THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
1. "ARE YOU SERIOUS?" -- DEMOCRAT STATE SENATOR RICHARD MARTINEZ ARRESTED FOR AGGRIVATED DWI AND RECKLESS DRIVING; RPNM CALLS FOR RESIGNATION WHILE DEMS TRY TO SAVE ONE OF THEIR OWN
On Friday night, Democrat State Senator and Judiciary Committee Chairman Richard Martinez rear ended a vehicle in Espanola. When police officers arrived at the scene, they discovered a very drunk Martinez behind the wheel of the SUV that caused the accident.
From the Albuquerque Journal:
State Sen. Richard Martinez pleaded with an Española police officer not to place him under arrest for driving while intoxicated last week, according to lapel camera footage released Monday.
Martinez, 66, is charged with one count of aggravated DWI and one count of reckless driving after he rear-ended a Jeep carrying two people at the intersection of Paseo de Oñate and Fairview Lane in Española about 10 p.m. Friday. At least one of the people in the other vehicle went to the hospital.
The longtime Democratic senator, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, was booked into the Española Holding Facility and was released on his own recognizance, according to court records....
As chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, he plays a crucial role as a gatekeeper for progress on legislation on criminal law, including DWI bills....
A criminal complaint filed in Española Magistrate Court, where Martinez was a longtime judge, says the two people in the Jeep that he rear-ended were also taken to the hospital...
Martinez’s SUV had heavy front-end damage.
Predictably, the weak-kneed Democrat Party respond with a statement that essentially supports Martinez while also attempting to deceive people that Martinez was compliant with law enforcement:
“Senator Martinez has been an effective and passionate representative of Senate District 5 for many years. DWI continues to be a serious concern in our state, and Democrats are committed to reducing instances of impaired driving in New Mexico. We’re glad to see that Senator Martinez is cooperating with law enforcement as he addresses this situation, and we hope that everyone will respect his right to due process under the law as the situation evolves.”
Sorry, Democrats, but refusing to submit to a breathalyzer test, thus leading to a charge of aggravated DWI, IS NOT "cooperating with law enforcement."
In stark contrast to Democrats, Chairman Steve Pearce on behalf of RPNM has called for Martinez's immediate resignation:
“This is yet another embarrassment to New Mexico when elected officials are arrested on suspicion of DWI,” Pearce said in a statement. “As chairman of the Judiciary committee, Sen. Martinez’s blatant disrespect for the law and law enforcement is hypocritical. Clearly, he believes he is not held to the same standards and laws as all New Mexicans.
"He refused to cooperate with law enforcement at the scene and sent an innocent victim to the hospital. His actions and behaviors are out of line and he should resign his position immediately and apologize to his constituents for his dangerous and reckless conduct.”
As a reminder, Senator Martinez was one of the key sponsors of Senate Bill 8 to require mandatory background checks of gun sales in New Mexico. When the Rio Arriba County Sheriff James Lujan joined other sheriffs from across the state in opposition to this unconstitutional bill, Martinez said in a hearing, “I guess he doesn’t want those vehicles he was asking for yesterday.”
2. $380 MILLION IN NEW TAXES HIT HARD WORKING NEW MEXICANS THIS WEEK; OTHER LAWS INFRINGE ON OUR LIBERTIES
The Associated Press has a summary of the laws that took effect on July 1st.
From the Associated Press:
The effects of a progressive shift in New Mexico politics are being felt as new laws take effect that restrict gun access, raise taxes, decriminalize low-level drug possession and provide a major boost in state spending on everything from teacher salaries to road construction.
Starting Monday, taxes on vehicle sales rise by 33%. Background checks will be required for nearly all firearms purchases, and smaller public bathrooms will become gender-neutral.
3. GOVERNOR APPOINTS COMMISSION TO PAVE WAY FOR RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION
From the Associated Press:
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is launching a new effort to craft legislation that could legalize recreational marijuana sales next year.
The first-year Democratic governor announced Friday her recruitment of health, legal and fiscal policy experts to serve in a new discussion group that provides recommendations on state legalization.