To say that politics in New Mexico are getting crazier than they usually are is an understatement. To say that they’re reaching a fever pitch might be more accurate. And as funny as some of the bizarre antics have been, there’s an element of danger to them that hearkens back to the months leading up to the Jan. 6 Capitol riots.
The Ballad of Couy & Co.
Couy Griffin was a cowboy-for-hire in Paris before he rose to social media fame as the Otero County Commissioner that moonlighted as the Cowboys for Trump leader. On Jan. 17 he was arrested in Washington, D.C. for his alleged role in the Jan. 6 breach on the Capitol, in which he said in a video posted to the group’s social media channel, “This is what you are going to get. You are going to get more of it.”
It would be remiss to say that there weren’t warning signs prior to Jan. 6 from folks like Griffin. “I’ve come to a place where I’ve come to the conclusion that the only good Democrat is a dead Democrat,” Griffin said in a video on the Cowboys for Trump Facebook and Twitter pages. In the end even Donald Trump and Republican Congresswoman Yvette Harrell backed away from Griffin. Griffin remains a commissioner while facing a potential recall vote.
Two more New Mexicans were also arrested for their alleged role in the riots that took place in D.C. Matthew Martin was a federal contractor from Santa Fe who was arrested on April 20. Self-proclaimed journalist Shawn Witzemann of Farmington was arrested on April 6. All three men have been charged with entering a restricted building, disorderly conduct which impedes government business, disruptive conduct in the Capitol buildings and demonstrating in the Capitol buildings. If convicted, they each face up to 20 years in prison.
The Flying Phallus
Bernalillo County Sheriff Manny Gonzales had to duck a large rainbow-colored dildo drone at a campaign rally for his mayoral candidacy. One of the dong’s supporters was arrested after trying to retrieve it from deputies. The official Twitter account for the drone, @dongcopter505, has made it clear that the knob chopper is an equal opportunist and hinted at future plans for Mayor Tim Keller as well.
The Reptilian Rally
You might think you’ve reached the weirdest part of our tale, but alas, there’s more. At a campaign rally to announce her candidacy for re-election, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham encountered a group of rowdy protestors. While shaking fists and loud boos might be nothing new to the governor as of late, this crowd took it to a whole new level. Nazi salutes, screaming through Native American prayers and conspiracy theorists were what finally made the governor say how sorry she was for holding a rally amongst “QAnon Lizard People.”