Impeaching MLG: Righteous But Doomed
Majority Dems in the state house may disagree with the governor, but they won't convict
Two Republican state representatives are moving to impeach Democrat governor Michelle Lujan Grisham for violating her oath of office and New Mexicans’ constitutional rights.
On Friday, the governor declared a public health crisis and banned the open and concealed carry of guns.
Asked by Brian Kilmeade on “Fox and Friends” Monday morning if he thinks he can get Democrats on board, Rep. John Block (R-51) said he did.
“I think there are many Democrats who absolutely could join us on this… We saw Ted Lieu, her former colleague in Congress, going after her. We saw David Hogg going after her. And there’s not a single Democrat in the state house or senate who has gone to support her in this unconstitutional power grab.”
“This is an abhorrent attempt at imposing a radical, progressive agenda on an unwilling populous,” Rep. Stefanie Lord (R-22) said in a statement.
“I have a newsflash for the Governor: The Second Amendment is an absolute right, and so is my authority to impeach you for violating your oath to New Mexico and the United States.”
Block and Lord are correct on all counts.
They’re just wasting their time.
Article IV, Section 35 of the state Constitution requires half of the House to impeach a governor and two-thirds of the Senate to convict. Democrats hold near-supermajorities in both chambers, meaning that Lord and Block would need to turn ten house Democrats and 14 Senators.
It would be awesome, but it won’t happen.
LOYALTY TO THEIR OWN
Remarking on the imbalance of power in the state legislature, podcaster Matt Christiansen put it simply: “(Impeachment) has no chance. The state house and senate are both dominated by Democrats…and we know their loyalty is to their own, not to the Constitution or the rights of the people.”
Democrats might disagree with the governor. A few may even voice their opposition aloud for everyone to slobber over as if it signals that impeachment might have a shot. It won’t.
The damage to the party would be immense, jeopardizing competitive legislative seats in the next election and the governor’s race come 2026. Preservation of Party is a tenet of Democrat politics that carries punishment more severe than merely violating their oath of office. They won’t risk it, and they don’t have to.
The mayor, police chief, county sheriff, and district attorney have all said they will not enforce the governor’s gun ban. It is clearly unconstitutional, and enforcement of the ban is a legal liability. But none of these individuals have taken action to sue or arrest the governor for violating her oath of office or trampling people’s constitutionally protected right to defend themselves and their families. Democrat legislators don’t need to act on their opposition to survive this storm either.
HORRIBLE OPTICS FOR MLG
From an optics perspective, the impeachment push has been a success.
The headlines have added another legal layer to an already viral news story. (Several lawsuits have been filed challenging the legality of the EO already). The governor is facing criticism from all sides. Even hard-left Grisham apologists who bent the knee when the governor ordered mask compliance, shut down schools, fined churches, and forced residents to stand in line for hours just to buy groceries during COVID are now admitting that she’s has overstepped.
Sen. Joe Cervantes (D-31), posted this to X on Monday:
“Having passed key gun safety laws working with her administration, I call on the Governor to rescind her order outlawing arms. An unconstitutional approach undermines the important collaboration gun issues deserve, and the important role of a Governor to lead genuine reforms.”
This is encouraging, but verbal opposition is not a commitment to impeach.
For her part, surviving symbolism not only leaves the governorship intact but gives Grisham the talking point that her failed impeachment is proof that she wasn’t wrong. Liberal Blogger Joe Monahan made this very point, posting recently on X that the fact that she won re-election in 2022 proves that her policies on COVID right.
That’s the level of intelligence we’re dealing with. The law doesn’t matter. Democrats won’t let your constitutional rights and personal safety get in the way of party loyalty.
If someone is arrested by the NM State Police for open/concealed carry, then she could be arrested under 18USC 241 and 242 - civil rights violations and deprivation of rights under color of law, both are felonies. Then impeachment.