Fact checking Gov. MLG’s recent “Politico Energy Summit”

Gov. Lujan Grisham recently appeared via teleconference at an energy summit put on by Politico. You can watch the full video below. As the saying goes, “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.” So is it the case with our Governor who tends to make her own facts up as she pleases while the media often cover for her. In this post we time stamp her faulty and simply inaccurate statements:

• 4:15: MLG “We’re one of the only states that is moving out of poverty.” Reality: May 3, 2023, Farmington Daily-Times, “New Mexico again had third-highest poverty rate in United States in 2021, State’s national ranking has changed little over last several years”
• 7:45: MLG claims “New Mexico has the largest wind farm in North America” Not according to any information we could find. A January 2023 list of “Top 5 Wind Farms in the United States” did not include a single New Mexico wind farm. A March 2023 article states Roscoe Wind Farm near Dallas is the largest.
• 10:15: MLG claims the vetoed incentives for EV’s etc were “too small.” While RGF AGREES with the Gov. on the vetoes, her environmentalist allies wanted her to keep them in the bill.
• 10:30: MLG claims budgetary pressures forced Kansas to go to “three day school days (weeks)”; The reality is that numerous districts in Kansas have gone to FOUR day school weeks (we couldn’t find any that had gone to three day weeks). According to Fox 4 KC, the option is becoming increasingly popular in KS and MO.

Four Day school weeks do save money, but Lathrop students now have 25 more instructional hours than before, and that’s brought a couple added bonuses.

“Our ACT scores have really shown some improvement. If there was anything, that’s one area we’re up. The first four years, up every year, and five out of the last seven, they’ve been increased.”

The article also noted that “Attendance has also improved for students and staff.”

• • 10:50: “I’ve done $500 million tax cuts, largest in history of the state.” According to the FIR for 2022 tax reduction bill HB 163, the tax cuts signed by MLG will cut taxes by $424 million by FY 2026.” Richardson’s tax cuts of 2003 (passed by a Democrat-controlled Legislature) reduced taxes by $524 million once fully phased in and adjusted for inflation (using the BLS inflation calculator):
  • 14:15: Moderator: Your state is NOT on track to meet its clean energy goals.” MLG, “I think we ARE on track.” At 16:15 still responding to this question MLG states “We have free college.” “I’m producing workers in the renewable energy sector.”
  • 16:43: “New Mexico was framed, and in fact I might…I do disagree with that frame as an energy state and a leader in energy…” On what planet is New Mexico NOT a a leader in energy. Watch her say this within context below:

The Gov.’s full remarks can be found here: