Latest news with #RepublicanPartyofNewMexico
New York Times
15-04-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Suspect Arrested in Attacks on New Mexico G.O.P. Office and a Tesla Dealer
An Albuquerque man was arrested on Monday in connection with the fire bombings of the Republican Party of New Mexico's headquarters in March and a Tesla dealership in February, attacks that the federal authorities have designated as 'domestic terrorism.' The suspect, Jamison Wagner, 40, had parked his white Hyundai sedan at both locations before the arson attacks and then drove away, according to security and traffic camera images released by the Justice Department. Federal prosecutors said that surveillance footage from the Tesla showroom near Albuquerque on Feb. 9 showed him carrying a box of supplies that he used to spray-paint graffiti on the building and several vehicles. Investigators said that he had scrawled the phrases 'Die Elon,' 'Tesla Nazi Inc' and 'Die Tesla Nazi,' references to the company's billionaire founder, Elon Musk, who is leading the Trump administration's cost-cutting program. Mr. Wagner was then observed breaking some car windows and throwing an incendiary device inside one of them, destroying it, a criminal complaint said. Several weeks after that arson attack, the authorities said, Mr. Wagner struck again, torching the lobby of the Republican Party of New Mexico's headquarters during the early morning hours of March 30. Investigators say that he left behind critical evidence each time, connecting him to both crimes: lids from a jar of Smucker's jelly and a container of olives that they said he had filled with gasoline. Both lids had the letter 'H' or 'I' written on them with what appeared to be a marker, photographs showed. 'Hurling firebombs is not political protest,' Todd Blanche, the deputy attorney general, said in a statement on Monday. 'It is a dangerous felony that we will prosecute to the maximum extent.' A federal public defender for Mr. Wagner, who remains in custody, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday. Mr. Wagner was charged with two counts of malicious damage or destruction of property by fire or explosives, according to court records. He could face up to 40 years in prison if convicted. According to the Justice Department, Mr. Wagner was seen in security camera footage carrying out the arson attack at the Tesla dealership and was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt. At one point, investigators said, his hood fell back, giving them a better look at him. During a search of Mr. Wagner's home on Friday, the authorities said, a black hoodie with red spray paint was found on it. A stencil with the letters 'ICE = KKK,' which had been painted on the Republican Party headquarters, was also found, along with a box containing empty jars like the ones that were found at both crime scenes. Federal authorities said that his arrest underscored a push to crack down on what the Justice Department calls 'domestic terrorism,' including vandalism and acts of violence targeting the president's political and corporate allies. Much of that ire has been directed at Mr. Musk and his companies, particularly Tesla. From Oregon to Massachusetts, charging stations have been set ablaze, vehicles scrawled with graffiti and dealership windows shot out.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
KRQE Newsfeed: Fire investigation, Cochiti Lake drowning, Mild and breezy weather, Lobos head coach, Attraction closed
VIDEO: Albuquerque Tesla Cybertruck vandalized CABQ unveils temporary downtown dog park on vacant lot slated for housing Easter egg hunt takes Balloon Fiesta Park by storm Program allows landlords to turn run down properties into affordable rentals Xcel Energy warns of power shutoffs this week APD investigates fatal crash involving motorcyclist [1] AFR investigate fire, vandalism at Republican Party of New Mexico HQ – Investigators are looking into a fire that damaged the Albuquerque headquarters of the Republican Party of New Mexico. According to Albuquerque Fire Rescue, the building suffered damage at the front entrance, along with smoke damage throughout the inside. Spray paint comparing ICE to the KKK was also found on the building. The Republican Party of New Mexico is claiming the cause of fire was arson. AFR says they are still investigating. [2] NMSP confirm body of 16-year-old recovered from Cochiti Lake – The Sandoval County Sheriff's Office confirmed a 16-year-old drowned at Cochiti Lake on Saturday. According to the department, deputies were sent to the lake around 7:00 a.m. to a possible drowning. Crews were trying to conduct a rescue operation for a teen last seen in the water with a friend who was able to make it back to shore. After some time, the mission shifted from rescue to recovery. The sheriff's office says the teen's body was recovered, and he was pronounced dead. [3] Mild & breezier weather ahead for New Mexico – The wind is going to be sticking around, with more breezy conditions on Monday and even windier weather by Tuesday. The next stronger storm system moves farther to the south in New Mexico later this week with more-widespread rain and snow with lower temperatures being accompanied by some gusty winds. [4] Lobo basketball hires new head coach – The Lobo men's basketball program has its next head coach. New Mexico has agreed to terms with Eric Olen. The 44 year-old coach is coming off a season where he led UC San Diego to the NCAA tournament in the program's first season of eligibility. The Tritons finished the season with a 30-5 record. Olen replaces Richard Pitino as head coach of the Lobos, who left UNM on for the same role at Xavier. [5] Sandia Peak Tram shuts down for annual maintenance – The Sandia Peak Tram will be undergoing its annual maintenance starting Monday. Officials say the work will finish on April 10. The tram is then expected to reopen on April 11 with its regular operating hours. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New Mexico GOP says its office was damaged in ‘deliberate act of arson'
The Republican Party of New Mexico said its office in Albuquerque was damaged in a 'deliberate act of arson.' The organization said in a statement that someone had spray-painted the words 'ICE=KKK' on the outside of its headquarters, calling it a 'horrific attack' that was 'fueled by hatred and intolerance' that was directed toward the party's values, freedoms and right to political expression. 'This is not an isolated incident. It is part of a disturbing pattern of politically motivated violence that has plagued our country –– fueled in part by the silence and implicit encouragement from progressive leaders who refuse to condemn these acts,' the New Mexico GOP said in its statement. The state party's chair, Amy Barela, said in a statement that officials were working closely with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; local law enforcement; and federal investigators to find those responsible. Barela slammed the state's 'broken criminal justice system' and said the party would not let state leaders downplay the event. 'We are deeply relieved that no one was harmed in what could have been a tragic and deadly attack,' Barela said in a statement. 'Those who resort to violence to undermine our state and nation must be held accountable, and our state leaders must reinforce through decisive action that these cowardly attacks will not be tolerated.' The statement included photos of the charred entrance to the office, which also featured signs supporting President Trump. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Times
30-03-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Fire at New Mexico Republican Party Headquarters Being Investigated as Arson
The headquarters of the Republican Party of New Mexico in Albuquerque was damaged early Sunday morning in what the party described as a 'deliberate act of arson.' Albuquerque Fire Rescue confirmed that it had been dispatched to the party's headquarters just before 6 a.m. for a report of a structure fire, which was brought under control within five minutes. No injuries to civilians or firefighters were reported. The fire burned the entryway of the headquarters and left smoke damage throughout the building, Lt. Jason Fejer, a spokesman for the fire department, said on Sunday. He confirmed that the department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives were investigating the fire as an act of arson. A spokeswoman for the F.B.I. confirmed that it was investigating but said she could not provide further details because the investigation was ongoing. The A.T.F. did not immediately respond to requests for information on Sunday. The Albuquerque Police Department confirmed that the federal authorities were investigating but did not provide any further information, including whether arrests had been made. In a statement, the Republican Party of New Mexico said the fire was 'not an isolated incident' and was accompanied by the spray-painted letters 'ICE=KKK.' In recent months, ICE, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has deployed agents across the country to carry out what the Trump administration has characterized as a new and more aggressive effort to target illegal immigration and deliver on a key campaign pledge to carry out mass deportations. The Democratic Party of New Mexico said on Sunday that it condemned 'any vandalism at the Republican Party of New Mexico headquarters as strongly as possible.' The Republican Party of New Mexico said the fire was accompanied by the spray-painted letters 'ICE=KKK.' Credit... Republican Party of New Mexico 'We firmly maintain that this sort of act has absolutely no place in our democracy, and that peaceful discourse and organization are the only ways to approach political differences in our country,' the state Democratic Party added. 'We hope whoever is responsible is found and held accountable.' Amy Barela, the chairwoman of the Republican Party of New Mexico, said on Sunday that the alarm system at the party's headquarters had gone off around 1 a.m., about four hours before the fire started. There had been a separate bomb threat and other acts of vandalism at the headquarters in recent years, she said. A former Republican candidate for the New Mexico House of Representatives this month was found guilty of hiring people to shoot at the homes of Democratic officials in Alburquerque in 2022 and 2023. 'We completely condemn violence,' Ms. Barela said. 'It doesn't matter where it's coming from.' The party was 'deeply relieved that no one was harmed in what could have been a tragic and deadly attack,' she said.
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Senator calls for ‘civility' after death threat following New Mexico GOP post
Sen. Joseph Cervantes (D-Las Cruces), chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee. Cervantes called on Republicans Thursday Feb. 20, 2025 to denounce a death threat made against him in the comments of a social media posts by NM GOP official accounts. (Photo by Austin Fisher / Source NM) Sen. Joseph Cervantes (D-Las Cruces) on Thursday called for 'civility' and asked Senate Republicans to condemn a death threat against him and the posting of his home address in the comments of an official Republican Party of New Mexico social media post he characterized as 'a falsehood, a lie.' 'I'm a big boy, so I'm used to politics, distortions, lies and mistruths,' Cervantes said on the Senate floor. 'But when it leads to some of the comments that were made on that Republican website that include my home address, GPS coordinates to my home and a suggestion that I'm treasonous and that the penalty for treason is death — it really requires me to stand up and say: Let's work together cooperatively, intelligently and ask you all to denounce that type of rhetoric.' The post in question referred to Senate Bill 279, which would prohibit the importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, receipt or possession of gas-operated semi-automatic firearms, magazines that hold more than 10 rounds, and devices that convert semi-automatic guns into fully automatic ones. Cervantes is not one of the bill's five sponsors. But the bill is assigned to be heard by the Senate Judiciary committee, which Cervantes chairs. On Feb. 18, across social media, the official state Republican party social media accounts posted a graphic with a photo of Cervantes accompanied by text claiming 'Joseph Cervantes (D) plots radical overreach to ban guns' with his office's number and email, and a message to oppose Senate Bill 279, calling it an anti-Second Amendment bill. Minority Floor Leader William Sharer (R-Farmington) responded to Cervantes on the floor and defended the party's post. 'I reject the idea that it was a lie, mostly because the chair of the committee gets to decide what happens in that committee, and certainly we were told that this was getting ready to happen in that committee,' Sharer said on the floor. 'So, while I understand his concern, and I deeply, deeply, deeply do not condone any violence or any threat of violence — for that, I ask whoever's out there doing that: Stop. Stop.' Sharer further asked Cervantes 'for peace, and I will try to avoid being that pointed.' Source NM verified that at least two comments on the social media post characterized the legislation as an 'infringement' on 'our right to bear arms,' before adding that 'violating the Constitution is considered 'Treason' and the maximum 'punishment for treason is death.' Both posts were tagged for possible violations for 'rules against Violent Speech.' In an interview outside his office following his remarks on the floor Cervantes said he has not filed a police report about the death threat and 'probably' doesn't intend to do so because it would give more attention to the person who made the threat, and 'they may get crazier.' 'I've never been about banning guns. I'm a gun owner. I have a concealed carry permit,' he said. 'Any suggestion that I'm working to ban guns is false.' He said the incident doesn't dissuade him at all from hearing SB 279, and he intends to schedule it for a hearing. 'I'd rather downplay it; I think it's been addressed,' Cervantes said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
