Big news this session is that longtime Speaker of the House Ben Lujan will not see re-election in the fall because he is battling lung cancer.
Second biggest news seems to be the complete impasse between the Democrats who control the legislature, and Governor Susana Martinez who governs the state from the executive branch. The impasse hurts all of us, as nothing is being accomplished in getting good legislation passed.
A side story during this session was that a group of Republican legislators who were attending a private dinner at the Eldorado Hotel were surrounded by an unruly crowd of Occupy Santa Fe protestors who draped yellow crime tape over the diners, and injured a guest of State Rep. Bill Rehm, hitting her with a menu and injuring her eye.
On the opening day of the session on Jan. 17, tea party groups from all over the state assembled for a rally at the west entrance of the Roundhouse, and Occupy protestors had their own rally on the east steps.
Here are some pictures I took of the tea party rally:
Yep. Crazy days in Santa Fe.
Dax Contreras of Los Hispanos Unidos:
Santa Fe TEA Party table:
Santa Fe TEA Party activists Orlando Baca and Sherry Morrison:
Lt. Gov. John Sanchez:
State Representative Jim Smith:
Energy guru Marita Noon:
Honoring our military vets:
