Mayors across New Mexico respond to Gov. Lujan Grisham’s op-ed

Mayors from around New Mexico are striking back. This after Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham wrote an op-ed threatening to remove them from office if they don’t enforce the public health order.

“We’re trying to express to the governor and her advisors that Roswell is not Rio Rancho it’s not Raton. Each of these communities have their own separate problems and our own solutions. Work with us, don’t work against us,” said Dennis Kintigh, Mayor of Roswell.

The letter sent directly to the governor last Wednesday was written by Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull but was endorsed by another 17 other mayors from all parts of the state. Hobbs Mayor Sam Cobb says they sent the letter because they all feel something needs to be done.

“Each community has individual needs and so that’s what we were trying to do, trying to get these individual needs of our respective constituents addressed,” said Cobb.

“Difficult job she has that our community has to stop, cause people are dying with this disease but to completely close the economy, destroy hundreds if not thousands of small businesses. We should think of different ways to do that,” said Cobb.

In the letter, they say the governor took the unprecedented approach of threatening to remove local officials from office if they don’t enforce the health order. That’s something Roswell mayor and former FBI Agent, Dennis Kintigh, says doesn’t scare him one bit.

“The governor’s comments about trying to defeat us, or coming after us in the future elections is interesting, and I guess I will just fall back on what I used to do for a living, for those of you who know, you know. I’ve been called worse things by more dangerous people,” said Kintigh.

The letter was signed by the following mayors: