 2022 fiscal years, $500,000 to the Administrative Office of the Courts to help address with expungement of records, among other costs.

Just on face-value, the taxpayers of New Mexico would be on the hook for nearly $7 million to implement this costly industry, which was promised to be revenue-generating. 

However, according to the previous fiscal impact report for the bill that died in the first legislative session of 2021, by the fiscal year 2024, the flailing industry would only produce at most $15 million in net revenue to the state, which, if current spending levels remain, would only amount to 0.204% of the funds needed to fund the government. 

Rep. Stefani Lord (R-Bernalillo, Sandoval, and Santa Fe) was not pleased with the Democrats’ proposal, writing on Facebook, “We’ve been told marijuana will be revenue positive but now, in the middle of Special Session (that has been called in the middle of a Holiday week), we learn last-minute that the state will subsidize the marijuana industry with millions of taxpayer dollars. This is far from open transparent government!” 

Lujan Grisham’s allies in the Legislature hope to pass the bill within a matter of days without much care for Republican input. H.B. 2, the pot bill, passed the House Judiciary Committee at around 1 a.m. on Wednesday by 7-4 after it flew through the House Taxation and Revenue Committee on Tuesday by a vote of 8-4.

Dems want NM taxpayers to subsidize recreational pot bill with over $7M in funds Read More »

Gov. Lujan Grisham announces special session after 2021 Legislature closes

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On Saturday, the 2021 Legislative Session finally came to a close as many pieces of radical bills were fast-tracked through. But despite the Democrats’ best efforts, many bills that they were counting on passing, such as anti-gun measures, recreational pot legalization, “clean fuel standards” better known as the gas tax on the poor, overhaul of the New Mexico Game, and Fish Department, institution of racism in state agencies, gender identity harvesting by state agencies, and others died. 

But there were many bills that did make it through, including H.B. 4, which will line Democrat Speaker Brian Egolf’s pockets with frivolous civil litigation lawsuits against local communities, crippling local budgets. Other proposals that made it through including abortion up-to-birth and infanticide S.B. 10, assisted suicide via lethal drugs H.B. 47, forcing small businesses to give all employees–no matter if they are contractors or not–paid sick leave, among other proposals.

The bloodbath of a session is unlike any that New Mexico has ever experienced, as there has been a wall erected outside of the Capitol with chainlink fence, barricades, and officers with the public barred from stepping foot near the People’s House.

“I think we have burdened the middle class with some taxes and regulatory burdens in a time that many of them are stressed,” Republican Leader Jim Townsend (R-Artesia) said in his closing speech on the House floor.

Any legislation pending died immediately after 12:00 noon, per the New Mexico Constitution.

After the session ended, groups that fought against radical bills rejoiced in the end of the session.

The New Mexico Shooting Sports Association wrote, “With the end of the 2021 NM Legislative Session, every anti-gun bill proposed this year has died. Thank you to everyone who spoke out against the terrible bills introduced this year.” 

“Sine die 2021 Legislative session. We hear @GovMLG is planning to call a special because @NMHouseDems & @NMSenateDems would not carry her political agenda. We shall see if they will return at taxpayer expense to work for #ThePeople or their special interest groups,” wrote the New Mexico House Republicans. 

Now, New Mexicans will stand on-notice for Gov. Lujan Grisham’s special session and what bills, other than recreational pot, she plans to ram through during the costly $50,000+ per day proceedings. 

A new video released by the Sandoval County Democrats on Saturday shows Lujan Grisham yelling, “I AM NOT GOING TO WAIT ANOTHER YEAR” for marijuana legalization. 

Gov. Lujan Grisham has announced a news conference:

During the press conference, Gov. Lujan Grisham announced her intention to focus on recreational weed in a special session beginning approximately on March 31.

Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth (D-Santa Fe) said, “We are close” on marijuana, blaming the Republicans for stopping the bill. He said a GOP senator had “a shopping cart full of amendments.”

Speaker of the House Brian Egolf (D-Santa Fe) claimed H.B. 4, which will enrich him was a step in the right direction and that the $7.4 billion budget “expresses true New Mexican values.”

