On June 30^th, in a 6-3 majority vote, the United States Supreme Court, in the case of Trump v. Barbara,  struck down President Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship. The decision affirms that everyone child born in the United States is guaranteed  citizenship. The ruling reaffirms the more than 100-year-old understanding that nearly all of those born in the United States are citizens. With the decision, the Supreme Court has now invalidated a second of President  Trump’s signature initiatives from his second term, joining its ruling striking down many of his tariffs in February.

In a majority decision written  by Republican Chief Justice John Roberts, the U.S, Supreme Court  agreed with the challengers, as well as all of the lower courts around the country that have considered the issue, that Trump’s Executive Order  cannot be reconciled with the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution which states that “all persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.” Congress codified that language in federal immigration law, first in 1940 through the Nationality Act, and again in 1952 in the Immigration and Nationality Act.

The Supreme Court considered the meaning of the clause in a landmark case in 1898 and affirmed the rule of citizenship by birth, with rare exceptions for the children of foreign diplomats, occupying armies and members of Native American tribes. Congress in 1924 enacted legislation conferring citizenship on all Native Americans born in the U.S.

Republicans Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts and Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett and Democrat Supreme Court Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson agreed that President Trump’s executive order violates the 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution. Republican Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote separately to say he believes the order violates federal law. Republican Supreme Court  Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch dissented.

Writing for the majority, Republican Chief Justice Roberts emphasized that the “children born of parents unlawfully or temporarily present in the United States satisfy both elements of the Citizenship Clause. … Under the Constitution they are citizens at birth.”

Justice Roberts explained that under early English law, children who were born in Britain automatically became British subjects. Roberts observed “This view crossed the Atlantic with the colonists and was adopted with little fanfare after the Revolution.”

In 1868, the 14th Amendment was adopted to repudiate the Supreme Court’s infamous 1857 ruling in Dred Scott v. Sandford, holding that a Black person whose ancestors were brought to this country and sold as enslaved persons was not entitled to any protection from the federal courts because he was not a U.S. citizen. In so doing, Roberts wrote  the framers of the amendment intended to “permanently enshrine” the existing understanding of birthright citizenship and that “A child born on American soil and subject to American law was made an American citizen.”

The Supreme Court then reaffirmed that principle in 1898 in the case of Wong Kim Ark, who was born in San Francisco to parents of Chinese descent. When he returned to the United States from a visit to China in 1895, immigration officials would not allow him to enter the country on the ground that he was not a U.S. citizen. Roberts wrote this:

“What the Court held in Wong Kim Ark was simple. … The Citizenship Clause incorporated the common law and granted citizenship to nearly all children born in the United States. Not surprisingly, then, in the 128 years since, we have repeatedly understood the rule [of that case] to guarantee citizenship to all children born in the United States and subject to its power.”

Roberts rejected the government’s argument that, even if birthright citizenship was the norm in early U.S. history, by the time the 14th Amendment was enacted, the key question was whether a child owed “primary allegiance” to the United States, which in turn hinged on “domicile” which is defined as the place where someone has a permanent home. As an initial matter, Roberts said, “there is scant evidence for this dramatically revisionist view.”  Justice Roberts added if Congress “intended to limit American citizenship to the children of those domiciled in the United States, nothing in the succinct language of the Citizenship Clause conveyed that design.” Roberts concluded by writing this:

“Citizenship, then and now was the right to have rights—to freely participate in our political community. The Framers of the Fourteenth Amendment extended that promise to ‘every free-born person in this land.’ We keep that promise today.”

Republican Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh agreed with the result that the court reached  that President Trump’s Executive Order is invalid  but he did not agree with its reasoning. In his Kavanaugh’s view, Trump’s Executive Order prohibiting birthright citizenship “does not violate the Fourteenth Amendment” but does violate a federal law providing that children who are “born in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof” are U.S. citizens.  Kavanaugh suggested that  Congress “could amend” that law “or otherwise enact new legislation establishing exceptions to birthright citizenship for children born to foreign citizens unlawfully or temporarily in the country”  but  he noted “Congress has not yet done so.”

DISSENTING OPINIONS

In a dissenting opinion, Republican Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito called the ruling both “one of the most important decisions in the history of the Court” and “a serious mistake.”  Alito wrote this:

“Careful analysis of the text of the Fourteenth Amendment and the process that led to its adoption shows that it does not degrade the concept of United States citizenship in this way. Instead, the Fourteenth Amendment confers citizenship on only those children who, at birth, owe allegiance solely to this country.”

Republican Justice Clarence Thomas wrote a lengthy dissent, which Republican  Justice Neil Gorsuch joined. He called the majority’s account “not historically accurate”. In his   91-page dissent, more than three times as long as Roberts’ opinion, Republican Justice Clarence Thomas  wrote this:

“The Court today takes the extraordinary step of holding facially unconstitutional the President’s Order excluding from citizenship the children of foreign temporary visitors and illegal aliens. … In doing so, the Court adds to the sad history of the Fourteenth Amendment, which was designed and understood to secure equal rights for the freed blacks but has instead been repurposed for political projects that the Reconstruction Congress did not support.”

Republican Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote a separate dissent. He appeared to suggest that Trump’s executive order might violate the United States Constitution as it applies to the children of undocumented immigrants who intend to live in the United States permanently. Gorsuch questioned “If those parents are not domiciled here, then where are they domiciled? And if the answer is nowhere, how can we reconcile that conclusion with this Court’s longstanding recognition that every person is domiciled somewhere?”  Gorsuch explained that because the challengers in this case argued that Trump’s order is invalid in all circumstances, rather than just some “these questions may not be properly before us. But their answers are undeniably important to a Nation committed to a view of citizenship open to all children born here to parents who can call this country their home.”

In separate opinions, both Republican Supreme Court Justices Kavanaugh and Justice Samuel Alito suggested that if there was an appetite to limit birthright citizenship, as President Trump attempted to do unilaterally, Congress could enact legislation doing so. Kavanaugh wrote this:

“Congress could — consistent with the Fourteenth Amendment — amend [the Immigration and Nationality Act] or otherwise enact new legislation establishing exceptions to birthright citizenship for children born to foreign citizens unlawfully or temporarily in the country. But Congress has not yet done so.”

CHRONOLOGY OF APPEAL ON TRUMP’S EXECUTIVE ORDER

It was on January  20, 2025 that Republican President Donald Trump issued his executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship shortly after he was sworn into office for a second term. It provides that babies who are born in the United States to parents who are in this country either illegally or temporarily are not automatically entitled to citizenship.  President Trump’s order was slated to go into effect 30 days after he signed it. It never did

Trump’s Executive order was met immediately with legal challenges in courts across the country. Judges in New Hampshire, Washington, Massachusetts and Maryland quickly blocked enforcement of the policy nationwide. The Trump administration pursued emergency appeals of those decisions, eventually landing the issue before the Supreme Court last year. But those cases involved the scope of the lower court orders, known as nationwide injunctions, and not the legality Trump’s effort to limit birthright citizenship.

Faced with the prospect that  President Trump’s order could be on hold indefinitely, the Trump administration came to the Supreme Court last spring, asking the justices to weigh in on whether the lower courts can issue “universal” or “nationwide” injunction orders that bar the enforcement of laws or policies anywhere in the country. By a vote of 6 to 3, the United States Supreme  court ruled that they cannot.

After the Supreme Court’s decision prohibiting universal injunctions, cases challenging the merits of President  Trump’s order continued in the lower courts. On July 10, 2025, a federal judge in New Hampshire issued a preliminary injunction that blocked the government from enforcing the order against a class of babies born after Feb. 20, 2025, who are or would be denied U.S. citizenship by the order. U.S. District Judge Joseph Laplante concluded “that the Executive Order likely ‘contradicts the text of the Fourteenth Amendment and the century-old untouched precedent that interprets it.’”

The Trump administration  appealed to the Supreme Court on September 26, 2025 asking it to review Judge Joseph Laplante’s ruling without waiting for a federal appeals court to weigh in. The Supreme Court granted the government’s request on December  5, 2025 and the case was argued on April 1, 2026. On Tuesday, June 30 the Supreme Court upheld the lower court’s decision.

TRUMP’S EXECUTIVE ORDER

President Trump’s executive order sought to change the long-held definition of who is an American citizwen. Trump and his administration argued that unrestricted birthright citizenship has served as a powerful incentive for illegal immigration and birth tourism. They said the Citizenship Clause has been misread since the mid-20th century.

While the administration said President Trump’s measure would have applied only prospectively, the effects would have been far-reaching. According to the Migration Policy Institute and Penn State’s Population Research Institute, an estimated 250,000 babies born in the U.S. would be denied citizenship each year under the executive order.

In a sign of the case’s importance, President  Trump  attended the oral arguments in April, becoming the first sitting president in modern history to view such proceedings at the high court. Still, the president indicated in social media posts across the past few months that he believed he may not prevail before the Supreme Court.

TRUMP’S REACTION TO RULING

On June 30, when the Supreme  Court’s Courts ruling was released, President Trump immediately wrote in a post on Truth Social:

“The Supreme Court upheld Birthright Citizenship, which is too bad for our Country, but we can easily make it up in Congress through Legislation, with the support of the President, that has now been determined during this process. … No long and unwieldy Constitutional Amendment is necessary! Congress should start TODAY to work on ending expensive and unfair to our Country, Birthright Citizenship. They will have my Complete and Total Support!”

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)  argued the case before the Supreme Court. ACLU lawyer Cecelia Wang, the lead lawyer said congressional action would go against the grain of American life and said this:

“Ask any American what our citizenship rule is, and they will tell you if you’re born here, you’re a citizen, just like everyone else, and that couldn’t be more fundamental to who we are as a nation.”

WHITE HOUSE DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF PROPOSES TO BAN PREGNANT WOMEN FROM ENTERING THE UNITED STATES

On June 30, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller proposed to ban pregnant women from entering the U.S. after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship. Miller appeared on Fox News to denounce the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the long-term constitutional right to give citizenship to every individual born in the U.S. He argued that the Trump administration will now order immigration agents at airports to “think very carefully” about who they let into the country.  Miller said this:

“You have to now think very carefully about who you let into your country, even on a temporary basis, because the possibility … for birth tourism … [which is] the idea that people come here just to have babies on American soil, and that the baby gets to be a citizen for life. … So you have mothers that come in fully pregnant, have a baby, go home, and again, that baby gets Medicaid, and that baby gets welfare, and that baby gets cash assistance, and can send, you know, leave the baby with, you know, a cousin, a relative, whatever, and then just send welfare checks back home.”

Opposition to immigration has long been at the very core of  President Donald Trump’s campaigns. Trump has effectively tapped into public frustration with issues like soaring illegal border crossings during the Biden administration when border arrests from Mexico reached a record-high of 250,000 in just one month.  Trump has described birthright citizenship as a “magnet for illegal immigration,” with other administration officials often pointing to “birth tourism” networks that arrange for non-U.S. citizens to come to the country solely to give birth.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said this during his Fox News appearance:

“You can support a whole family in the third world. So yes, you can’t have the kinds of immigration programs other countries have when you can just have a baby here and now that child is an American citizen. So there’s a lot of things we’re going to have to take a hard look at.”

The link to a relied upon or quoted news source is here:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/stephen-miller-proposes-banning-pregnant-women-from-entering-the-us-after-birthright-citizenship-ruling/ar-AA26YZoN

NEW MEXICO OFFICIALS REACT TO SUPREME COURT RULING

A coalition of states, including New Mexico, challenged the order in federal court. Preliminary nationwide injunctions blocked the policy from taking effect while the litigation proceeded. New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez earlier joined a coalition of 24 state attorneys general and the City and County of San Francisco in filing a friend-of-the-court brief arguing that the executive order violated the 14th Amendment. The brief also argued that implementing the order would have imposed significant legal, financial and administrative burdens on states.

Attorney General Raúl Torres praised the Supreme Court decision, calling the ruling a victory for the rule of law and constitutional protections. In a statement, Torrez said this:

“Today’s decision reaffirms one of the clearest promises in the United States Constitution: if you are born on American soil, you are an American citizen. … [Trump’s executive order is] a blatant abuse of executive authority. … [The Supreme Court]  reaffirmed that no president has the power to strip constitutional rights from children born in this country.”

New Mexico Speaker of the House Javier Martínez, D-Albuquerque, called the high court’s decision to uphold the constitutionality of birthright citizenship “a critical victory — not just for our immigrant communities, but for all Americans.”

U.S. Representative  Gabe Vasquez, whose district includes New Mexico’s shared border with Mexico, said the ruling protects a law that “has paved the way for millions of successful, patriotic and proud American citizens — and as America charts its next 250 years, that law must continue to stand.”

U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernandez, D-N.M., responded to the decision on Facebook and criticized Trump and his adviser Stephen Miller for making it part of their immigration policy and she said this:

“If you are born in America, you are American. Simple constitutional concept. It should not have taken the Supreme Court this long to overturn Trump and Stephen Miller’s attempts to declare who can and cannot be citizens.”

Marcela Díaz, executive director of Somos un Pueblo Unido, an immigrant and labor rights organization said this:

“It affirms a core principle: we belong here. … “Immigrant workers are essential to New Mexico’s cultural fabric and the economy, and our children deserve full rights and opportunity.  [The ruling is]  a key protection for our families and communities.”

Mike Nelson, interim chair of the Republican Party of New Mexico, condemned the Republican controlled Supreme Court and said this in a statement:

“Today, the Supreme Court decision overrode the will of the American people.  [Under former President Joe Biden] the Democrats let millions of illegal aliens pour through our borders exploiting the birthright loopholes, but President Trump’s victory in 2024 showed that the American people want secure borders.”

Links to quoted or relied upon news sources are here:

https://www.scotusblog.com/2026/06/supreme-court-strikes-down-trumps-order-ending-birthright-citizenship/

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/supreme-court-birthright-citizenship-trump-decision/

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/supreme-court-upholds-birthright-citizenship/3072952

https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/new-mexico-democrats-praise-u-s-supreme-court-birthright-citizenship-ruling/article_702ffad4-c29a-4b4b-a115-1f64ee0216f4.html

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

It’s delightful  that the Republican United States Supreme Court ruled that the United State Constitution is indeed constitutional and this time decided not to take away any one’s constitutional rights such as a woman’s right to choose and  birthright to citizenship. The United States Supreme Court ruling rejecting and striking down President Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship can only be considered the exception and not the rule of the Republican United States Supreme Court who  usually roll over and giving Donald Trump everything and anything he wants to carry out his right wing agenda and the agenda of the Republican Party. The legitimacy of the Supreme Court is seriously in question given how political it has become.

Historically, Supreme Courts are referred to by the last names of the Chief Justice presiding at a given time who is appointed by the President, such as the  Marshal Court, the Warren Court, the Burger Court, the Rehnquist Court and now the Roberts court. The United States Supreme Court since its very inception has been viewed with a unique sense of mystic or awe and respect because it consistently interpreted the United States Constitution as a “living, evolving document” meaning one that evolved and allowed and protected civil rights and remedies to conform with changing times, changing norms, changing viewpoints. Without such constitutional evolution, slavery would still exist in the United States, woman would not be allowed to vote, discrimination based on a person’s gender, race, color or religion would be allowed, interracial marriage would be illegal, and the doctrine of “sperate but equal” and Jim Crow laws would still be the law of the land.

Part of the greatness of the Supreme Court has always been that the public has had a tremendous respect for the Supreme Court because it has been viewed by and large as “fair and impartial” and “a political” not subservient to any president,  political party, or religious philosophy beliefs. That is no longer the case. Conservative Republican Associate Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett were all appointed to the United States Supreme Court by  President Donald Trump during his first term. Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett have joined Conservative Republican Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. and Associate Justices Clarence Thomas and  Samuel A. Alito, Jr. to set aside constitutional  rights and civil rights  and to marginalize Progressive Democratic Progressive Associate Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan,  Ketanji Brown Jackson.

The 6 appointed Republican Justices have had  a tremendous and very  negative impact on the  civil rights and constitutional rights of  the American people with  their judicial activism and case decisions  rendered ignoring and  setting aside historical judicial precedent.  The United State Supreme Court has issued major decisions  confirming it has become a far “right wing activist court” hell bent on setting aside and destroying basic constitutional rights and protections while giving President Trump unlimited powers.

Major Supreme Court decisions based on political dogma promoting the Republican conservative agenda include striking  down decades of affirmative action in college admissions, ruling  that  Christian business owners can discriminate and withhold services to the LGBTQ+ community based on religious grounds, invalidated President Joe Biden’s student loan debt relief plan. With the reversal of Roe v. Wade and the denial and reversal of a well settled constitutional right for a woman’s right to choose and abortion, and the decision granting President Trump  broad immunity from criminal prosecutions,  the  United State Supreme Court has lost its legitimacy and credibility with the American people.

Given Trump’s reaction the Supreme Court ruling and telling  congress to get rid of the 14^th amendment and  White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller proposing  to ban pregnant women from entering the U.S. after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship, it’s clear President Trump White has no respect for the United States Supreme Court.  It’s becoming plainly clear that neither does the public.

On July 7,  a remarkable  report on President Trump’s Unfavorable and Favorable ratings taken by 15 of the nations top pollsters was published on line. The  article was written by reporter Victoria E. Freile  and originally published by  the  Rochester Democrat and Chronicle and is entitled Trump approval ratings: Here’s where the latest polls stand after July 4

Following is the full  unedited report

America’s semiquincentennial and Independence Day weekend is in the rearview mirror, but how is President Donald Trump performing as president?

In the latest The Economist/YouGov survey, voters said that President Trump has not paid enough attention to the nation’s most pressing problems.

A recent Economist/YouGov survey found that 60% of respondents believe Trump has not focused on the country’s most important issues. The findings come as Americans continue to grapple with high living costs and economic uncertainty. Twenty-eight percent of respondents said the country is headed in the right direction, while 61% said it is on the wrong track, according to the survey. 

The poll also found Trump struggling with several key issues. More than half of respondents said they disapproved of his handling of health care, education, abortion and the environment.

Donald Trump approval ratings: What polls show

Note: Polls are constantly changing and different pollsters ask different varieties of the population.

New York Times

Most recent Trump approval rating, according to the latest New York Times poll (July 6, 2026):

• Favorable:      39%
• Unfavorable:  58%

Rasmussen

Most recent Trump approval rating, according to the latest Rasmussen poll (July 3, 2026):

• Favorable:      40%
• Unfavorable:  58%

The latest figures include 23% of U.S. voters who “strongly approve” of the job Trump is doing as president as well as 47% of voters who “strongly disapprove,” according to the report.

Silver Bulletin

Most recent Trump approval rating according to Pollster Nate Silver’s “Silver Bulletin” newsletter (July 3, 2026):

• Favorable:       40%
• Unfavorable:    57%

RealClear Polling

Most recent Trump approval rating according to the latest from RealClear Polling (July 1, 2026):

• Favorable:      40%
• Unfavorable:   58%

 Morning Consult

Most recent Trump approval rating, according to the latest from Morning Consult poll (July 1 2026):

• Favorable:      43%
• Unfavorable:  54%

 Civiqs

Most recent Trump approval rating according to Civiqs poll (July 1, 2026):

• Favorable:       37%
• Unfavorable:   58%
• Not sure:           5%

 The Economist

Most recent Trump approval rating, according to the latest from The Economist (June 30, 2026):

• Favorable:      37%
• Unfavorable:   59%
• Not sure:         5%

The latest report shows that voters believe the top three most important issues Americans are facing are inflation/prices, jobs and the economy, followed by health care. This ranking has remained steady since the start of Trump’s second presidential term.

Big Data Poll

Most recent Trump approval rating, according to the latest Big Data Poll: (June 29, 2026):

• Favorable:        43%
• Unfavorable:    53%
• Not sure:           4%

President Trump, according to the poll, has the most support on how he is handling immigration and border security and has the least amount of support on how he is handling the rising inflation and cost of living.

Quinnipiac University

Most recent Trump approval rating, according to the latest Quinnipiac University poll (June 24, 2026):

• Favorable:       38%
• Unfavorable:   55%

Echelon Insights

Most recent Trump approval rating, according to the latest Echelon Insights poll (June 22, 2026):

• Favorable:        41%
• Unfavorable:   58%

 Reuters/IPSOS

Most recent Trump approval rating, according to the latest Reuters/IPSOS poll (June 22, 2026):

• Favorable:       37%
• Unfavorable:   62%

 CBS News

Most recent Trump approval rating, according to the latest CBS News poll: (June 21, 2026):

• Favorable:       38%
• Unfavorable:   62%

Associated Press/NORC

Most recent Trump approval rating, according to the latest Associated Press/NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll: (June 19, 2026):

• Favorable:       37%
• Unfavorable:   62%

Quantus Insights

Most recent Trump approval rating, according to the latest Quantus Insights poll (June 18, 2026):

• Favorable:       43%
• Unfavorable:   56%

FOX News

Most recent Trump approval rating, according to the latest Fox News poll (June 17, 2026):

• Favorable:        39%
• Unfavorable:   60%

EDITOR’S NOTE: The FOX News poll is the most significant poll because the FOX network is nothing more than Trump’s personal  propaganda news agency promoting all things Trump and given the number of  Fox News reporters and commentators Trump has hired and made part of his administration. It appears even his preferred news agency has turn on him and viewers switch. (See below article).

Links to quoted or relied upon news sources are here:

Trump approval ratings: Here’s where the latest polls stand after July 4

https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/trump-approval-ratings-heres-where-081219373.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

FOX NEWS RATINGS DISASTER AS VIEWERS SWITCH OFF TRUMP’S FAVORITE NETWORK

On July 8, TV Insider published the following report written by reporter Martin Holmes:

“The cable news ratings for June 2026 are in, and while Fox News remained comfortably in the No. 1 spot in total viewers, President Trump‘s favorite network was down significantly compared to the same period last year.

According to AdWeek, citing Nielsen big data + panel numbers, Fox News averaged 2.26 million total viewersin primetime and 197,000 viewers in the coveted Adults 25-54 demographic for the month of June. In total day, the network averaged 1.451 million total viewers and 133,000 demo viewers.

Fox News was down 5 percent in total viewers and down 6 percent in the demo during primetime compared to May 2026. And it was a similar story across total day, with a 5 percent drop in total viewers and a 6 percent drop in the key demo.

The year-over-year declines were even more noticeable, with the network dropping 19 percent in total viewers and a massive 43 percent in the demo during primetime compared to June 2025. In total day, Fox News was down 15 percent in total viewers and 40 percent in the demo.”

The link to review the full report with photos is here:

https://www.tvinsider.com/1274200/fox-news-ratings-cnn-ms-now-newsnation-newsmax/

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

From a historical perspective, the party that controls the White House loses congressional races in both the United States House and Senate.  It is always the popularity of the President that has a major impact on the outcome of the midterm elections, as was the case with Presidents Republican George W. Bush and Democrat  Barack Obama.

It’s more likely than not Trump’s unfavorable ratings will continue to tank and will reach historical lows over the next three months as the Iran War he started without congressional approval continues to drag on, as gas and oil prices continue to soar,  as the economy tanks even further and as American citizens deal with the high cost of living, consumer goods and groceries and the affordability crisis. Simply put, Trump is on track to becoming the single most disliked President in American history, despite Trump referring to himself repeatedly as “your favorite President” and labeling  his poll numbers as “fake news.” Trump will likely cost the Republicans control of congress. Let’s hope so!

According to the New Mexico Secretary of State campaign finance reporting system, Democratic Party nominee for Governor Deb Haaland currently has a 7 to 1 cash advantage over Republican Party nominee for Governor Gregg Hull before the November 3 general election.

On July 2, Democrat Deb Haaland reported to the Secretary of State that she had raised roughly $1.1 million during a four-week period that began just before the June 2 primary election. The total  fundraising brought the balance of her campaign account to nearly $2.3 million after spending roughly $11.6 million in the primary on her campaign. Following are the balances of contributions and expenditures for Deb Haaland as reflected on the Secretary of State’s campaign finance reporting system:

Date of Last Filing: July 2, 2026

• Total Contributions:      $13,873,984.99
• Total Expenditures:       $11,595,143.49
• In-Kind Contributions:         $36,594.68
• Current Debt Balance:                  $0.00
• Current Cash Balance:   $2,278,841.50

https://login.cfis.sos.state.nm.us/index.html#/exploreDetails/o-FWxlqdlSZjoP5Ut0jHQX1lK5MpzTLbNw12UnzEQ-I1/5/0/125/2026

https://login.cfis.sos.state.nm.us/index.html#/explore/candidate

On July 2,  Republican Gregg Hull reported to the Secretary of State that he raised  more than $349,000 during the recent reporting period. He enters the summer with $297,838 in his campaign account as he seeks to be elected Governor. The latest campaign finance reports covering the time period of May 27 to June 27 reveal that Gregg  Hull did not get much of a bump from his June 2 primary victory over primary opponents Doug Turner and Duke Rodriquez. Hull has yet to raise $1 million with a total of $945,140.32 raised.  Hull reported raising $349,000 for the month and he has  cash on hand of $298,000 heading into the final four months before the Nov. 3 election.
Following are the balances of contributions and expenditures for the Gregg Hull campaign  as reflected on the Secretary of State’s campaign finance reporting system:

Date of Last Filing: July 3, 2026

• Total Contributions:             $945,140.32
• Total Expenditures:              $647,302.05
• In-Kind Contributions:           $42,715.76
• Current Debt Balance:                    $0.00
• Current Cash Balance         $297,838.27

https://login.cfis.sos.state.nm.us/index.html#/exploreDetails/pyDxIVw11ZjA5jjAGYukHH1lK5MpzTLbNw12UnzEQ-I1/5/0/125/2026

https://login.cfis.sos.state.nm.us/index.html#/explore/candidate

The campaign finance  reports filed with the Secretary of State on July 3 covered the four-week period  from May 27 through June 27. These were the final reports required for the primary election cycle. Candidates for all offices on the November 3 ballot will have to file additional reports this fall as the  general election approaches.

This year’s race for governor is open because incumbent Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham is barred under the state Constitution from seeking a third consecutive term. The two-term Democratic governor will step down at the end of this year.

MOST EXPENSIVE PRIMARY ELECTION IN STATE HISTORY

The 2026  race for governor is the most expensive in state history, driven primarily by hefty spending in the Democratic primary contest between Deb Haaland and Sam Bregman. According to the New Mexico Secretary of State campaign finance reporting system, following are the amounts raised and spent by the 5 candidates for Governor in the 2026 primary:

DEMOCRAT DEB HAALAND

• TOTAL RAISED:     $12,556,264
• TOTAL SPENT:       $10,952,771

DEMOCRAT SAM BREGMAN:

• TOTAL RAISED:     $3,875,124
• TOTAL SPENT:       $4,000,162

REPUBLICAN DUKE RODRIQUEZ

• TOTAL RAISED:     $1,515,798
• TOTAL SPENT:       $1,232,427

REPUBLICAN DOUG W. TURNER

• TOTAL RAISED:     $982,552
• TOTAL SPENT:       $982,752

REPUBLICAN GREGG HULL

• TOTAL RAISED:     $610,336
• TOTAL SPENT:       $577,489

The link to the news source is here:

https://login.cfis.sos.state.nm.us/#/index

HAALAND’S NATIONAL POLITCAL FIGURE STATUS

Deb Haaland won the Democratic nomination for Governor in the largest landslide in State Democratic Party history securing 72.3% of the vote (156,861 votes) to Sam Bregman’s 27.7% of the vote (60,189). Deb Haaland won every single county in the state by varying percentages. In Santa Fe County she won with 80% of the Democratic vote. In Bernalillo County Haaland won with 69%. In Dona Ana County, she won with 79%. In conservative Chavez County, thought to lean moderate Bregman, she won with 73%.

In her bid to become New Mexico’s next Governor, Deb Haaland  has received contributions from all around the United States. She is clearly a national figure driven in part by the fact that  she will be the first Native American woman ever elected governor and that she was the first Native American woman who has served as a Presidential Cabinet Secretary of Interior.  Haaland was appointed Secretary of Interior by President Joe Biden. Her latest campaign report details donors surpassing 2,400 pages.

Among the hundreds of donations received by Haaland were contributions of more than $8,200 apiece from three New Mexico hospitals  in Las Cruces, Carlsbad and Roswell owned by Tennessee-based Community Health Systems.  Former U.S. Interior secretary under President Joe Biden was also given  a $10,400 donation from the Democratic Governors Association, a Washington D.C.-based group that has also been active in past New Mexico gubernatorial races.

On July 6, Haaland’s  campaign spokeswoman Hannah Menchhoff  told the Albuquerque Journal  that  one explanation for Deb Haaland’s success at fundraising are her  plans to lower costs, improve public education and expand access to healthcare and these issues are striking a chord with New Mexicans  as  well and residents of other states. Menchhoff said this:

“That message resonates with voters because they face these issues every day, and that’s exactly why we’re seeing such strong numbers.  She is incredibly grateful for the grassroots support from across the state, and enters the final four months of the general election in a commanding position.”

GREGG HULL’S GRASSROOTS APPROACH EFFORTS

The results of the Republican primary for Governor where a lot closer than  the Democratic primary for Governor. Former three-term Republican Rio Rancho Mayor   Gregg Hull prevailed to win the Republican nomination claiming  victory over business owner Doug Turner and cannabis entrepreneur Duke Rodriguez in a three-way race for the GOP nomination. Gregg Hull secured 47% of the vote (56,412), Doug W. Turner secured 36.9% of the vote (44,319) and Duke Rodriguez secured 16.1% of the vote (19,288)

Republican former Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull is describing his campaign for Governor as a grassroots effort focused on New Mexicans. However, Hull did acknowledged during the primary election cycle that his fundraising totals might make it difficult for him to launch a TV ad barrage.

The Hull for Governor campaign did receive several large contributions since winning a three-way GOP primary race, including donations from Roswell auto dealer Thomas Krumland and the state Republican Party. But his overall fundraising levels remain far below the amount raised by Republican nominee Mark Ronchetti at the same point in the 2022 race for governor.

Despite the sizable cash disadvantage, Hull pointed out he won the Republican nomination even though he spent less money than his two opponents Doug W. Turner and Duke Rodriguez.

Republican Gregg Hull said this in a statement:

“This isn’t new territory for us: Our primary opponents significantly outspent our campaign, and we still won that race handily because New Mexicans were voting on record and leadership, not bank accounts. … New Mexicans are looking for real results, real experience solving problems and experience delivering progress.  I spent 12 years as Mayor of Rio Rancho proving I can do that — and I’m going to keep making that case in every corner of this state.” 

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/haaland-holds-big-cash-advantage-over-hull-in-new-mexicos-open-race-for-governor/3077332

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https://login.cfis.sos.state.nm.us/index.html#/explore/candidate

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

Control of New Mexico’s Governor’s Office has flipped back and forth between Democrats and Republicans over the last 40-plus years. The last time a governor was elected to replace an outgoing governor of the same political party was in 1982, when Toney Anaya was elected to succeed fellow Democrat Bruce King.

In the last 30 years, New Mexicans have  elected Republicans Gary Johnson and Susana Martinez to the Governor’s Office each serving two four year terms for a total of 16 years. However, no Republican has won a statewide race in New Mexico since former Supreme Court justice Judith Nakamura did so in 2016. Today, New Mexico is considered “solid blue” Democratic state.

Democrats currently hold virtually all statewide offices and a majority in both legislative chambers. Democrats have large majorities in both the New Mexico State Senate and House of Representatives and that will not change. There are  26 Democrats, 16 Republicans in the NM Senate.  In the NM House of Representative there are 44 Democrats and 26 Republicans. All 5 of New Mexico’s federal congressional delegation of 2 United States Senators and 3 Representatives are Democrats. In the last 3 Presidential elections, Donald Trump lost New Mexico to Democrats. In  2016 Donald Trump lost to Hillary Clinton, in 2020  Trump lost to Joe Biden and in 2024 Trump lost to Kamala Harris.

It is very clear from reviewing Democrat Deb Haaland’s campaign’s donor list  she has become a national figure in American politics. It must be acknowledged that Haaland has built a  national donor network that she will no doubt  be able to draw on again to raise even more money for the general election.

Republican nominee Gregg Hull now has the daunting and very difficult task of convincing  potential donors of his electoral viability to close the money gap and ultimately win the election. Making matters even worse for Gregg Hull is the fact that New Mexico is considered a solid blue state and he is running against the head winds of very unpopular President Trump and the likelihood of a “blue wave” nationally come November 3.

“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

— Matthew 19:13-14

On June 8,  2026, the New Mexico Voices for Children released the “2026 Kids Count Data Book, State Trends In Child Well Being.” The annual “Kids Count” Data Book is prepared by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The Casey foundation is a nonprofit based in Maryland focusing on improving the well-being and future of American children and their families. The Kids Count Data Book provides an annual detailed report of how children are faring overall compared to other states  and in the four major categories of Education, Health, Family and Community and Economic Well Being. By providing policymakers and advocates with benchmarks of child and young adult well-being, the Foundation seeks to enrich local, state and national discussions concerning ways to enable all kids and youth to succeed.

The Anne Casey Children’s Data Book with rankings was first published in 1990 or 36 years ago. Critics have suggested that the Kids Count Data Book is an attempt to promote government spending on social programs, and particularly for the poor, using public sympathy for children to generate public support for social programs that serve adults as well. Others have suggested that it  paints a picture that is far more gloomy than realistic.

Following are New Mexico’s rankings contained in 2026 Kids Count Data Book compared to all other states in all five categories:

1. Overall:        49
2. Education:   50
3. Health:          41
4. Family and Community:   50
5. Economic well-being:       47

Links to review the 2026 Kids Count Data Book are here:

https://www.aecf.org/resources/2026-kids-count-data-book

https://www.aecf.org/interactive/databook?l=35

https://www.aecf.org/interactive/databook

DATA DOWNLOAD BREAKDOWN

Though New Mexico made modest gains in economic outcomes and health, the state ranked last in Education and in Family and Community. After five years of ranking 50^th, New Mexico is now ranked 49th in the country for child well-being with Mississpi ranked 50^th and Louisiana ranked 48^th.  According to New Mexico Voices for Children, the data, which reflect conditions in 2024, suggest that many child well-being indicators continue to recover from disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The data book compares figures from 2024 using a set of federal and state databases, including the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Health Statistics.  The report’s authors assigned New Mexico a score of 281 points out of a possible 1,000 for overall child well-being. Mississippi ranks last, with a score of 271. New Hampshire is in first place at 838. The national average is 547.

Though New Mexico made modest gains in economic outcomes and health, the state ranked last in education and in family and community. New Mexico made strides in Economic Well-Being and Health domains. However, for the 10th consecutive year, New Mexico ranks 50th in education.

SMALL UPWARD TREND  PART OF STORY

Even though there is  much room for improvement, the data showed a small upward trend from pandemic-era dips.  Emily Wildau, the Policy Director at New Mexico Voices for Children, the  nonprofit that partnered with the Casey Foundation on the data book said this:

“We saw some really positive signs of recovery.”

For others, the numbers tell only one part of the story. Merranda Marin, a child psychologist and professor at New Mexico State University said this:

“I think it’s important to acknowledge that progress whenever progress occurs, but I think that we can’t get too overly focused on the ranking itself. … We really need to ask ourselves, are the children in New Mexico healthier? Are they safer? Are they more connected to their families? Are they more successful in school than they were, say five years ago?”

47^th ECONOMIC WELL BEING RANKING

New Mexico ranked 47 in Economic Well-Being. The report measured economic outcomes using data on child poverty, parental employment status, housing cost burdens and the number of teenagers not in school or working.  While the authors of the Kids Count Data Book  said  data from 2024 doesn’t reflect today’s economic or social realities, New Mexico made some of the largest advancements in childhood economic well-being of any state that year, according to the data.

New Mexico has one of the lowest median household incomes of any state in the nation and one of the highest rates of child poverty. A whopping  22% of children in New Mexico live in poverty which is well over the U.S. average of 15%, but still the lowest number recorded in more than 15 years.

Emily Wildau, the Policy Director at New Mexico Voices for Children, said this of the number of children in New Mexico living in poverty:

“It’s still high. It’s still something that we as a state can continue to work on, but it is moving in the right direction pretty consistently, and the overall improvements that we saw in economic well-being were really, really positive.”

Wildau suspects the economic gains are due in part to the lingering effects of the state’s minimum wage increases in 2022 and 2023.

New Mexico has also amended several tax rebates and credits, including its child tax credit, which allows families to claim anywhere from $26 to $637 per child in income tax refunds  which likely has a residual effect on poverty rankings.

Stephanie Schardin Clarke, Cabinet Secretary of the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department,  said this:

“[Tax credits for parents and working families]  are making a difference to really move the needle on poverty in families in New Mexico, especially for lower income families and families with children. ”

One of New Mexico’s biggest investments into the well-being of its children is the state’s universal childcare program, launched late last year by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and fully funded by the New Mexico Legislature.  New Mexico’s universal child care program is the first and only such program in the United States. Since the data book is two years behind, it also won’t show the full impacts of the program until later. It’ s more likely than not that Universal Childcare might mean fewer children in households with a high housing cost burden because families could have more money to spend on housing or more young children who are enrolled in school.

41^st CHILDREN’S HEALTH RANKING

New Mexico ranked 41 in Children’s Health ranking. New Mexico has one of the highest rates of homicide and suicide in the country. Despite those rates, New Mexico  made progress in its Children’s Health rankings by reducing its rate of child and teen death by 22% from 2023 to 2024.

Gun violence is the leading cause of death for children in the United States, and in 2024, New Mexico had the second-highest rate of death by firearm in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  The drop between 2023 and 2024 could be attributable to a drop in suicides after worsening mental health during the pandemic.

Emily Wildau, the Policy Director at New Mexico Voices for Children, said this:

“We are hopeful that that’s the beginning of a trend now that the state is really spending money on trying to really rebuild and bolster behavioral health services.”

50^th EDUCATION RANKING

New Mexico ranked 50^th, dead last, in Education in the Kids Count data book which is consistent with its performance in the last decade.

The Kids’ Count Data report  assigned each state a score from 1 to 1,000, which compared states to their own education statistics from five years prior. New Jersey, in first, scored 731 points. New Mexico scored one point, showing that not only does the state have the worst test results, it has made the least amount of progress from 2019 to 2024.

Amanda Aragon Bernabe, Executive Director of Education Policy Group  of New Mexico Kids Can said this:

“I think those two things together are the most alarming data points I’ve seen out of our education system in the entire time I’ve run this organization, which is eight years. … When I look at that data, I think it causes a glaring siren for the adults who are in charge of New Mexico’s education system.”

Aragon Bernabe said she’d like to see sweeping education policy changes at the state level, like requiring schools to tutor students who are falling behind.

POOR RANKINGS DUE IN LARGE PART TO  STATES POVERTY

Merranda Marin, a child psychologist and professor at New Mexico State University, attributes New Mexico’s historically poor rankings in part to its high rates of poverty and vast rural pockets, where access to certain services is difficult. Marin said this:

“When people are stressed out and when they’re having financial difficulties, it’s hard to really focus on nurturing healthy relationships with one’s child. ”

Though the numbers paint a bleak picture, Marin said, they indicate an abundance of opportunity and she said this:

“I think sometimes when researchers look at some of these issues, they look at it from a deficit perspective, and I think we’ve got to change that narrative a little bit.”

Despite the troubling statistics, Emily Wildau, the Policy Director at New Mexico Voices for Children, contends there is much to love about New Mexico that is unquantifiable in data and she said this: .

“I think [the Kid’s Count data] is  a very useful piece of the picture, and it’s good information to have and understand. … It also doesn’t account for our culture here, our beautiful communities, the resilience of our people, and a lot of those things that do draw people to move here, whether or not they’re aware of the rankings.”

REACTIONS TO NEW MEXICO’S RANKINGS IN 2025 KIDS COUNT DATA BOOK

New Mexico “Kids Can”  Executive Director Amanda Aragon Bernabe said this about the New Mexico’s rankings in the 2026 KIDS COUNT DATA BOOK:

“We have to be unapologetic about saying what is true today. We’re probably the only state in the nation that has ever ranked 50th in education for [10 consecutive years.] So, if you think about what that means for a child— it means that when a kindergartner started school ten years ago and now, they’re in 10th grade for that entire part of their educational journey, we’ve been last.”

“We have to be hopeful about what can be true in the future. We can replicate the changes we’ve seen other states make. We can build on some of the progress that I think New Mexico has made, that hopefully we’ll see in a year or two years from now.”

“We have to stop using Covid as the excuse. Did Covid make things worse? Yes, but that was true for every state in the country. And in fact, in this year’s analytics, they have an index score. So, where is the state today versus where they were in 2019? Pre-COVID, our score on the education index, which is a score from 1 to 1000, New Mexico score is 1 out of 1000.”  

“There are sprinkles of progress, but I think we can’t really ring the bell on that progress. We can’t claim success if we don’t start to see these rankings. Our kids are brilliant. They have untapped potential.”

Amanda Aragon Bernabe told KOAT-TV news this:

“I want to give the governor and the legislature credit for doing a lot of the things that have needed to be done. We have free meals for every kid in school, breakfast and lunch. We have done a lot around summer school and after school care, and now we’ve done early childhood. Every kid is eligible for early childhood. Great. When are we going to address those middle 13 years when our kids are in school, and what are we going to do to hold people accountable to academic results?”

NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Dr. Janelle Taylor García, Manager of the  Communication Bureau for the  New Mexico Department of Education issued the following statement in response to the New Mexico’s rankings in the 2026 KIDS COUNT DATA BOOK:

“The 2026 KIDS COUNT Data Book is based on data from two years ago and does not reflect New Mexico’s recent progress in education. Since then, the state has achieved its highest graduation rate in more than a decade, while reading proficiency among students in grades 3-8 has increased by 10 percentage points since 2022, rising from just over one-third of students reading at grade level to 44% in 2025.

These gains include an unprecedented 13%  point increase among Native American students, a 10-point increase among Hispanic students, and an 8-point increase among English learners. Kindergarten students increased by 14 percentage points, the largest gain ever for kindergarten students.

These results reflect the impact of New Mexico’s strategic investments in attendance, graduation initiatives, structured literacy instruction, and universal PreK for 3-and 4-year-olds. The state’s commitment to evidence-based reading instruction and expanded learning opportunities is producing measurable improvements for students across diverse communities.

The New Mexico Public Education Department remains fully focused on accelerating this momentum and ensuring classroom interventions continue driving measurable student success far beyond these lagging national reports.”  

Links to quoted or relied upon news sources:

https://www.koat.com/article/50th-education-new-mexico/71528855

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/new-mexico-ranks-49th-in-the-nation-for-child-well-being-rising-one-spot-from-last-year/3059513

NEW MEXICO’S FINANCIAL  COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION AND CHILD WELL BEING

The fact that the 2026 Kids Count Data Book is based on data from two years ago mandates a review of the financial commitment the New Mexico Legislature has made to improve the states education system and child well being.

During the last 8 years, the New Mexico legislature has been very aggressive when it comes to increased funding to turn things around for New Mexico’s children when it comes to education and their wellbeing. Much of the legislatures efforts  have been a direct result of the 2018 landmark education case of Yazzie-Martinez v. New Mexico Public Education Department  where a  First Judicial District Court ruled the State of New Mexico violated students’ fundamental rights by failing to provide a sufficient public education mandated by the state constitution.

In fiscal year 2019, public education funding spiked. The biggest accomplishments of the 2019 Legislative session were the dramatic increases in public education funding, creation of the Early Childhood Department (CYFD), the mandates to Children, Youth and Families and Public Education departments, not to mention raises for educators and increasing CYFD social workers by 125 were clearly the biggest accomplishments of the 2019 Legislative session.

2019 EDUCATION BUDGET FUNDING

Funding spiked in 2019  and was up to $306 million, including the following:

• $64 million for Pre-K to better prepare children for elementary school.
• $45 million for family, infant, toddler programs to help families with children with developmental delays.
• $30 million for K-3 Plus to add 25 days to the school year.

New Mexico is 1 of just 4 states with a stand-alone department dedicated to services targeting children through age 5. The initial operating budget for the new department was $419 million for the 2020-2021 fiscal year. The new department is tasked with overseeing the state’s growing investment in prekindergarten, home visiting programs for new parents, childcare and similar services that previously were scattered across several departments. One of the key goals is to better coordinate the state’s network of early childhood services by housing them in one department rather than having them overseen separately by other departments.

2020 AND 2021 FUNDING HIGHLIGHTS

In 2020 the New Mexico Legislature created a $320 million early childhood education trust fund. In 2021, lawmakers and the governor agreed to up the spending on early childhood programs to $500 million.

2022 EDUCATION BUDGET FUNDING

During the 2022 New Mexico Legislative session, a trio of bills were enacted  to fund programs to help Native American students succeed in school. The house bills provided more than $70 million to tribal entities to help offer culturally relevant lesson plans and access to virtual and after-school programs for those students.

The first bill appropriated $20 million from the state’s general fund to the Indian Education Act to be used to create culturally relevant learning programs, including Native language programs, for students in the K-12 system.

A second bill appropriated $21.5 million to help tribal education departments develop learning plans and programs for students, extend learning opportunities and support tribal school libraries.

The third bill was aimed at higher education and  appropriated $29.6 million to four state colleges and three tribal colleges for 53 initiatives.

In the summer of 2022, the New Mexico Public Education Department (PED) released updates on the progress made in response to the Yazzie-Martinez ruling. The report highlights various initiatives undertaken by the state, including increased funding, expanded access to pre-kindergarten programs, and targeted support for struggling schools.

“According to the report, the state’s spending on public education has received a substantial boost. In fiscal year 2018, New Mexico’s education system was funded at the tune of $2.69 billion; in fiscal year 2024, the education system is being funded at $4.17 billion. That is an increase of $1.3 billion over five years. State funds have been channeled toward reducing class sizes, hiring additional teachers, improving professional development programs, and enhancing resources for English language learners and special education students.”

In November 2022, voters approved tapping the state’s Land Grant Permanent Fund for roughly another $240 million annually for early childhood education and K-12 schools. The additional distribution of funding from the Permanent Land Grant Fund goes into effect on July 1.

2023 EDUCATION BUDGET FUNDING

The enacted 2023-2024 New Mexico State budget contains major expenditures for  education and child wellbeing.  Those expenditures include:

• $220.1 Million for extended in-classroom learning time by increasing the number of minimum instructional hours per year in public schools.
• $30 Million to provide healthy universal school meals and to eliminate school meal costs for every New Mexico child.
• 9 Million to the Children, Youth and Families Department for 60 new protective services staff, to be supported by additional federal matching funds.
• $277.3 Million for continued investments in affordable, high-quality child care.
• $131 Million to maintain and expand access to high-quality pre-k education.
• $40.4 Million for the continued expansion of early childhood home visiting.
• $111.1 Million to provide a four percent salary increase forall school personnel.
• $157.4 Million for the Opportunity Scholarship program.

2023 EDUCATION BUDGET FUNDING

The 2024 enacted New Mexico budget includes the following funding  for public education:

• $4.43 billion in recurring funds for public schools. Annual spending on K-12 education increased by 6.1% to $4.43.
• $19.6 million to expand Pre-K
• $50 million to the tribal Educational Trust Fund
• $20 million to pilot and evaluate evidence-based strategies to improve the Children, Youth and Families Department
• $49 million for literacy, career technical education and community school programs
• $14 million in early literacy support
• $55 million for culturally relevant and bilingual materials
• $62.7 million for 2% salary increases, bringing all school personnel up to $15 per hour
• $43 million to expand early childhood care
• $750,000 to support adult literacy programs
• $2 million for attendance programs

2024 EDUCATION BUDGET FUNDING

On February 12, 2024, the 2024-2025 Fiscal Year state budget was passed by the New Mexico Legislature. It contains  a 6.5% increase in recurring funds from the  2023-2024 fiscal year.  The largest slice of the general fund goes to public schools, which are slated to receive about $4.3 billion for the fiscal year. That includes more than $94 million to give a flat 3% raise to all public-school employees, an amount that was trimmed by a Senate Finance Committee. Before public school employees were looking at a total average of 4% raises. The final version the budget approved by the Senate includes $30 million for summer reading intervention programs, $14 million for early literacy and reading support and $5 million to train secondary educators in the science of reading.

2025 EDUCATION BUDGET FUNDING

During the 2025 legislative session, several bills were approved during the 60-day legislative session that will likely benefit New Mexico’s children and their well being. The legislation includes a $10.8 billion budget bill that directs over $100 million to transitional housing and the state’s Early Childhood Education and Care Department. The legislature also  created a new state Medicaid trust fund that could help the state weather federal funding decreases, legislation expanding childcare assistance for prekindergarten children and established an outside oversight office to review complaints involving CYFD

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

The 2026 Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count Data Book does a real disservice to the State Of New Mexico by simply spewing out its rankings without any detailed  analysis on what the state is doing to turn things around and with no substantive  discussion of funding commitments made by the state implying nothing is being done at all.

The 2026 rankings offer no real change in the state’s rankings. The most glaring problem that discredits the 2026 rankings is the fact they are  based on data from two years ago and since then great strides have been made in improving our education system. The Annie E. Casey Foundation makes no substantive recommendations on what the state needs to do to improve rankings.

For years, the ranking are harped upon by  government officials, elected officials, politicians running for office, politcal parties, business leaders and civic organizations on how New Mexico is a failure and coming in dead last despite its repeated efforts to improve. There is no doubt that the states rankings will be a major topic of discussion in the 2026 race for  governor and the legislative races. Hope springs eternal that voters will see through all  the negative political rhetoric and realize significant progress is being made.

The Bribery Of Law Enforcement to Dismiss  DWI Cases is the single largest government corruption scandal in the City of Albuquerque’s and the State Of  New Mexico’s  history involving the 3 largest law enforcement agencies in the state consisting of the Albuquerque Police Department (APD), the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department (BCSO)  and the New Mexico State police.

A total of nineteen (19) law enforcement officers were implicated and have resigned, retired, been terminated or federally charged or plead guilty to charges  since the FBI executed five searches in January 2024 at three APD  officers’ residences, the home of a private investigator, and the law office of prominent DWI attorney Thomas Clear III.  Private Criminal  Defense Attorneys Thomas Clear and Rudy Chavez have plead guilty to federal charges and have been disbarred. Clear’s private investigator and paralegal Ricardo “Rick” Mendez also plead guilty to federal charges.

All defendants who have plead guilty are awaiting sentencing as the investigation appears to have come to an end but no announcement has been made by the United States Attorneys Office nor the FBI on the case status. Late June, Clear and his attorney appeared in court on a status conference and his sentencing was once again continued until the fall.

REVELATIONS REVEALED IN UNSEALED FEDERAL DOCUMENTS

On June 16 and June 17, news outlets began to report the contents of newly unsealed federal documents and transcripts that  detail the FBI’s wiretapped phone conversations between Albuquerque Police Department (APD) officers and attorney ringleader leader Thomas Clear III  as they were conspiring  in the bribery of law the APD  officers  to dismiss  DWI cases. The federal transcripts reveal conversations in the weeks leading up to the federal raids on police officers’ homes and the office of attorney Thomas Clear III. By then, Clear and those he was working with were beginning  to suspect that the FBI was  investigating them.

The newly-unsealed documents give  insight into the FBI investigation that broke open the DWI bribery scheme that rocked the 3 largest law enforcement agencies in the state. Hundreds of documents show what FBI investigators were looking into in the months and years leading up to a raid in Los Lunas in January 2024 at the home of former APD officer Harvey Johnson, Jr. That includes search warrants from 2023 in which FBI special agents detail knowledge of extensive communication between law enforcement officers and defense attorney Tom Clear’s paralegal Ricardo “Rick” Mendez.

It was on December 21, 2023, one month before the public would begin to learn of the massive corruption scandal,   private defense attorney and ringleader  Thomas Clear III,  and Clear’s paralegal Ricardo “Rick”  Mendez had a three way  phone call with APD and DWI police officer Honorio Alba. They sought a explanation as to why  the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office dismissed DWI cases for Alba and three other officers, without any explanation. Clear asked “These aren’t new cases… what are they doing?” Alba replied, “That’s what we’re trying to figure out… the hard part is I don’t know if [they’re] playing stupid but I tried asking.”

FBI agents would search the homes of Mendez, Alba, Johnson and Montaño, Clear’s office and the APD substation on Wyoming, near Paseo del Norte, where the officers worked. At Mendez’s home agents seized TVs, jewelry, clothing, cash, 40 guns, documents and his phone, which appeared to have been set on fire. Inside Clear’s office and the homes of Johnson and Alba, agents found, among other items, other people’s belongings, namely, wallets and driver’s licenses.

The December 21, 2023 phone conversation was a red flag for the conspirators  engaged in a decades long scheme to take bribes to get DWI cases dismissed, with the group repeatedly discussing  and  then brushing off signs that they were being investigated for months something  even suggested by Clear himself.

