The election for Albuquerque Mayor is on Tuesday, November 2. On the ballot for Mayor are progressive Democrat Incumbent Mayor Tim Keller, conservative Democrat Sheriff Manny Gonzales and Republican Trump radio talk show host Eddy Aragon.
On October 6, the Albquerquerqu Journal published a front-page article with the headline “Aragon decries ‘gimmicky’ promises on crime”. The article was written Journal Staff writer Matthew Reisen. The link to the full article is here:
https://www.abqjournal.com/2435910/aragon-decries-gimmicky-promises-on-crime.html
This blog article is an analysis of Eddy Aragon’s comments and positions on issues reflecting that he is a “QAnon” conspiracy candidate in the 2021 Albuquerque mayor’s race.
HIGHLIGHTS OF ABQ JOURNAL ARTICLE
The most disturbing major highlights and comments made by Eddy Aragon in the October 6 Albuquerque Journal article as it pertains to this blog article are as follows:
…
At times, Aragon also makes unverifiable claims about controversial topics — one being that attempts to take down the Juan de Oñate statue were a “complete and total setup” to “steer the masses.” That protest, in June 2020, made national headlines after it ended with a man being shot multiple times. He did not respond when asked to elaborate further.
Aragon also asserts that much of the crime in Albuquerque is tied to cartels, a certain faction of the homeless population and corruption. He said that, as mayor, he would expose those in organized crime who work with city government and cartels to “control the streets.”
Asked to identify the people he says are working with city government and the cartels to control the streets, Aragon declines [to answer or elaborate and said]:
“I want to at least make it to the election. … I constantly say I’ll either be murdered or I’ll become mayor. …”
The televisions in Aragon’s studio — where he currently resides — are kept on such networks as One America News Network. Conservative pundit Steve Bannon is often on the screen.
Aragon is an outspoken fan of former President Trump and, where crime is concerned, said he admired the way Rudy Giuliani cracked down on crime as mayor of New York.
…
OTHER MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS
Other major highlights of the article are as follows:
“The conservative radio host turned mayoral candidate said he hates what he considers dog-and-pony shows on crime-fighting efforts put on by Mayor Tim Keller’s administration. Aragon called the promises to lower crime “gimmicky.”
…
Unlike his opponents, Mayor Keller and Bernalillo County Sheriff Manuel Gonzales, Aragon has never run a city or a sheriff’s department. He said he has, however, kept a pulse of crime in Albuquerque through news articles, officers who confide in him, his listeners and residents …
Aragon said he believes the key to solving Albuquerque’s crime problem involves taking better care of officers, rebuilding specialized units and offering a more hands-on approach with reform efforts. To do so, he said he would enlist a council of people, mostly retired law enforcement, to inform his decisions on police and crime.
…
Aragon said 1,500 officers are needed to patrol the streets of Albuquerque. To reach that number, he said, officers need to feel appreciated. APD currently has about 900 officers.
…
He said he would “immediately” reallocate $18 million from unscheduled overtime pay to give officers a bonus, up to $18,000 for some, without increasing taxes. When pressed for details, Aragon said he would make the directive, and work with the department and union to figure out specifics.
He said he would also pass a no settlement policy on lawsuits to support officers and would “forensically” audit the department top to bottom to get a picture of what they’re doing day to day and “better help them.”
…
Aragon said he would also get involved in the Department of Justice reform effort by building a better relationship with the independent monitor and being “more combative” to advocate for the police officers.
…
Regarding the police union, Aragon said he would be in constant communication to get the “pulse” of officers, but establish healthy boundaries so they aren’t “controlling” him.
Aragon said the only measure of success in fighting crime is lowering “every single category.” The answer is not to hide behind national trends, he said.
Aragon said he would employ a multi-faceted approach to fighting crime and doesn’t believe in ShotSpotter devices or gun buybacks. He said he would focus on violent crime by staffing special units, particularly the gang unit. Aragon said he would also have officers assigned to specific neighborhoods, not moving from place to place.
Aragon said he would make sure police dispatch is better staffed so people are not waiting for help. He said he would have officers arrest people on misdemeanors to keep track of “the build-up of crime that happens over time.”
Aragon … claimed a significant portion of crime in Albuquerque is tied to homeless people, but that he is not trying to criminalize the population.
