Enchantment State News

New Mexico House GOP leaders are calling out Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for unfairness in COVID-19 relief with CARES Act funding. 

House Republicans are asking the governor to end her plan for reducing the needed federal funds to local governments that aren't following the governor's health orders, according to a press release from the New Mexico House GOP. 

Lujan Grisham's plan allows local governments to apply for CARES Act funding, which will cover coronavirus-related expenses. But the funds distributed will be reduced to any local government not following the governor's public health guidelines. 

“For the governor to withhold needed federal dollars to New Mexico’s local governments simply to be vindictive in regards to her often arbitrary public health orders is unacceptable,” House Republican Leader James Townsend (R-Artesia) said in the press release. “She has no authority either under state laws or federal guidelines to punish local governments in this manner and, if she continues to go in this direction, I encourage all affected local governments to file lawsuits to ensure they receive the full reimbursement their taxpayers and communities deserve.”

Many of the governor's decisions are impacting the entire state, which has her under increased scrutiny from the public. The governor has made seem in recent statements that to receive the amount of CARES Act funding needed, local governments need to be obedient with her orders and guidelines. 

“Throughout the entire pandemic, the governor’s approach to fighting COVID-19 has been based on exceeding her authority under the law and intimidating small businesses and local communities to comply with her orders,” Rep. Whip Rod Montoya (R-Farmington) said in the press release. “Rather than trying to build consensus and find bipartisan support for the best ways to combat the virus, the governor has preferred threats, excessive fines and utilizing the State Police to enforce questionable limitations on small businesses’ ability to survive. It is not surprising that the governor now wants to exceed her authority and punish local governments for trying to do what’s best for their communities.”