The conflict between members of an extreme right-wing group who regularly speak at Sandoval County Commission meetings and Democrats is still simmering following a failed effort to oust Commissioner Katherine Bruch, D-Placitas, by the group’s leader last month.
A message attributed to the Democratic Party of Sandoval County posted on its website Dec. 31 addressed the case to recall Bruch that was rejected by a state District Court judge last month.
Under the headline “Legitimate Recall Petition or harassment?” The post references the New Mexico Transparency Network (NMETN) and its leader John Veltri, who brought the complaint against Bruch to court, alleging malfeasance, misfeasance and violating her oath of office.
“There is not a County Commission meeting that goes by without attacks on Commissioner Bruch from members of Mr. Veltri’s group,” the post says, adding that the other Democrat on the Commission, Joshua Jones, has also been subject to scorn. Even the Commission’s chair, David Heil, a Republican, has been verbally attacked for “upholding state laws,” it says.
The message explained that after candidates are elected to positions they are called upon to cast votes on different matters. But not all of their constituents will agree with those votes.
“If enough people disagree with their elected representative’s votes, they may vote that person out of office at the regularly scheduled elections,” it says, noting that Bruch was twice elected to her District 1 seat. It goes on to say that the lawsuit wasn’t valid to begin with and suggests it was brought because Bruch “apparently voted against the wishes of Mr. Veltri.”
“So, the question is: was this legal action just another baseless attack?” the message asks. “When you disagree with your representative’s positions, you can vote for another candidate or run for office yourself. You cannot try to remove them with frivolous legal actions.”
District Court Judge Christopher Perez ruled last month that Veltri’s claims failed to meet the criteria to warrant a recall election. Adding to already strained relationships on the County Commission, Republican Commissioner Jay Block testified as a witness in support of Veltri in his case against Bruch, who he sits next to at the dais during commission meetings.
Speakers respond
Veltri didn’t mention the county Democratic Party’s message when he made his regular appearance before the County Commission during the public forum portion of the Jan. 9 meeting. But others did.
Marijo Streetz, NMETN secretary, started by saying “We the people demand truth,” and suggested the message, which she attributed to Democratic Party of Sandoval County chair Alexandria Piland, contained numerous untruths, exaggerations and misinformation.
“It was not only a discredit to Commissioner Bruch, but an embarrassment to the party to which Alex Piland acts as chairman,” Streetz said. “Possibly, her intentions outweighed her capability.”
She went on to say that both the Democratic and Republican parties have fallen victim to infiltrators. She blamed members of both parties for aligning themselves with a “new ideology,” but singled out the Democrats, Bruch and Jones, in her comments.
Streetz said that she understands that party affiliation translates to financial support and political gain. “However, while these operatives are altering the core values these parties are built upon, it becomes increasingly disturbing that you choose not to exercise the discernment to separate yourself to a whole truth.”
Ramona Goolsby, a NMETN member and leader of a petition effort calling for a referendum to overturn bills passed into law by Democrats during the 2023 legislative session, sounded more ominous.
“I hear what elected officials say about those of us that come twice a month to demand accountability from this commission. Yes, people are listening and watching you very carefully,” she said.
Goolsby opened her remarks by saying that 2024 would be the year of “accountability and truth.” She used the words again in closing, along with a reference to a Bible verse. “Money-changers tables will continue to fall,” she warned.
Fraud report
Veltri used his allotted three minutes to present the summary of results of a report on election fraud in five swing states – Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin – during the 2020 election. He distributed a copy of the 32-page report to each commissioner.
“You may ask, what does this have to do in New Mexico? Well, the five swing states highlight all the activities that I have been sharing with you for nearly two years,” he said, mentioning issues having to do with voter ID, drop boxes, absentee ballots, mail-in voting, and other election topics embraced by the political right. “It talks about everything that is going on.”
Veltri, who always makes a point to say he’s “nonpartisan,” called the report a “factual summary” supported by 99 legal footnotes, and he invited Sandoval County Attorney Michael Eshleman to look them over.
If the attorney had, he would have found that a few of the footnotes do cite legal documents in court filings alleging election fraud. But many of the footnotes are links to videos on Rumble or YouTube of Fox News reports, and reporting in far-right publications, like The Epoch Times and The Gateway Pundit.
The head of the Election Transparency Network failed to disclose the source of the report. It went public when former President Donald Trump shared it on his social media account, assuring his followers that it was produced by “highly qualified election experts.” Yet, the report doesn’t disclose its authors.
“I just ask that you’ll consider looking at this and we’ll work together across aisles the best we can,” Veltri said in conclusion.
He was followed at the lectern by five members of the group reporting on what the report had to say about alleged election fraud in each of the five swing states.
Coincidently, or not, the former president’s report was released the same day as an opinion piece titled “Trump Paid Me to Find Voter Fraud. Then He Lied After I Found 2020 Election Wasn’t Stolen” that appeared in USA Today.
The author, Ken Block, wrote that he was hired by Trump to find election fraud, but his investigation only turned up some small-scale instances of election errors and misconduct – nothing that could have influenced the outcome of the election.
“If voter fraud had impacted the 2020 election, it would already have been proven,” Block wrote. “Maintaining the lies undermines faith in the foundation of our democracy.”