Aragon said many homeless people need help with drug and mental health issues, and that he would offer that. He said he would target those who “choose” to be homeless, and exploit others through rape and violence. …
EDDY ARAGON IN HIS OWN WORDS
Aragon is quoted as saying in the October 6 Journal article:
“It’s important for us to understand what the real problems are, I don’t know that we do … I’m the best option because, essentially, I’m going to be there to listen … and make quick decisions.”
“I love everything about Albuquerque, I just hate where we’re at right now. Way too much finger-pointing, not enough … problem-solving. … And I think I could do it in a very short time. I don’t believe in force. I believe in flow; we need to change the direction we’re going in.”
Aragon makes outlandish claims about controversial topics including that attempts to take down the Juan de Oñate statue were a “complete and total setup” to “steer the masses.”
Asked to identify the people he says are working with city government and the cartels to control the streets, Aragon says:
“I want to at least make it to the election. … I constantly say I’ll either be murdered or I’ll become mayor. …”
“People need to trust police officers again, we need to get back to re-funding the police … build morale, let them know they’re fully supported. … I don’t know if [APD Officers are] spending five hours filling out paperwork or five hours out on the street. And the fact is that nobody really knows any of these things.”
“[The Department of Justice settlement] is something that I will have to deal with, and the only way that I can do that is by picking up the phone and saying, ‘this is unreasonable. This is a bit too much. … You want to ask for forgiveness, never for permission. The thing is, we’ve given them permission to do absolutely everything.”
“We’ve got to do a better job of knowing who our criminals are.”
“… we need to understand the paradigms of the crimes that are out there. That can be communicated more effectively by the mayor, instead of hiding and saying, ‘Well, here’s what we’re improving.’ ”
“GIMMICKY” PLEDGE TO CUT HOMICIDES BY 50% AND HOMELESSNESS BY 75%
On October 6, Eddy Aragon announced a one-term “ultimatum” to Albuquerque voters promising to cut homicides by 50% and to reduce homelessness by 75%. He further pledged that if he fails, he will not seek reelection in 2025. He argues that for 4 years Mayor Tim Keller has promised to turn our police department around and ran in 2017 on fighting crime and making Albuquerque safe. According to the Aragon post “That’s a promise, and it’s a promise no politician would make, because no politician dares to bet their career on the outcome of the policies they implement.
The link to the challenge is here:
OTHER TROUBLING COMMENTS AND POSITIONS
ARAGON OPPOSES VACCINATIONS
On Monday, August 23, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted full approval to Pfizer and BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine making it the first in the United States to win the coveted designation and giving even more businesses, schools and universities greater confidence to adopt vaccine mandates.
On August 28, during a Near North Valley Coalition Mayoral forum held live in real time and posted on Youtube, Aragon boasted to the audience he has not been vaccinated. The single most obscene argument made by Aragon during the debate for not taking the vaccine was his sick or very warped use of the term “my body, my right to choose” a term used by people who support the “right to choose” when it comes to abortion.
A person has every right to choose not to take any vaccine to protect themselves from a disease, but there is absolutely no constitutional right to catch a contagious disease and then spread it to others resulting in death. A woman’s right to choose should never be compared on the same level as receiving inoculation for a contagious disease.
The You Tube link to the debate is here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MNNOYT9wYs
Aragon has also said he opposes a vaccine mandate for the city’s workforce.
OTHER ARAGON CRAZY TALK
Aragon has aggressively promoted himself as the only Republican in the Mayor’s race. According to Aragon:
“I will do my best to continue to fight our fight [of opposing progressives] so we can keep some level of balance. Anything that’s great in this country has always been achieved through argument and conflict and confrontation, but also a certain level of compromise that comes out organically by people presenting their arguments or choices.”
When you examine what Aragon has said, the only thing certain is that there is no level of compromise with him as he offends and goes on the vicious attack of all Democrats and progressives.
As Mayor, there is no doubt Eddy Aragon will seek to defeat Democrats at all levels, something he has done in the past. Conservative radio talk show host Eddy Aragon has:
1. Called for the election of conservative republicans to “save Albuquerque” by electing 3 of 5 city councilors in 2021.
2. He has said the only way Republicans can take back New Mexico is to take back Albuquerque.
3. Aragon has called for the removal of the Democratic majorities in the New Mexico House by “flipping” 8 Albuquerque House seats.
4. Aragon has called for removal of Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham by nominating the strongest Republican Governor candidate.
5. Aragon has said that Republicans need to fight democrats and do battle with Democrats on “every one of their agenda items”
6. Aragon has a proclaimed he has over 13,000 signatures to impeach Governor Lujan Grisham.
7. Aragon has boldly proclaimed that he is “widely known” as Trump’s biggest supporter and most vocal in New Mexico.
The link to the source material is here:
https://www.rockoftalk.chat/p/eddy-aragons-final-letter-to-republican
OPPOSES “IMMIGRANT FRIENDLY” POLICIES
Aragon’s pledge to conservative Trump Republican to “fight our fight” against progressives extends to the city’s “immigrant friendly” policies arguing they lean too far to the left under Mayor Tim Keller.
The city has never been a “sanctuary city”. A “sanctuary city” denies cooperation with federal immigration officials and does not use city law enforcement resources to identify or apprehend illegal immigrants and does not use city law enforcement resources to enforce immigration laws.
In 2001 the Albuquerque City Council enacted a resolution that declared Albuquerque an “immigrant friendly” city. Albuquerque’s “immigrant friendly” designation welcomes immigrants to the city and is largely symbolic. In February, 2017, the City Council enacted a symbolic memorial that reaffirmed that Albuquerque’s “immigrant friendly” status, but not as a “sanctuary city”.
Policies and programs that Aragon likely opposes is the “Office of Equity and Inclusion”, which is the former Human Rights Office and the Office of Immigrant & Refugee Affairs. Both offices are critical to a city as diversified as Albuquerque, but Aragon no doubt feels the city is helping the undocumented who should be arrested and deported for seeking refuge in the United States.
PANDEMIC HEALTH CARE ORDERS
Aragon’s pledge to conservative Trump Republicans to continue to “fight our fight” against progressives extends to pandemic-related business lockdowns. As Mayor there is absolutely nothing Aragon could do to stop such closures if they are in fact ordered again. If he tries, he will likely be slapped silly with a civil lawsuit and then be fined for violating public health care closure orders.
It is recommended that Aragon pick up the phone and call Grants Mayor Martin “Modey” Hicks who vowed to defy the governor’s lockdown orders that shuttered nonessential shops to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. On May 28, 2020, the New Mexico Supreme Court granted the writ against the unhinged Grants Mayor Hicks that was sought by Attorney General Hector Balderas, prohibiting him from operating city facilities in defiance of state public health orders and prohibiting him from issuing directives that contradicted the health care orders. The New Mexico Supreme Court ruled that the New Mexico Department of Health has the authority to enforce emergency public health orders and may issue a civil penalty of $5,000 per day.
The New Mexico “Public Health Act” (NMPHA), and the “Public Health Emergency Response Act” (PHERA) give the Governor broad powers to mandate closures.
Links to review the entire Public Health Act can be found are here:
https://law.justia.com/codes/new-mexico/2013/chapter-24/article-1/
https://www.lawserver.com/law/state/new-mexico/nmstatutes/new_mexico_statutes_24-1-1
Link to the New Mexico Public Health Emergency Response Act is here:
https://law.justia.com/codes/new-mexico/2006/nmrc/jd_ch12art10a-712b.html
FACT CHECK ANALYSIS AND COMMENTARY
There should be absolutely no doubt that Eddy Aragon is a “QAnon” candidate in this year’s Mayor’s race. That is the only conclusion any reasonable voter can come to with Aragon’s far-right centered, unverifiable claims about controversial topics such as the attempts to take down the Juan de Oñate statue as a “complete and total setup” to “steer the masses” without providing any evidence of his claims.
