MLG’s 7 member Environmental Improvement Board votes to limit gas cars in mere 3-2 vote

At the Rio Grande Foundation we have written extensively about Gov. Lujan Grisham’s disdain for “democracy,” let alone a representative republic, but last night’s (Thursday, November 16) vote by her un-elected EIB takes the cake.

Unsurprisingly, despite overwhelming numbers of New Mexicans in opposition, the SEVEN member Board voted on a mere 3-2 basis (in support) to mandate a drastic increase in the number of EV’s sold in New Mexico.  You can find the list of all 7 members here while the vote was as follows: Bitzer and Trujillo voted NO and Ely, Garcia, and Suina all voted YES. Two of the Board’s seven members DID NOT VOTE: Honker and Cates.

In other words, MLG couldn’t even get an outright majority of her un-elected board to support her policy to force cars that New Mexicans don’t want on them. That sets aside inherent biases and conflicts of the members like Sandra Ely being a paid employee of the Environment Department AND being married to prominent, recently retired environmental attorney Steven Michael.

There are numerous reasons to litigate and we’re confident that lawsuits will arise from this “kangaroo court” in which massive policy changes are being initiated by a board acting without so much as a majority of its own membership.