New Mexicans For Freedom PAC Funded Robocalls To Attack A State Land Commissioner Candidate
NMFF Paid For Robocalls Attacking A New Mexico State Land Commissioner Candidate
NMFF Paid For Robocalls Attacking Then-New Mexico State Land Commissioner Candidate Garrett VeneKlasen. “Meanwhile, a second group, the New Mexicans for Freedom PAC, has paid for robocalls attacking [Garrett] VeneKlasen with a rough audio clip of the candidate. ‘So, yes, I was a Republican, and the Republican Party branded me as a watermelon,’ VeneKlasen is heard saying. “Because I was a green environmentalist on the outside and a communist on the inside.’ The audio is real. VeneKlasen’s campaign says it was an instance of the candidate characterizing how some conservatives view him.” [Santa Fe New Mexican, 05/31/18]
Organization Said, “We Need To Ensure Our Next Land Commissioner Will Protect Our New Mexico Way Of Life.” “And the organization did not give much away in a vague statement. ‘We believe in preserving New Mexico by maintaining our traditional way of life,” the group said in an email. “New Mexico is rich in natural resources, but richest in its people. We need to ensure our next land commissioner will protect our New Mexico way of life.’” [Santa Fe New Mexican, 05/31/18]
NMFF Appears Is Funded By Republican Farmers, Politicians, And The Oil And Gas Industry
NMFF’s Funding Comes From Republican Politicians, Farmers, And The Oil And Gas Industry. “The group appears to have raised most of its money from Republican politicians and farmers, as well as from the oil and gas industry.” [Santa Fe New Mexican, 05/31/18]
NMFF Received Money From Heyco Energy Group, An Oil And Gas Company. HEYCO Energy Group contributed $2,000 to the New Mexicans for Freedom PAC in 2016. “HEYCO Energy Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries and affiliates, engages in the exploration, exploitation, development, and production of oil and gas in the United States, Europe, and North Africa.”[New Mexicans for Freedom Report of Expenditures and Contributions, 10/03/16, BloombergCompany Overview of HEYCO Energy Group, Inc., accessed 09/09/19]
NMFF Has the Same Address As A Property Owned By A New Mexico State Senator And Has Received Money From A Business He Owns
NMFF Lists Same Address As Property Owned By New Mexico State Senator Cliff Pirtle. “New Mexicans for Freedom lists its address as property owned by state Sen. Cliff Pirtle, a Republican from Roswell. [Santa Fe New Mexican, 05/31/18]
- Pirtle Claimed He “Helps” NMFF But Does Not Run It. “Pirtle said he helps the group but does not run it.” [Santa Fe New Mexican, 05/31/18]
NMFF Received $2,500 From Pirtle Farms, LLLP In August 2018. [New Mexicans for Freedom Report of Expenditures and Contributions, 06/01/18]
Pirtle Is A Partner In Pirtle Farms. “Pirtle has a diploma from Roswell High School, has been married to his high school sweetheart, a hairdresser, for seven years and has a 15-month-old son. He is a fifth-generation farmer in the Pecos Valley and a partner in the family business, Pirtle Farms. The company grows feed for dairies and, in 2006, expanded into the dairy business.” [Albuquerque Journal, 01/17/13]