Poll watchers blocked in Santa Fe County
A New Mexico civic association is seeking a restraining order against Santa Fe County Clerk Katharine Clark. Land of Action brought the suit on Thursday, claiming that Clark refused to admit poll watchers into polling places.
Land of Action says that the poll watchers completed training from the Secretary of State. But when they showed up for shifts at the county clerk's office during the first days of early voting, Clark told the poll watchers they need to complete a 4-hour in person training with her.
The group said in a press release that the Secretary of State has directed Clark to stop obstructing election watching. They filed the lawsuit because Clark has refused to comply with the Secretary of State.
State Rep. Andrea Reeb resigns
State Representative Andrea Reeb abruptly resigned from her position on Thursday. The Republican from Clovis was a member of the subcommittee investigating Jeffrey Epstein and Zorro Ranch, the Survivors' Truth Commission.
A federal judge ruled that Reeb's dual role as a legislator and prosecutor violated the state constitution. Reeb had recently criticized fellow Truth Commission member Andrea Romero for holding a part-time job at district attorney's office. Romero resigned from that role in September and remains a legislator.
Reeb's departure is a result of a lawsuit brought by actor Alec Baldwin. He sued several prosecutors, including Reeb, after charges against him were dropped in the death of cinematographer Halyna Huthcins.
County commissioners in Reeb's district are expected to nominate a new candidate for the November 3 election.
New threats to wolves in New Mexico
Lobos have traveled between New Mexico and other border states for thousands of years, but conservationists say construction of the border wall and their possible delisting as a threatened species is a setback. Roz Brown reports.
Leger Fernandez calls for ICE accountability
On Thursday, U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernandez introduced legislation aimed at protecting U.S. citizens wrongfully detained or arrested by immigration enforcement officers.
The legislation would remove immunity defenses, allowing citizens to sue individual officers and the federal government. It would also require standard monetary awards depending on how long a citizen is detained.
Leger Fernandez introduced the legislation just two days after immigration officers made several arrests at a Santa Fe construction site. Santa Fe City Council voted on Wednesday to strengthen its Immigration Committee and approved other immigrant protections earlier this month.
A ProPublica investigation found that immigration officers have detained over 500 U.S. citizens --including some children-- since the beginning of the second Trump administration.