“We’re close and I’m confident” in the cannabis bill’s passage, said Lieutenant Gov. Howie Morales. 

Gov. Lujan Grisham announces special session after 2021 Legislature closes Read More »

TODAY: Legislators scramble to ram through gas tax on the poor, recreational pot bills

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On Thursday, legislators stayed up late to duke it out over bills regarding a ballot initiative to raid New Mexico’s permanent fund and pass through a trapping ban on public lands. The question of whether to raid the permanent fund will go to the voters in the next election and the trapping ban bill goes to the Governor’s desk. The body also debated H.B. 20, the “Healthy Workplaces Act,” where Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto (D-Bernalillo) and Pro-Tem Mimi Stewart continued their feud. The bill passed by 25-16.

However, there are many hotly contested bills that Democrats still hope to ram through in their dead-of-night, closed-door legislative process, including initiatives to harvest gender and sexual identity information from citizens, legalize recreational marijuana, and pass a radical gas tax on the poor.

Recreational Marijuana Bill

The extreme pot bill, H.B. 12, finally was pushed through its final committee this week after Chairman Joseph Cervantes was “pushed” by Democrat leadership to hear the bill and fast-track it so it could reach the full Senate before the session closes at noon on Saturday. 

This marijuana legalization bill according to the bill sponsor, Rep. Javier Martinez (D-Bernalillo) “makes for the perfect conditions if you will. I don’t think the opportunity has ever been better than it is now to pass a legalization bill.” He says New Mexico needs the bill to cover for gaps in the budget, despite revenue projections being astronomically lower with recreational legalization of pot in states that have legalized it like the state of Colorado.

The revenue projections from the fiscal impact report claim in 2022 the law will increase state revenues by $15,186,000. Mind you, the state’s projected budget is over $7 billion, meaning pot legalization would only make up 0.2% of revenues. Even with the bill’s higher projections of $35,128,400 in revenues by 2024, that would only be approximately 0.5% of the needed revenues for a state budget projected at $7 billion. 

Pro-family groups such as the Family Policy Alliance are organizing against the legalized pot bills, making the case that, “Since Colorado legalized recreational weed, our neighboring state has seen a dramatic increase in violent crime, traffic fatalities, and marijuana hospitalizations. And usage by minors – sometimes fatal, from eating poorly regulated marijuana “candies” – has soared.” 

The Senate will likely vote on the proposal Friday after a long debate. The bill, if passed through the chamber, would need to make its way back over to the House of Representatives for the lower chamber to approve the amendments made in the Senate before hitting the Governor’s desk. It is unclear if all of this can be achieved in a single day. 

Find and contact your legislator to oppose the bill by clicking here.

Read more about New Mexico legislators bankrolled by the big marijuana lobby. 

Gas Tax on the Poor

The extreme gas tax on the poor, S.B. 11, passed the House Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Committee on a party-line vote, despite concerns of New Mexicans’ gas prices being hiked by 20+ cents — harming poor and middle-class New Mexicans the most. 

The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Mimi Stewart (D-Bernalillo) callously dismissed these concerns, claiming that in other states who have implemented these extreme policies, “Gas is cheaper now than when they started.”

That was a lie.

“When everybody talks about, ‘Oh the poor are gonna be hurt,’ I do believe the poor care about the climate,” said Stewart.

Despite the concerns from poor New Mexicans, the committee advanced her bill, which is scheduled to be heard today on the House floor. 

Find and contact your legislator to oppose the bill by clicking here.

Harvesting Gender and Sexual Identity Info

This extreme bill, S.B. 316, brought forth by Sen. Carrie Hamblen (D-Doña Ana) harvests gender and sexual identity information from New Mexicans, putting more information into the hands of the state government, for them to use for whatever they want. The bill is mostly copy/pasted from a California bill, Assembly Bill 677 from 2017, and would put this private information in the hands of government bad actors who could weaponize this data against New Mexicans.

The House of Representatives will likely consider this bill today

Find and contact your legislator to oppose the bill by clicking here.

TODAY: Legislators scramble to ram through gas tax on the poor, recreational pot bills Read More »

Clovis library mass shooting survivor: State of New Mexico has turned its back on victims

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My name is Jessica Thron, and I am a survivor of the mass shooting that took place at Clovis-Carver Public Library. On August 28, 2017, a 16-year-old came into my workplace with a backpack containing two handguns and multiple magazines. He was angry with the world for being suspended from school and decided people needed to pay — with their lives. He overslept that day, so he didn’t get to exact his revenge at the high school like he originally intended. He settled on the local public library.

I suppose we were all soft targets: women, children, elderly, etc. He gave us no warning. Within six seconds, he unloaded 14 gunshots killing two people (very close friends of mine, Wanda and Krissie), injuring four (myself and a 10-year-old boy included), and traumatized countless others. He was eventually sentenced as an adult to two life sentences plus 40 years served concurrently with good time. Meaning, at the time of sentencing, he will be eligible for parole in 2051.

I remember thinking how shameful it was that a murderer of two wonderful women would only be required to give a little over 30 years of his life in exchange for the beautiful lives he callously took. Little did I know of the legislators in this state who would like to see juvenile murderers and rapists serve even less time.

New Mexico Senate Bill 247 (S.B. 247) will soon be heard before the House. If this bill is passed and made law, it will greatly impact victims who have suffered horrendous crimes as well as family members who have lost loved ones at the hands of juvenile offenders. SB247 mandates that criminals who committed crimes as juveniles and were sentenced as adults will be eligible for parole after serving 15 years. If denied parole, they will be allowed to go before the parole board every 5 years until they are released.

The nature of this proposed bill will take no account whatsoever of the severity of the offender’s crime. The parole board can consider it, but the law will require the murderer to be given a parole hearing. If passed, Nathaniel Jouett who shot and injured me along with three others and killed two women will possibly be released in a mere 11 ½ years. How is that justice? I remember when Nathaniel was sentenced thinking how I would be in my 60s when he would be eligible for parole. As much as I disagreed with the length of his sentence, I would have around 33 years to heal before facing him again. But, no… for some reason, certain legislators think it’s more important that these criminals who committed heinous acts deserve a life outside of prison as soon as possible.

They tout that these sentences are considered excessively long for children, even 15 years. Senator Sedillo Lopez (D-Bernalillo), the bill’s sponsor, argues that if a 15-year-old “child” has to serve 15 years until released, that sentence is over half of the individual’s life. She needs to understand that the average lifespan in the United States is 78.54 years. If a juvenile murderer lives to be that age, he/she will have only spent 19% of their life in prison, not half of their life… not even a quarter. Are the two lives of my murdered friends, who had many more years to live, that invaluable?

Moreover, S.B. 247 has flown through the committees with little discussion surrounding it regardless of its significant impact on society. I have been silenced and told that I can just put my head in the sand concerning the aftereffects of this bill if passed, thanks to Senator Daniel Ivey-Soto (D-Bernalillo). Victims have not even been consulted in reference to this bill, although the sponsor is saying the opposite. I have witnessed the sponsor of this bill not have her documentation submitted in a timely manner and given allowances. Senator Ortiz y Pino told us we would have an opportunity to speak on the House floor, which was untrue. Elected legislators are put in place by the people to represent the people, but we are not being represented. In fact, I am being made to feel that I am the one who has done something wrong.  

I have lived and survived a trauma that no person should ever have to endure. I braved dark days after the shooting which included surgery, the funerals of my murdered friends, PTSD, and other obstacles. Finally, I was at a manageable place with my trauma. But now I feel as if the State of New Mexico, a place I have called home my whole life, has turned its back on me and other victims. My thoughts and concerns have been completely discarded by the legislature these past few weeks. This is not about vengeance. We are asking for time. We are asking to be heard. Please help us make New Mexico communities aware of what certain legislators are trying to do behind their backs. We deserve more from our elected officials.

Clovis library mass shooting survivor: State of New Mexico has turned its back on victims Read More »

Brian Egolf’s anti-police bill bankrupting local governments advances to full Senate

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On Wednesday, the New Mexico Senate Judiciary Committee advanced H.B. 4, the “Civil Rights Act” sponsored by Speaker of the House Brian Egolf and Rep. Georgene Louis (D-Bernalillo), who are both attorneys. 

The bill has the ability to bankrupt local communities with slews of frivolous civil rights lawsuits, end qualified immunity and put a target on law enforcers’ backs. Local governments from all across the state are vehemently opposed to the measure, as well as many local law enforcement officials from all over New Mexico.

“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. “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. A 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 have profited off of his legislation.

It is unclear how long it will take H.B. 4. to get to the full Senate, but the bill’s passage would be just one step away from becoming law.

Brian Egolf’s anti-police bill bankrupting local governments advances to full Senate Read More »

Legislative Update: Recreational pot, gas tax hike bills to be heard in committee Tuesday

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With less than two weeks left in the 2021 Legislative Session, there are many bills being rammed through committees by Democrats in both chambers, and here are some key pieces of legislation that will be heard in committee on Tuesday:

SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE
SENATOR GEORGE MUÑOZ, CHAIRMAN – Tuesday, March 9, 2021, 9:30 a.m.

S.B. 11 CLEAN FUEL STANDARD ACT (also known as the 20-cent gas tax on the poor act) by Sen. Mimi Stewart (D-Bernalillo). 

The bill puts extreme clean fuel standards on businesses that produce or import transportation fuels and fuels used in motor vehicles. The restrictions on these companies would force them to invest in costly upgrades to their fuel standards, meaning these costs would transfer to the consumers. The bill also adds vague and sweeping “enviro-justice” provisions to state law.

In California and Oregon, where clean fuel standards are already in place, there are already increased costs of up to 24 cents per gallon on gas, which directly hurts poor consumers. 

Call these Senators and ask them to oppose S.B. 11–the gas tax on the poor and the middle classes. 

  • George Munoz (D), Chair, 505-397-8836, senatormunoz@gmail.com
  • Nancy Rodriguez (D), Vice Chair, 505-397-8844, nancy.rodriguez@nmlegis.gov
  • William E. Sharer (R), Ranking Member, 505-986-4381, bill@williamsharer.com
  • William F. Burt (R), 505-986-4366, bill.burt@nmlegis.gov
  • Pete Campos (D), 505-397-8818, pete.campos@nmlegis.gov
  • Jacob Candelaria (D), 505-397-8819, jacob.candelaria@nmlegis.gov
  • Crystal R. Diamond (R), 505-986-4703, crystal.diamond@nmlegis.gov
  • Roberto “Bobby” Gonzales (D), 505-397-8825, Roberto.gonzales@nmlegis.gov
  • Siah Correa Hemphill (D), 505-397-8821, siah.hemphill@nmlegis.gov
  • Jeff Steinborn (D), 505-397-8852, jeff.steinborn@nmlegis.gov
  • Pat Woods (R), 986-4393, pat.woods@nmlegis.gov

On Monday, the committee took public comment on S.B. 11, but committee debate and the final committee vote was rolled over to Tuesday. There is still time to email senators to oppose the bill.

TAX, BUSINESS AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
Senator Benny Shendo Jr., Chair – Tuesday, March 9, 2021 – 1:30 p.m. or 15 minutes after floor session – Virtual Zoom Meeting

H.B. 12 CANNABIS REGULATION ACT by Rep. Javier Martinez (D-Bernalillo) and Rep. Andrea Romero (D-Santa Fe). This marijuana legalization bill according to the bill sponsor, “makes for the perfect conditions if you will. I don’t think the opportunity has ever been better than it is now to pass a legalization bill.” He says New Mexico needs the bill to cover for gaps in the budget, despite revenue projections being astronomically lower with recreational legalization of pot in states that have legalized it like the state of Colorado.

