Enchantment State News

The New Mexico House Republicans is planning to sue Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for the negative economic consequences that have resulted from executive orders intended to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“The Civil Rights of hundreds of New Mexican business owners and their employees have already been forfeited,” House GOP Whip Rod Montoya (R-Farmington) said in a statement posted on the NM House GOP website. “The Civil Rights of thousands more will be at risk if we don’t take action now.”

While the exact details of the prospective lawsuit are still unknown, the New Mexico House GOP will be filing the claim on behalf of thousands of jobless workers and businesses across the state.

“They are all saying the same thing, without immediate relief our livelihood will be lost for good,” House GOP Leader Jim Townsend (R-Artesia) said. “The governor’s orders have put our state in such a position that our only recourse now is legal action. Hundreds of businesses across the state have already gone out of business. Two-hundred ten restaurants have closed their doors for good – that represents over 4,500 employees who have lost their jobs.”

Townsend recently wrote a letter asking House Speaker Brian Egolf to look into a possible abuse of power by Grisham in regards to spending unauthorized money to fund coronavirus-related efforts. In the letter, Townsend said Grisham has allowed for the spending of at least $30 million from the state treasury while she is only authorized to spend up to $750,000 per emergency declaration.

“We are all committed to stopping the spread of COVID-19 across our state and we initially applauded the governor for her aggressive actions to fight this deadly virus,” Townsend wrote in the letter. “However, as the weeks and months have gone by, it appears the governor is acting more and more without any regard to the inherent limits placed on her authority snd is abusing the power of her office.”