Local politicians condemn violence

Several local political figures uniformly condemned the violence by a mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol last week but differed along partisan lines on its cause.

Hundreds of people apparently loyal to Republican President Donald Trump barged into the Capitol on Wednesday and forced lawmakers, who had convened to formally approve the Electoral College vote for the presidency, into hiding in an underground bunker for hours. Five people died, including a police officer.

Lawmakers affirmed Democrat Joe Biden’s election victory early the next morning.

The unrest in Washington, D.C., also prompted state officials Wednesday to partially evacuate the state Roundhouse in Santa Fe as pro-Trump people demonstrated outside. Other than a fistfight with counter-demonstrators, no violence was reported at New Mexico’s Capitol.

Ann Hall, chairwoman of the Republican Party of Quay County, said demonstrators during a rally at the U.S. Capitol were “peaceful Trump supporters, Christians.”

She asserted the mob the stormed the Capitol was populated and instigated by Antifa infiltrators — a notion disputed by several news outlets, including the Associated Press.

“It was a peaceful protest, the way it was set up,” Hall said. “But it’s a known fact they had Antifa come in there. That’s the ones that caused the problem. It wasn’t the Trump supporters.”

Hall also said electoral votes from states Biden won that were hotly contested by Trump should have been “thrown out.” She asserted, without evidence, that voter fraud stole an election victory from Trump.

“If the election across the country hadn’t been dishonest, Trump would have won,” she said.

Hall also claimed, without evidence, that voter fraud stole an election victory from New Mexico Republican Senate candidate Mark Ronchetti, who lost to Democratic candidate Ben Ray Lujan by nearly 60,000 votes.

Ralph Moya, a Tucumcari city commissioner and chairman of the Quay County Democrats, said the violence in Washington last week was “a great embarrassment” and “very sad.”

Moya, who runs a mental-health counseling office in Tucumcari, said Trump’s allegations of voter fraud were wrong and manipulative.

“The conditioning of the people of the belief (the election) was stolen has taken a psychological toll on a huge number of people who really believe it,” Moya said. “These are good people in our area; I don’t care what anybody says. But if you condition a person to believe something like that, they tend to believe.

“We have the right to freedom of speech. To manipulate it the way the leader of our country did is an embarrassment. It’s one of the worst things you can do. It’s a violation of our rights.”

Moya, a former Tucumcari mayor, said he’s lost elections, so he knows how Trump feels. But Moya said acceptance of defeat is important to the voting public.

“You have to be honest and straightforward, even if your feelings get hurt,” he said. “Trump has not been fair to these people. He literally led them on to believe this was a fraudulent election. It’s almost like a cult.

“The transfer of power always has to be peaceful in a democracy,” Moya added. “This is the first time we’ve had the most powerful person manipulate other poor, innocent persons to fight because he didn’t like the results of an election.”

State Sen. Pat Woods (R-Broadview), whose District 7 includes much of Quay County, blamed both Republicans and Democrats for the violence in Washington.

“We’ve had two major parties in this county whipping things up. We have created such a divisive (atmosphere),” he said.. “There’s fault on both sides.”

Woods said he received about 200 emails from constituents, asking about the possibility of voter fraud. Consulting with Quay County Clerk Ellen White, Woods said she told him the vote-counting machines in New Mexico are accurate, and that election officials “never found a discrepancy” with them. The Secretary of State also conducts random audits of counties’ elections, and those have found very few problems, he said.

Woods said the only possibility of election fraud in the state is with third-party voter registrations or voter impersonation. He said there needs to be more public confidence with elections.

“We have to make sure our voter is a person who is a resident of a district,” he said. “That’s where I think the transparency is not there yet. If we did that, that would eliminate the argument about voter fraud.”

Unlike in Washington, fears about widespread violence during pro-Trump demonstrations didn’t materialize at the Roundhouse. Woods said he heard the only thing resembling property damage was manure left behind by horses owned by the Cowboys for Trump group.

“People in New Mexico are a law-abiding people,” he said. “There’s disagreement. But I don’t think there’s disagreement that law and order is the basis of this country.”

Woods also observed at two Trump rallies he attended last year, the only trouble came from counter-demonstrators “wanting to pick a fight.”

When asked what is the way forward after the Washington unrest, Woods replied: “Leadership.”

“It’s (Biden’s) turn to lead,” he said. “It’s his turn to bring the country together. Let’s see if he’s a leader. It’s that simple. If there’s a problem with government, there needs to be a voice heard from that group and include them on a solution. That’s how you become a leader.”

State Rep. Jack Chatfield (R-Mosquero), whose District 67 includes all of Quay County, did not return calls requesting comment.

Other prominent New Mexico lawmakers issued statements about the attack on the Capitol:

• Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham: “There is no place in our country or state for this. This is beneath the United States of America. It is not who we are. I am sickened beyond words by the scenes from Washington, D.C., this afternoon. It is nothing less than domestic terrorism, enacted in an effort to overturn a free and fair election. … The president of the United States has stoked this anti-democracy sentiment. He has fanned flames of hatred and violence. His reprehensible attacks on the rule of law and American democracy have directly inspired this unconscionable display of disorder and mob mentality. He is responsible. He has always been responsible. His conspiracies and threats endanger the very fabric of our nation.”

• U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.): “The siege of the U.S. Capitol by rioters endangered lives and represented a direct attack on our nation’s democracy. What took place today is not how we resolve our differences in this country. … I am grateful to the Capitol Police who worked to defend the Capitol and keep Members, staff, and journalists safe.”

• U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.): “President Trump incited this assault on democracy and the rule of law, but he will not succeed. That is not how we do things in America. … I urge all Americans—regardless of who they voted for—to reject and condemn the violence we've witnessed today and this brazen attempt to trample on our American values."

• U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-N.M.): “Domestic terrorists attacked our Capitol today and attempted to undermine our democracy, they failed. Some Republicans sought to overturn an election decided by the people, they failed. We performed our constitutional duty early this morning and certified the election results. The people’s vote for President prevailed. What we do now will define who we are as a Nation. We must focus Congress’ work on creating opportunities for our communities. We must focus on beating this pandemic and fixing our economy.”

• State Sen. Pete Campos (D-Las Vegas) stated in a tweet: “Calm-voices of reason-will prevail in OUR DEMOCRACY! Violence of any kind-against anyone-is not condoned-EVER! Life-Liberty-the pursuit of Happiness are our founding principles! Peace of mind comes when we live & let live! We are ONE NATION-UNDER GOD-THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!”