The revenue projections from the fiscal impact report claim in 2022 the law will increase state revenues by $15,186,000. Mind you, the state’s projected budget is over $7 billion, meaning pot legalization would only make up 0.2% of revenues. Even with the bill’s higher projections of $35,128,400 in revenues by 2024, that would only be approximately 0.5% of the needed revenues for a state budget projected at $7 billion. 

Pro-family groups such as the Family Policy Alliance are organizing against the legalized pot bills, making the case that, “Since Colorado legalized recreational weed, our neighboring state has seen a dramatic increase in violent crime, traffic fatalities, and marijuana hospitalizations. And usage by minors – sometimes fatal, from eating poorly regulated marijuana “candies” – has soared.” 

S.B. 288 CANNABIS REGULATION ACT by Sen. Cliff Pirtle (R-Chaves, Eddy and Otero) does much of the same that Rep. Martinez’s bill would, however, it would bring in even less revenue, operating at a net loss of over $2 million from the state’s General Fund in fiscal year 2022 and the most it would bring in for the state would be $8,078,400 in fiscal year 2024, as projected in the fiscal impact report. Local governments’ tax revenue would be higher than the state’s.

Read more about New Mexico legislators bankrolled by the big marijuana lobby. 

For public participation send an email to SCORC@nmlegis.gov with your Name, Entity Represented, Bill #, For or Against and indicate if you wish to speak. The deadline to respond is Tuesday, March 9 at 10:00 a.m. You will be contacted by our Zoom Operator with the virtual meeting instructions. 

Legislative Update: Recreational pot, gas tax hike bills to be heard in committee Tuesday Read More »

NM Senate’s resident drama queen ostracized by own party: Even Dem Leader tells him to ‘f**k off’

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New Mexico state Sen. Jacob Candelaria (D-Bernalillo) has been circling the drain with his desperate ploys for public attention for quite some time now, but this week, the Albuquerque-area legislator has outdone himself. 

On Monday, during consideration of S.B. 71, the Patients’ Debt Collection Protection Act, Candelaria forced a debate on the bill, which led Democrat Majority Leader Peter Wirth (D-Santa Fe) to scold him on the floor of the Senate. 

“Why don’t you just [expletive] off and put an amendment on like the rest of us?” said Wirth. 

After the altercation, It was reported by the Santa Fe New Mexican that Candelaria started crying and claiming it was a “low day” for the New Mexico Senate: 

“I’m sort of heartbroken,” said Candelaria, who sat slouched in his chair in tears after the confrontation. “This is a low day for the New Mexico Senate.”

Candelaria then got into fights with multiple Democrats on Twitter, bashing Senate Judiciary Chairman Joseph Cervantes (D-Doña Ana), accusing him of refusing to put Candelaria’s extreme bills on the agenda. 

Later, Candelaria got in a spat with the far-left fringe group, ProgressNow NM over his assertions about Cervantes. 

Then, he started begging for sympathy for having to work as a “citizen legislator” when “you’re not retired and not rich.”

Hilariously though, he previously bragged on Instagram about purchasing expensive French luxury products, writing, “Treat yo self. The road is long and the fights are hard—-celebrating your joy is a seditious act.” 

Read more about liberal Republicans and far-left Democrats complaining about not getting paid despite earning a per diem and a pension. 

James Hallinan, a former staffer to Gov. Lujan Grisham, who accused the governor of sexual assault, is now accusing Candelaria of sexual abuse while Hallinan worked for Speaker Brian Egolf (D-Santa Fe) and Rep. Moe Maestas (D-Bernalillo). 

“Shocked you haven’t been removed from office 4 ur abuse of @NMStatePolice & gov’t resources while on ur benders. Not to mention when you sexually abused me @ the Bull Ring when I worked 4 Speaker @BrianEgolf & @RepMoe,” wrote Hallinan. 

“I assume you were high on coke at the time as well?” Candelaria clapped back, 

Hallinan replied, “NewMexico media please witness the most recent bender/meltdown of @SenCandelaria  & his delusions. When predators attacks their victims they just seal their own fates.”

Candelaria has made countless enemies on the Republican side of the aisle and now he’s increasingly becoming ostracized from his own party as Gov. Lujan Grisham won’t answer his phone calls, Democrat Majority Leader Peter Wirth is literally telling him to “f**k off,” and even far-left fringe group ProgressNowNM is telling him to go away. 

Candelaria, the Senate’s resident drama queen, is becoming weaker and weaker as a public official by each fleeting day, and Republicans should be looking for a strong candidate to take him out in 2024. Right now, the Albuquerque legislator has more enemies than friends, and 2024 is looking like a shiny opportunity for the right Republican to do away with him once and for all come the next election. 

Read more about Sen. Candelaria: Dem lawmaker flips out on police officers trying to help him with hate mail, now claims to have PTSD

NM Senate’s resident drama queen ostracized by own party: Even Dem Leader tells him to ‘f**k off’ Read More »

Senate committee narrowly advances most extreme anti-police bill in the nation

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On Wednesday, the Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee met to consider S.B. 227, which the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has dubbed the most extreme or “the strongest” anti-police “use of force” standard instituted in the nation. The bill is sponsored by Sen. Linda Lopez (D-Bernalillo).

After massive public outcry, the bill’s sponsor tweaked the bill slightly in a committee substitute to take away the bill’s ban on pepper spray, rubber pellets, take out a provision mandating a 45-second delay before an officer can enter a premise, and a section making the bill mandatory not only for police officers but for corrections officers also.

Despite the small concessions by the bill sponsor, the “expert witnesses,” Barron Jones and Paige Fernandez, both from the ACLU who lauded the bill, invoking the name of the late George Floyd, a felon and drug addict who died over the summer during an arrest where a police officer put his knee on Floyd’s neck. 

Fernandez claimed the new regulations encompassed in the extreme bill would institute new “tactics” and “de-escalation techniques” that would cripple officers in how they can do their jobs by removing the “reasonable” use of force standard. 

Multiple police unions, officers, and pro-law enforcement groups testified in support of the bill, 

Douglas Ford, Chief of Police at the Clovis Police Department testified that the bill’s removal of less lethal options would be “sending us back thirty years in law enforcement. These are the tools we use to help in de-escalating and not using the force that is unnecessary.” 

Roger Jimenez, the Chief of Police with the Española Police Department echoed these statements, talking about how because of the less-lethal force available, his officers were able to tase “and subdue” a man who was wielding a knife instead of using lethal options. He said if his officers did not have those tools at their disposal, “this gentleman would have been shot and killed.”

On the other side of the argument, many social justice advocates invoked George Floyd’s name and “community activists” with dark money Mike Bloomberg group “Moms Demand Action,” an organization with a mission to disarm America.

Sen. Antoinette Sedillo Lopez called this bill “important” to “transform” the bill, which she said compliments another anti-police bill she is sponsoring. Sen. Lopez responded, “We have to look at the totality of the system.” 

Sen. Gregg Schmedes (R-Bernalillo, Sandoval, Santa Fe & Torrance) took exception with the use of “totality of the circumstances” in the bill, which Sen. Lopez had her “expert” Paige Fernandez explain away. He repeatedly made the point that he wants police officers to be able to have the ability to respond with appropriate “discretion” so they can do their jobs appropriately. 

Sen. David Gallegos (R-Eddy & Lea) emphasized the need to tailor this bill to all communities in New Mexico, not just high-crime areas like Albuquerque. “The rural communities have a different relationship with their safety officers, and I think we could cause them harm by including them in the same scenario that you would in Albuquerque because that seems to be where the problem is.” 

The extreme anti-law enforcement bill passed the committee on a vote of 4-3. Sens. David Gallegos, Gregg Schmedes, and Bill Tallman (D-Bernalillo) voted against the bill. If Sen. Stuart Ingle (R-Chaves, Curry, De Baca, Lea, and Roosevelt), who was excused, had been present, the bill would have been tabled. S.B. 227 now moves forward to Senate Judiciary Committee.

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