It turns out that the FBI was in fact listening to conversations and had seen text messages. Less than a week after the three-way call, on January 18, 2024, agents raided Clear’s office and the homes of Mendez, Alba, and officers Joshua Montaño, Harvey Johnson and Nelson Ortiz.

CHRONOLOGY OF TAPPED PHONE CONVESATIONS

The FBI tapped all the scheme’s major players’ phones.  Recent unsealed search warrant affidavits detail calls and texts among the group, showing they continued the extortion and bribery as the snare tightened around them. Even after a civilian complaint was filed and  then quashed against Alba and as prosecutors began asking for doctor’s notes for missed hearings.

Trust  soon began to erode in their front man attorney Thomas Clear. In one recorded call, Alba and Mendez spoke of putting a tail on Clear or tracking devices on his vehicle. They spoke of finding something to blackmail him with to keep quiet, believing he would “roll over” on the entire criminal conspiracy if he were caught.  Alba told Mendez:

“We all know that [expletive deleted] Tom’s not stand up, bro, he’s not going to stare down the [expletive deleted]  barrel of a gun anytime soon.”

According to federal search warrant affidavits filed in U.S. District Court for New Mexico, the FBI’s investigation of the bribery scheme began in earnest in the fall of 2023, despite previous unheeded tips from local attorneys. The case picked up steam after the agency recruited a DWI suspect “motivated to work with the FBI out of a desire to see justice served.”

At the behest of FBI agents, the suspect-turned-confidential witness arranged a bribe with Mendez to have his case dismissed and then he  paid $6,500 in FBI agency money. Mendez picked up the money while riding passenger in Alba’s patrol vehicle, who the FBI had already heard suspicions of from a local attorney.

In November, another DWI suspect filed a complaint with the City of  Albuquerque  Civilian Police Oversight Agency (CPOA) against Alba, saying the officer told him to call “Rick,” who could ensure no case was filed. The CPOA, unaware of the FBI’s probe, told Alba of the complaint and interviewed him.

Alba and Mendez spoke on the phone repeatedly.  Because of all the mounting evidence,  a federal judge granted the FBI a wiretap on Mendez’s phone on December 5, 2023. It didn’t take long to pay off as one day later  Clear called Mendez to tell him Montaño needed to “figure something out” to miss a hearing for a dismissal.

On December 7, Mendez texted Alba that “Tom” was being suspicious and “called me mysteriously to go meet him somewhere to talk.” Mendez told him Clear didn’t specify where to meet or why, and Alba said he didn’t trust Clear. If it were him, Alba said, he would be doing “countersurveillance.”

The men discussed whether Clear was worried about the CPOA complaint against Alba while Mendez wondered about being fired. Alba said he and the others are “not [expletive deleted] playing ball” without Mendez. Alba said this:  “I consider Tom too much of a liability to do business with him. … Hopefully Tom isn’t stupid enough to … [expletive deleted] up business though, bro.” In the call, Alba suggested Mendez use “leverage” against Clear or find something to blackmail him. Alba said this: “Does he realize … there’s too much stuff for him to play innocent?” expressing that Clear “would roll over” under any investigation. Alba asked Mendez if he wanted to have Clear followed or place trackers or audio devices on his vehicle.

Mendez wondered if Clear found out they were taking bribes to get cases dismissed without his help, adding “that’s the only thing he’s been a crybaby about.” The pair wondered if any suspects who paid bribes would complain. Alba said this  “That’d be like somebody gave you a [expletive deleted] winning lottery ticket and then you go [expletive deleted] the person over. ”

On December 7, 2023 to protect the FBI investigation, APD’s Internal Affairs sent a letter to Alba saying the complaint was closed. Alba sent a photo of the letter to Mendez in a text message. Mendez told Alba that Clear had also sent him a message saying  “All is good.”

The pair spoke of how Clear would know it was dismissed before anyone else.

Mendez then gloated of his contribution to Clear’s firm and how, before he joined, Clear charged $1,300 per DWI. Mendez said Clear increased his fee  up to $3,000, then $5,000 and $6,000. Alba said “You can’t tell me [expletive deleted] Tom didn’t like seeing that sort of cash on the table. ” Mendez replied  “Of course he loves it, he loves it.”

As the case expanded, so did the wire taps. On December  18, 2023, Alba and Montaño in a call spoke of the sergeant requiring DWI officers to book suspects and not allowing the issuance of summons, a key part of the DWI scheme. The pair wondered if people were talking about the operation.

Alba said “Because, honestly you can do almost whatever you want in this unit, bro. But if you don’t broadcast it, if you don’t tell the whole world.” Montaño replied:  “Well that sucks dude because now it destroys the whole [expletive deleted] system.”

Alba then shared more bad news.  Mendez and Clear were “butting heads.” Alba said “they always have issues like lover’s quarrels, bro.”

On December  21, 2023, Mendez told Alba that Clear thought he was being set up in court after a public defender brought up that Montaño gave a DWI suspect’s bracelet to Mendez. Mendez told Alba that Clear was worried the FBI was “listening at the office and monitoring our phones.” Mendez was unconcerned, adding, “I’m like, ‘You’re retarded.” Alba replied. “Let’s be real… if they’re monitoring phones, that’s the least of anyone’s (expletive deleted) concerns.”

 The group hit another snag in early January 2024, when prosecutors insisted on a doctor’s note if an officer was going to miss a hearing, another crucial aspect to the scheme. In a call, a prosecutor asked Alba for verification of a doctor visit he had to take his father to.

On January 10, Alba talked to the prosecutor again, telling them he vomited all over himself and couldn’t drive his father to the doctor, blaming McDonald’s Hot ‘n Spicy sandwich. “I’m running a fever right now. I don’t even know if I can go to the courtroom,” Alba said. Later, Mendez called to tell Alba that prosecutors “told Tom the trial is still on.”

“I dont know how, I called in,” Alba said. He later called Johnson to share an old “scam” he used which was that  a monthly membership to a local chiropractor who would write a note on day’s notice.

Then DWI cases filed by Montaño, Johnson and Alba started being dismissed.

In a phone call, Johnson told Alba, “Dude yesterday and today is just very, very fishy.” The pair discussed how to figure out if anything is going on or if “they have nothing.” Alba tried to reassure Johnson by mentioning his CPOA complaint that got dismissed.  “I got a letter sent to IA from the [expletive deleted] district court,” Alba said. “And mine was … case gone.”

On January 12, 2024 agents listened in on a call between Clear, Mendez and Alba.

Alba told the others how the cause for the dismissals is listed, simply, as “in the interest of justice.” He said the prosecutor was “not really wanting to talk.”

 Alba said Johnson also tried to ask the reason for the dismissals, but was stonewalled. Clear said, “So they’re looking. I guarantee you they’re looking.” Clear relayed the story of a hearing where he moved to dismiss a case due to Alba being sick and a prosecutor who appeared to be “taking notes.” Clear said “I think she wanted to see if I was coming in ready for trial or if I acted like I knew anything.” Alba mentioned how the prosecutor was persistent that he get a note. Clear asked, “So they’re dismissing all the DWI unit’s cases. Is that what they’re doing?” Alba told him it was only cases filed by himself, Johnson and Montaño.

PLEA AGREEMENT SECURED AVOIDING ALL TRIALS

During the last three years since, federal prosecutors have secured guilty pleas from Clear, Mendez, Albuquerque attorney Rudy Chavez, nine Albuquerque Police Department officers and one Bernalillo County sheriff’s deputy. Other law enforcement officers, including one from the New Mexico State Police, have either been fired or retired. None have gone to trial, and all 13 defendants prosecuted on racketeering- and extortion-related charges are awaiting sentencing.

Links to quoted or relied upon news sources are here:

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/unsealed-federal-warrants-reveal-results-of-raids-on-attorneys-and-apd-officers-in-dwi-scandal/

https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/albuquerque-metro/fbi-documents-reveal-new-mexico-dwi-bribery-scheme-involving-apd-officers/

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/fbi-placed-wiretaps-on-dwi-officers-phones/3064338

https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/search-warrants-reveal-paralegal-being-234825360.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

HOW DWI ENTERPRISE BRIBERY AND DISSAL SCANDAL WORKED

According to criminal complaints, indictments and plea agreements filed in Federal District Court by the New Mexico United States Attorney and the US Department of Justice, the DWI Enterprise scheme was very simple and straight forward and it went on for upwards of 3 decades. Arresting officers would give contact information on motorists they arrested on DWI charges to Private Investigator Carlos Mendez who worked for defense attorney Thomas Clear or Clear himself. In exchange, the officers would receive cash, gifts and legal services and intentionally fail to show up to required pretrial interviews, court hearings. The officers  would also withhold evidence in cases where the suspects hired Clear. Clear would then file motions to dismiss the charges, and judges had no choice but to dismiss the cases for “lack of prosecution” as a sanction against the prosecution.

Clients whose cases were dismissed would typically pay more in legal fees of between $5,000 and $10,000 depending on if the charges were DWI, aggravated DWI other charges in addition to DWI. Law enforcement officers would be recruited by Clear and Mendez to participate in the scheme over many years. The conspirators would also profile people as to their ability to pay higher fees. Defense attorneys customarily charge between $3,000 and $6,000 to defend DWI cases depending on if the case is a person’s first, second, third or even fourth offense, misdemeanor or felony DWI. There is no charge if a defendant  qualifies and is defended by the Public Defender’s Office.

DWI DISMISSAL SCANDAL SCORE CARD

Nine APD officers and one Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office Deputy have plead guilty to federal charges of taking bribes. Additionally, two Albuquerque defense attorneys, and one private investigator have plead guilty in the ongoing federal investigation into a nearly 30-year conspiracy in which a group of DWI officers received cash, free legal services and other benefits for helping get DWI cases dismissed.

NINE  APD COPS AND ONE BERNALILLO COUNTY DEPUTY SHERIFF PLEAD GUILTY AS CHARGED

The nine APD officers and one Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office Deputy who have plead guilty to federal charges of taking bribes are:

1. On February 7, 2025 former APD Officer Honorio Alba plead guilty to racketeering, bribery, extortion and conspiracy. (Article link: Took a plea deal on February 7, 2025.)
2. On February 7, 2025 former APD Officer Joshua Montaño plead guilty as charge to  racketeering, bribery, extortion and conspiracy.(Article link: Took a plea deal on February 7, 2025.)
3. On February 12, 2025 former APD Officer Neill Elsman plead guilty as charged  to 5 counts of  conspiracy, extortion, and bribery.  ( February 12, 2025.)
4. On March 24, 2025 former APD officer Nelson Ortiz admitted to his role in the DWI Enterprise bribery scandal and pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Interference With Commerce By Extortion Under Color of Official Right. He faces 20 years in prison.
5. On April 29, 2025 former APD Police Officer Harvey Johnson plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit “Interference With Commerce By Extortion Under Color Of Official Right”. He is facing 20 years in jail.
6. On May 27, 2025 former APD Officer Lucas Perez plead guilty to “conspiracy to commit interference with commerce by extortion under color of official right.” It was on March 24, 2024 that APD announced it had placed Lucas Perez  on leave as a part of its internal investigation into its DWI unit and the federal investigation. Perez had been with the department since 2016 and served in the DWI unit to become the unit sergeant.
7. On June 23, 2025 former APD Officer Louis Henckel plead guilty in federal court, admitting to his role in the conspiracy with criminal defense attorney Thomas Clear and his employee  Ricardo Mendez to accept bribes to get DWI cases dismissed. Henckel plead guilty to one count of “conspiracy to commit interference with commerce by extortion under color of official right.” The maximum penalty is up to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000.
8. On December 15, 2025, retired APD Officer Timothy McCarson plead guilty to one count of “conspiracy to commit interference with commerce by extortion under color of official right.”
9. On February 25, 2025,  BCSO DeputyJeff Hammerel resigned from BCSO and  plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit extortion, two counts of extortion and two counts of bribery. (Took a plea deal on February 25, 2025.)
10. On January 20, 2026, former APD Lieutenant Justin Huntplead guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Commit Interference With Commerce By Extortion Under Color of Official Right.”

TWO RING LEADERS PLEAD GUILTY AS CHARGED

Former DWI Criminal defense attorney Thomas Clear III and his private  investigator Ricardo “Rick” Mendez  plead guilty as charged to paying bribes to law enforcement to get their client’s DWI cases get dismissed.

On January 24, Ricardo “Rick” Mendez, 53, the private investigator for attorney Thomas Clear III, plead guilty to all the charges contained in the criminal Information including racketeering, bribery of an agent receiving federal funds, aiding and abetting, interference with commerce by extortion under color of official right and to conspiracy. Mendez is facing 110 years in prison on the charges. On April 29  Ricardo “Rick” Mendez was scheduled to be sentenced connection with the DWI scandal. In a surprise move on the day of his sentencing it was simply vacated by the federal court. The  likely reason for the delay is that Mendez is providing new information about the DWI scandal and identifying more suspects to be charge.

On February 12, DWI defense attorney Thomas Clear III, 67 plead guilty as charged to nine federal charges including racketeering (RICO) conspiracy, bribery, and extortion. Clear faces up to 130 years in prison and $2 million in fines. Clear has been permanently disbarred from the practice of law by the New Mexico Supreme Court and the Federal Court. A forfeiture action against a home Clear used as his offices has been taken as an asset and as part of the racketeering charge.

DEFENSE ATTORNEY RUDOLPH “RUDY” CHAVEZ PLEADS GUILTY

On July 10, 2025, private criminal defense attorney Rudolph “Rudy” Chavez plead guilty to a federal extortion charge admitting he bribed an Albuquerque police officer in 2023 to help get his  client’s drunken driving case dismissed. Chavez  plead guilty to one count each of interference with commerce by extortion and lying to FBI agents investigating the payoff in March 2024.

In his plea agreement,  Chavez admits he contacted Clear’s assistant Recardo “Rick” Mendez after he was hired by his client who had been arrested in April 2023 by Albuquerque Police Department DWI officer Honorio Alba Jr. Through Mendez, Chavez paid Alba to intentionally not appear in court on the DWI case.  Chavez admits this in his plea agreement:

“I admit that when coordinating the scheme, I knew that Alba was a necessary witness and because Alba planned to fail to appear, I knew that the case and proceedings would likely be dismissed.”

Chavez states in his plea agreement he agreed to be interviewed by FBI agents on March 26, 2024. During his FBI interview, Chavez was warned of the potential criminal consequences of lying to federal law enforcement officers. During his interview with  FBI agents, Chavez denied knowing Alba was not going to appear in court.

In his federal plea agreement, Chavez admits he  lied to  FBI agents and admits he had phone calls with Mendez ahead of the court hearings to ensure Alba would not attend. Chavez  admits  in his plea he spoke on the phone with Mendez after the dismissal “during which I thanked him and asked him to thank Alba.”

CHRONOLOGY 16 APD OFFICERS IMPLICATED, CHARGED OR PLEADING GUILTY

A total of 16 APD Police officers have been implicated in the largest corruption scandal in APD’s history. APD Commander Kyle Hartsock oversaw the Internal Affairs  investigations. One by one, the accused APD officers turned in their badges and resigned  or retired  rather than talking to Internal Affairs investigators about an alleged public corruption scheme involving DWI cases. The names and dates of the 16 officers who have resigned, placed on leave, who have been terminated, retired, charged or plead guilty are:

1. On February 7, 2024 Justin Hunt, who started at APD in 2000, resigned. On January 20, 2026 Hunt plead guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Commit Interference With Commerce By Extortion Under Color of Official Right.”
2. On February 29, 2024, Honorio Alba, who started at APD in 2014, resigned. On February 7, 2025 he plead guilty to racketeering, bribery, extortion and conspiracy.(Article link: Took a plea deal on February 7, 2025.)
3. On March 13, 2024, Harvey Johnson, who started at APD in 2014, resigned.
4. On March 15, 2024, Nelson Ortiz, who started at APD in 2016, resigned. On March 24, Nelson Ortiz  admitted to his role in the DWI Enterprise bribery scandal and  plead guilty in federal court to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Interference With Commerce By Extortion Under Color of Official Right. He faces 20 years in prison.
5. On March 20, 2024 Joshua Montaño, who started at APD January 2005, resigned. On Friday, February 8, Montaño plead guilty as charge to  racketeering, bribery, extortion and conspiracy. (Article link: Took a plea deal on February 7, 2025.)
6. On May 2, 2024 Daren DeAguero, who started with APD in 2009, resigned.
7. On May 9, 2024, Matthew Trahan was placed on paid leave as the investigation played out. Trahan has been with APD since 2006, was with the DWI unit from 2014-16 and recently worked as a detective.
8. On July 30, 2024 APD Officer Neill Elsman, who had worked in the DWI unit within the past several years, resigned before returning to work from military leave. On February 12, 2025 Elsman plead guilty as charged  to 5  counts of  conspiracy, extortion, and bribery. (Article: February 12, 2025.)
9. On August 1, APD announced that it fired Mark Landavazo, the APD Commander of Internal Affairs for Professional Standards, who started with APD in  2007 and was with the DWI unit from 2008 through 2013.
10. On October 16, 2024 Deputy Commander Gustavo Gomez placed on paid administrative leave. Gomez was with the DWI unit from 2010 to 2013.
11. On January 24, 2025 APD announced they placed officers Matthew Chavez on leave.
12. On February 28, Kyle Curtis announced his retirement after he was placed on leave on February 24 amid being targeted in the Internal investigation involving DWI arrests.
13. In 2022, Timothy McCarson retired from the Albuquerque Police Department  and he has been implicated in the DWI scandal. The last week of January, 2025,  the FBI asked that he be added to the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office‘s Giglio list, which classifies potential court testimony as unreliable. On December 15, 2025, McCarson plead guilty to one count of “conspiracy to commit interference with commerce by extortion under color of official right.”
14. On May 12, former APD officer Steve Hindi was placed on the Giglio list of officers whose credibility is compromised after being implicated in the scandal.
15. On March 24, 2024the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) announce it  has  placed Lucas Perez on leave as a part of its internal investigation into its DWI unit and the federal investigation. Perez has been with the department since 2016 and served in the DWI unit to become the unit sergeant. On May 27,2025 Lucas Perez plead guilty to conspiracy to commit interference with commerce by extortion under color of official right.
16. On June 26, 2025 it was reported that former APD Officer Daniel Carr who served with APD for nearly 20 years and who then became a lateral hire and went to work for the Durango Police Department, became the 16th former APD officer to join the ranks of officers listed on the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office ‘Giglio list‘ of officers who are no longer trusted witnesses in court. He was implicated in the DWI bribery and conspiracy case to dismiss cases. Carr immediately resigned from the Durango Police Department after the Department was notified of the action. Carr has not been charged with a crime.

THREE BERNALILLO COUNTY SHERRIFF DEPUTIES IMPLICATED

The names and dates of the 3 BCSO officers who have resigned or placed on leave by Sherriff John Allen or who have plead guilty to charges are:

1. On February 25, 2025  BCSO Deputy Jeff Hammerel resigned from BCSO and  plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit extortion, two counts of extortion and two counts of bribery.
2. On February 24, 2025, BCSO Undersheriff Johann Jareno was asked to resign by  Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen.
3. March 7^th, BCSO Deputy Jeffry Bartram was placed on leave on after early findings that he may have been involved in the scheme. He has been with BCSO since February 2010 and was on the BCSO DWI Unit from July 2014 to August 2020.

ONE MEXICO STATE POLICE OFFICER

On February 14, 2025 the New Mexico State Police announced it placed Sgt. Toby LaFave on administrative leave after he was implicated by the FBI as accepting bribes in the DWI Enterprise to dismiss cases.  Sgt. Toby LaFave was placed on paid leave as the agency did  its own internal investigation into allegations. LaFave was featured for years in state ENDWI campaigns and was referred to as the DWI King. LaFave was officially fired for his alleged role in November, but he has not yet been criminally charged.

LaFave, who joined State Police in 2012, said in an online public service promotion video that he has made 3,000 arrests during his 20 years in law enforcement. Court records show LaFave has filed at least 1,300 felony and misdemeanor DWI cases from 2009 to February, 2025. Of the 31 DWI cases where LaFave was the arresting officer and Clear was the defense attorney, 17, or 57%, were dismissed by the courts.

The link to a quoted or relied upon news sources are here:

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/article_97483524-eb17-11ef-9c15-8320a7b16191.htm/

NO AGREEMENTS AS TO SENTENCINGS

Review of all plea agreements reveals there are no agreements as to sentencing, meaning it will be up to the federal judge assigned who will decide the sentences of each defendant. A pre-sentence report will be prepared by sentencing, probation and parole authorities for each defendant, and a recommendation will be made as to sentencing to the judge. Depending on the actual number of charges plead to by each defendant, they are facing jail sentences between 5 years and 20 years and as much as130 years in federal prison and could face fines  as low as $20,000 or in excess of $1 million dollars.

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

There is absolutely no doubt that APD’s reputation was  trashed to a major extent because of this scandal. APD was viewed by many as again having just another bastion of “dirty and corrupt cops” who have brought dishonor to their department and their badge and to the department’s professed values of “Pride, Integrity, Fairness and Respect”.  There is little doubt that this whole DWI dismissal bribery scandal has shaken the public’s faith in our criminal justice system and APD to its core especially with the involvement of the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office BCSO and New Mexico State Police Officers.

The only way that any semblance of faith can be restored and for people to begin trusting APD and law enforcement in general again is if all the police officers involved in this scandal are held accountable and the lawyers involved are held accountable. That will only happen with aggressive prosecutions, convictions, and lengthy prison sentences for the law enforcement officers and attorneys involved in the “DWI Enterprise” scheme. Justice will not be served until all are sentenced. Sentencings delayed means Justice has not been served. The biggest question that remains to be answered is when will sentences be imposed?

On June 2, two term Democrat Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver won the Democratic Party nomination to be New Mexico’s next Lieutenant Governor in a landslide primary election victory over her opponent State Senator Harold Pope (D-Albuquerque). On June 18, Maggie Toulouse Oliver  announced she was suspending her campaign and dropping out of the race. On June 22, 2026 Democratic Party nominee for Governor Deb Haaland sent an email to all  the State Central Committee members announcing  that she would be interviewing interested Lt. Governor candidates and that she  would be making an endorsement. On June 26, Deb Haaland Deb notified the New Mexico Democratic Party State Central Committee (SCC) that she picked State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard as her running mate in her campaign for New Mexico Governor.

BERNALILLO COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY MONTHLY MEETING

On  Saturday,  June 27, the Bernalillo County Democratic Party held its monthly meeting with about 40 people attending in person and many more attending virtually.  A presentation was made by Issah Baca, a New Mexico  Democratic Party codirector. Baca spoke at length  about the process the State Central Committee will use to fill the parties vacancy for Lieutenant Governor that is a result of Maggie Toulouse Oliver dropping out.

Under New Mexico primary election laws, candidate for governor and lieutenant governor run independently in the primary. The winners of these races who share the same party affiliation are then paired on a ticket for the general election. Baca explained that under the state’s election code, when a candidate is elected in a Democratic Party primary election, and then drops out, it is the Democratic Party State Central Committee that has the exclusive authority to nominate and select candidates to fill the vacancy. The State Central Committee (SCC) membership are elected every two years by individual County Democratic Party Organizations. Registered voters and members of the county party can attend to elect the SCC membership. Any New Mexico Democrat in good standing is a member of their local county party organization. Currently, there are 480 SCC members statewide.  The 480  SCC members hail from every county in the state and include elected officials, as well as party officials and volunteers. Approximately 40% of SCC membership hail from Bernalillo County.

Some audience members expressed anger during Baca’s presentation that on Friday, June 26, Deb Haaland sent the Democratic Party State Central Committee an email notifying them that she endorsed Stephanie Garcia Richard for Lt. Governor. Five 5 applied and all five submitted answers to written questions sent to them by the Haaland campaign:

1. Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard
2. State Senator Leo Jaramillo
3. State Senator Harold Pope
4. Antonia Roybal-Mack, attorney at law.
5. Sonya Smith, Ret. US Air Force

Confidential sources  confirmed that all five were personally interviewed by Deb Haaland and all 5  submitted answers to a questionnaire sent to them by the Haaland for Governor campaign. Baca said Deb Haaland had the right to endorse whoever she wanted and that despite the endorsement, it will be the State Central Committee (SCC) that will decide who will replace Maggie Toulouse Oliver on the ballot for Lieutenant Governor.

The Chairman of the Bernalillo County Democratic Party is Jacob Trujillo. He is a lifelong New Mexican and community organizer focused on enhancing precinct-level organizing and voter engagement. After Issah Baca spoke about the process that will be used to fill the Lt. Governo vacancy,  Bernalillo County Democratic Party Chairman Jacob Trujillo spoke and discussed the importance of the November 4 general election to the Democratic Party.  Chairman Trujillo noted how the New Mexico Democratic Party is “bucking history” by attempting to retain control of the Governor’s office in 2026 noting how the office has flipped from Democrat to  Republican after control by the Democrats. This was the case with incumbent  Democrat Governor Bruce King who was defeated by  Republican Governor Gary Johnson and Democrat Bill Richardson  who was succeeded by Republican Governor Suzana Martinez. Chairman Trujillo emphasized party unity if Democrats are to retain control of the Governor’s office.

THREE LT. GOVERNOR CANDIDATES ATTEND MEETING

On June 27, three of the five Democratic Party Lt. Governor candidates attended the Bernalillo County Democratic Party monthly meeting. State Senator Harold Pope, Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard, and attorney Antonia Roybal-Mack all spoke to the audience in that order.  All 3 were well received by the audience who listened attentively.

State Senator Harold Pope said he was still in the race despite Haaland’s endorsement of Stephanie Garcia Richard. Senator Pope said he wanted to be the “people’s representative to the 4th floor”, ostensibly referring to the location of the Governor’s office in the state capital. He said he has always fought for “the people” indicating his own populous agenda.  What was revealing is that Senator Pope never told the audience that he would work, and could work, with Deb Haaland to get elected despite her endorsing Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard.  Senator Harold Pope Jr. was born and raised in Pueblo, Colorado. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the United States Air Force where he retired some 20 years later. Pope has a Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry from the University of New Mexico and a Master of Science in pharmaceutical chemistry from the University of Florida.  Pope was first elected to office in 2020 defeating  incumbent Republican Sander Rue to serve Senate District 23^rd and he assumed office on January 19, 2021.

State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard ran for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor last year, but she told the audience she suspended her campaign when her husband was diagnosed with cancer. Garcia Richard now says that her husband is in remission and that she is  ready to continue with her campaign. Stephanie Garcia Richard was elected to the New Mexico House of Representatives in 2012 and during her six years as a State Representative, she championed laws to increase access to a quality education, transparency, and investments in renewable energy, job training, and economic development. As Land Commissioner for two terms, Garcia Richard has been focused on the responsible management and stewardship of public lands and preserving the land for generations to come. Stephanie Garcia Richard said she was honored to get Deb Haaland’s endorsement.

Antonia Roybal-Mack attended the meeting with her very young daughter. Roybal-Mack conceded the race Friday, June 26, saying she would not be running, but attended the June 27 meeting none the less to introduce herself the Bernalillo County Democratic Party. Antonia Roybal-Mack  is a native of Mora, New Mexico. She is a 2003 graduate of New Mexico State University and a 2009 graduate of New Mexico School of Law. She has a Master of Laws from Texas A&M University. Six years after graduating from the University of New Mexico School of Law, she  founded Roybal-Mack & Cordova, P.C. was the first female founder of a mass tort practice in the nation and the only one in the state spurred by the 2022 wildfire disaster in which an out-of-control prescribed burn scorched almost 350,000 acres of her hometown. Roybal Mack has represented thousands of claimants for more than a billion dollars in recovery damages, successfully lobbied for legislation benefiting wildfire victims, and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Center of Southwest Culture–Mora Fire Fund, which she founded and chairs.

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

There has been criticism leveled against Deb Haaland by Democrats and especially Republicans for her endorsing a candidate for Lt. Governor. Some Democrats argue Senator Harold Pope ran for the office and for that reason alone he has earned to be elected by the State Central Committee to fill the vacancy.

Just because Senator Harold Pope ran for Lt. Governor does not mean he should automatically be the replacement for Maggie Toulouse Oliver as some Democrats have suggested. That is not how the state election code provides nor mandates.  Democratic Party voters have already said NO to nominating Senator Pope Lt. Governor. Toulouse Oliver was elected in  a landslide victory over state Sen. Harold Pope Jr., securing  80% (168,109) of the votes to Pope’s 20% (42,127) cast around New Mexico.

Deb Haaland had every right to endorse a candidate  given that she is now the party’s nominee for Governor. Deb Haaland won the Democratic nomination for Governor in the largest landslide in State Democratic Party history securing 72.3% of the vote (156,861 votes) to Sam Bregman’s 27.7% of the vote (60,189). Deb Haaland won every single county in the state by varying percentages. In Santa Fe County she won with 80% of the Democratic vote. In Bernalillo County Haaland won with 69%. In Dona Ana County, she won with 79%. In conservative Chavez County, thought to lean moderate Bregman, she won with 73%. The 2026 New Mexico primary for Governor was the most expensive primary in the state’s history. According to finance reports filed with the Secretary of State, Democrat Deb Haaland raised over $12 Million while Sam Bregman raised upwards of $4 Million.

Deb Haaland heads the Democratic Party  ticket  for state government elective offices. It is totally understandable that Haaland felt the need to make her thoughts known as to who she wanted as her running mate for Lt. Governor. With her endorsement, she has made her feelings known as to who she believes will be able to work with once they are elected as a ticket.

Deb Haaland no doubt  wanted to make sure that the Lt. Governor  vacancy is filled by someone she can fully trust and someone who will not undercut her agenda but rather someone who will campaign hard for her and promote her and the Democratic Party agenda.  More importantly, Haaland no doubt wanted to select a person she was comfortable with, who is fully qualified and who can assume the office of Governor should she leave office before her term ends.

For all practical purposes, it is  Deb Haaland who will be raising the required  lion’s share of  all the money for the Democratic Party as she runs for Governor. Haaland  is under the gun to get herself as well as the Lt. Governor elected.  From a political and practical stand point, any Lt Gov candidate “goes along for the ride”, must be  subordinate to the Governor candidate and is not required to raise money or even campaign with the Governor candidate.

Stephanie Garcia Richard is the right choice to be the Democratic Party candidate for Lt. Governor.  She has served in the New Mexico House and has run two statewide races and won them handily. She has a statewide network of supporters and campaign donors. Senator Pope on the other hand is serving his first term as a State Senator and he did not carry his own Senate District when he ran against Maggie Toulouse Oliver for Lt. Governor.

There is no doubt that the other four wanted the endorsement just as bad.  Had Deb Haaland given her endorsement  to anyone of the other 4, they and their supporters would likely be telling all the others to drop out.

The four  who did not get Deb Haaland’s endorsement should drop out of the race in the interest of party unity.

Links to related News and Commentary articles are here:

Deb Haaland Endorses Stephanie Garcia Richard As Her Running Mate For Lt. Governor; Democratic Party State Central Committee To Met July 25; COMMENTARY: Remaining Candidates Should Withdraw From Race For Sake Of Democratic Party Unity

State Democratic Party Chair Sara Attleson Sends Out Official Call To Democratic Party State Central Committee To Fill Lieutenant Governor Vacancy; Haaland Identifies Five Lt. Governor Applicants She Will Interview; COMMENTARY: Appropriate For Haaland To Vet Applicants

Democratic Party Nominee For Governor Deb Haaland Will Take Active Role In “Vetting” Lieutenant Governor Candidates; Haaland Will Endorse After She Interviews; State Democratic State Central Committee Announces Process To Apply; Candidates Begin To Emerge To Replace Toulouse Oliver