FAQ’s on Republican Party Attack Ads
Recent mailers and text messages sent by the New Mexico Republican Party against State Representative Meredith Dixon are flat out wrong. They have crossed the line.
As reported by news outlets across New Mexico, the Republican Party used a doctored photo and racist imagery in an offensive attempt to claim that Meredith supports pedophiles, rapists, and violent criminals. [See the Albuquerque Journal editorial condemning the mailers, “NM GOP needs to explain doctored mailer.”]
Meredith is the mom of two young daughters — she would never support legislation that would put her daughters or anyone’s child at risk. It’s why Meredith was the lead sponsor of the most comprehensive anti-crime legislation passed in New Mexico. And what makes the Republican attack even more disingenuous is that the bills in question were strongly bipartisan bills with overwhelming Republican support.
Here’s a fact check on the legislation cited in the mailers:
2021 HB54 “Barber and Cosmetology Licenses”
In 2019, Republican Sen. Mark Moores sponsored SB 385, a “second chance” bill designed to ensure that criminal records wouldn’t prevent someone from earning a professional license, unless the conviction was related to the profession being pursued.
This bill passed with strong bipartisan support (34-2 in the Senate, and unanimously in the House). (SB 385, 2019)
In 2021, Rep. Andrea Romero introduced HB 54, legislation that broadly addressed licensing and regulation of barbers and cosmetologists. On the floor, Republican Rep. Stefani Lord attempted to add a floor amendment that was unconstitutional. The amendment was tabled. However, the legislation still gained broadly bipartisan support to pass the House, including seven “law and order” Republicans: Reps. Bill Rehm, Greg Nibert, Gail Armstrong, Jane Powdrell-Culbert, Rebecca Dow, Kelly Fajardo and Ryan Lane.
2021 SB 114 “Geriatric Parole”
This bill was endorsed by the Sentencing Commission (NMSC), which includes stakeholders from across the criminal justice system.
The bill passed the Senate with an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 37-4.
The program of medical and geriatric parole established by SB114 applies to geriatric, permanently incapacitated, and terminally ill inmates. Notably, the minimum age at which an inmate can be considered geriatric under the terms of this bill is 55, while the minimum age in current statute is 65 (age is not the sole qualifier for considering an inmate to be geriatric). Inmates who have not served their minimum sentence may be considered eligible for the program, but inmates convicted of first degree murder are not eligible.
From the nonpartisan analysis: "This bill would place a public safety consideration front and center by excluding those convicted of first-degree murder and requiring non-dangerousness for release eligibility. It also gives both Corrections and the parole board the ability to consider public safety at each stage of review. Clarifying that the board must release non-dangerous inmates unless certain factors are met balances the crucial interests at stake."