ARAGON’S OTHER CRAZY TALK
Aragon talks “crazy” when he does not elaborate or provide any proof and proclaims crime in Albuquerque is tied to cartels, a certain faction of the homeless population and government corruption. It’s crazy talk when he says as mayor, he would expose those in organized crime who work with city government and cartels to “control the streets” and tells the Journal:
“I want to at least make it to the election. … I constantly say I’ll either be murdered or I’ll become mayor. …”
Then there is Eddy Aragon’s outlandish promises he will cut homicides by 50% and reduce homelessness by 75%, yet Aragon himself called the promises to lower crime “gimmicky.” Aragon offers absolutely no explanation how he would stop homicides by 50%, what mandates or orders he will issue to APD nor how he will reduce homelessness by 75%. All he does is say he would just not run again in 2022 if he is not successful.
INGNORANCE OF APD
Aragon’s crazy talk extends to APD when says “we need to get back to re-funding the police” and he reveals his total ignorance of the Albuquerque Police Department (APD). On May 17, the Albuquerque City Council voted unanimously to approve the 2021-2022 APD budget of over $227 million city budget. The city has never “de-funded” APD as Aragon is implying.
The Albuquerque Police Department (APD) is the largest budget department in the city out of 27 departments. The 2021-2022 APD Budget provides funding for 1,100 sworn positions and 592 civilian support positions for a total of 1,692 full-time positions or approximately one fourth of the city’s total of 6,400 employees. It also includes funding for new positions, including 11 investigators to support internal affairs and the department’s reform obligations under the Federal Court Approved Settlement Agreement.
When Aragon said he would also have “officers assigned to specific neighborhoods, not moving from place to place”,he ostensibly does not know that APD does exactly that with 6 area commands, 6 substations and has community outreach programs. He obviously is not aware that there are 6 community policing councils (CPCs) made up of community civilian volunteer boards who met once a month and are given crime statistical reports for the neighborhoods by APD commanders and sergeants.
Aragon shows his total ignorance of the Judicial system when he says:
“[The Department of Justice settlement] is something that I will have to deal with, and the only way that I can do that is by picking up the phone and saying, ‘this is unreasonable. This is a bit too much. … You want to ask for forgiveness, never for permission. The thing is, we’ve given them permission to do absolutely everything”.
He does not understand that the consent decree and all its terms were fully negotiated by the city after the Justice Department found a pattern of excessive use of force and deadly force and a culture of aggression. The settlement does not give the Federal Court nor the Federal Monitor any management nor control over APD, its personnel or standard operating procedures. It’s up the Mayor and APD to implement the reforms and “picking up a phone” is not going to get APD out of the consent decree. What is needed is a court hearing with the presentation of evidence, not just hearsay, that the consent decree needs to be modified.
WILL ARAGON CONCEDE THE RACE?
Eddy Aragon goes out of his way to point out that he is a staunch supporter of Der Führer Trump to the point that the televisions in Aragon’s radio station studio where he lives are kept on TV networks as One America News Network with conservative pundit Steve Bannon often on the screen. The Journal never asked Aragon if he feels Der Führer Trump won the 2020 election and if he feels President Biden stole the election. Aragon was not asked if he loses the Mayor’s race if he will concede or if he will say it was stolen from him.
Aragon is as qualified to be Mayor of Albuquerque as much as Der Führer Trump was to be President, which is not qualified at all. Aragon would be just as big of a disaster as the Trump crazy.
Aragon with his talk show is on the same level as FOX News and the likes of Sean Hannity. Aragon enjoys badgering and taking issue with anyone who is Democrat or he considers progressive.
Aragon also says:
“I’m going to be there to listen … and make quick decisions. … I don’t believe in force. I believe in flow; we need to change the direction we’re going in.”
The only flow we get from Aragon is the sewage coming from his big mouth, like Der Führer Trump he admires so much, as he indicates he will be shooting from the hip to make quick decisions.
FINAL COMMENTARY
Eddy Aragon’s claims and promises are divisive and are meaningless. Aragon is as qualified to be Mayor of Albuquerque as much as Der Führer Trump was to be President, which is not qualified at all. As any carpenter would say applying a level to his thick wooden head that his “bubble is not centered” and it leans to the right.
Links to related and quoted news articles on Eddy Aragon are here:
Conservative radio show host takes on Dems
https://www.abqjournal.com/2433188/radio-show-host-wants-to-be-city-manager.html
“Q&A mayoral candidate Edward Joseph Aragon Jr.”
https://www.abqjournal.com/2433178/qa-mayoral-candidate-edward-joseph-aragon-jr.html
The link to a related blog article is here: