Enchantment State News

New Mexico’s House leadership is asking the Attorney General to consider the state’s actions during the COVID-19 pandemic for civil rights violations.

House Republican leader Jim Townsend (R-Artesia) sent a letter to Bill Barr listing potential violations in the state. It came on the heels of a letter signed by 24 Republican House members to Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, according to a GOP press release.

Among the potential violations listed in the letter to Barr is the mandated closure of businesses, prohibition of non-essential medical services and threats of civil fines. Should the attorney general see fit to pursue civil right violation investigations against states, the New Mexico House Republicans ask to have their state included and are willing to offer evidence.

In Townsend’s letter, he addressed Barr’s recent announcement the Department of Justice may have an obligation to address overreach by governors. He referred to the statement as both encouraging and timely. New Mexico currently remains under the governor’s executive order.

“As you are already aware, numerous governors across our country have been operating with almost dictatorial powers by intimidating people to stay at home, denying the right to worship, arbitrarily deciding which businesses are essential and non-essential,” he wrote.

Townsend highlighted the governor’s actions and also referenced the threat of a $5,000 fine on small businesses for violating New Mexico’s Public Order without a statute providing authority to follow through. He added the trampling of the state residents’ civil rights should never have been allowed.

He stated the letter signed by members of his caucus stating concerns in regard to the governor’s ability to balance the health and safety of the state’s residents with civil rights.

“The Governors’ actions have made it clear that she will push in any way possible to test the limits of every New Mexican’s constitutional rights,” Townsend said in the release. “If civil rights violations have occurred across our country as a result of these mandated closures, I have little doubt that New Mexico will unfortunately be in that mix. I am confident AG Barr will be objective in his examination of this sensitive issue.”