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Category: Politics: Enter at your own risk Politics: Enter at your own risk
Published: 09 September 2021 09 September 2021

Grassroots Petition Seeks a Grand Jury to Look into "Crimes of Malfeasance" and "Violation of Oath of Office"

Albuquerque, September 9—The Republican Party of New Mexico believes our public officials must always be held accountable. We're excited to see New Mexico citizens standing up and taking steps to conduct their oversight of the Governor and state government.

RPNM has always felt the Governor has exceeded her authority and even went to the New Mexico Supreme Court to challenge her illegal decrees. That lawsuit was designed to protect all businesses in New Mexico from illegal fines issued by the Lujan Grisham Administration. The legal action involved five businesses and additional individual parties who charged the state abused its power by fining them $5,000 a day as part of the Governor's Public Health Order.

RPNM disagrees with the High Court's decision to not comply with state law. Justices ruled that the state government had such authority even though the Governor and courts cannot change state law—it's the role of the legislature to create and change laws.

When the courts make such egregious mistakes, then citizens must take action and petition the government to reconsider such decisions.

Now citizens are doing that.

This petition to call a grand jury to investigate Gov. Lujan Grisham over her illegal COVID Public Health Orders since 2020 is a good start. The petition includes more than 1,000 signatures from Lea County registered voters, and it's encouraging that the public is speaking out.

The grassroots petition was filed in the Fifth Judicial Court, asking to form a grand jury to investigate the Governor for her random Orders that have been unjust and illogical.

The petition states in part that the Governor: "under the guise of emergency authority ordered and authorized numerous illegal actions that included invasions of the constitutionally protected rights of citizens of New Mexico. Defendant has abused and exceeded her legal authority with numerous consecutive sua sponte (on her own volition) renewals of a public health emergency."

The petition calls for a grand jury to investigate the Governor "….for crimes of Malfeasance in Office, Misfeasance in Office, Violation of oath of office and Maladministration…."

Organizers of the petition believe a grand jury must examine the Governor's handling of the COVID crisis and must be held accountable—charging her inequitable pandemic decisions have caused irreparable harm to New Mexicans.

"It's time the people of New Mexico lift their voices and petition the government. The Governor has exceeded her authority from the beginning of the COVID crisis and has acted draconian," said Republican Party of New Mexico Chairman Steve Pearce. "The Governor has made up her own science and has damaged our state. She has closed and fined businesses, raised unemployment, shut down schools and forced students to leave our state, collapsed our economy, and caused great despair for New Mexicans. She has also infringed on the rights of New Mexicans, including her restrictions for houses of worship. She is not fit to lead. Other states with fewer restrictions have had much more success during the pandemic. This petition is a good start to challenge the Governor on what's become authoritarian rule at the Roundhouse."

The Republican Party of New Mexico (RPNM) advances the ideals of individual liberties for the advancement of its citizens and the greater prosperity of our communities throughout New Mexico. Led by an Executive Board and its Chairman, former NM Congressman Steve Pearce, RPNM serves all New Mexicans via its headquarters in Albuquerque and can be contacted at (505) 298-3662.