OTERO COUNTY, New Mexico — Otero County Commissioner and ‘Cowboys for Trump’ co-founder Couy Griffin was among those assembled on the steps to the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 when a riot broke out that left five people dead. Now, Griffin is vowing to return on inauguration day despite federal officials telling people not to
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SANTA FE, New Mexico — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and state officials on Thursday applauded the success of the Covid-19 vaccination rollout, saying more than 100,000 shots had been administered, but they also warned that cases are still going up. As part of the vaccine effort, the state announced a new website offering data on
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SANTA FE, New Mexico — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham declared a “State of Emergency” on Thursday due to the “threat of riots and insurrection” as federal authorities warn of protests around the country to coincide with the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. The governor’s emergency order allows the call up of the National Guard to
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EL PASO, Texas — El Paso’s new Mayor Oscar Leeser signaled Wednesday night the first major policy shift of his administration from that of his predecessor Dee Margo. Leeser waded into the fray over the Duranguito neighborhood’s inclusion in a proposed downtown historic district, which could impact plans for the arena project championed by Margo.
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EL PASO, Texas — An El Paso man who allegedly posted threats advocating murder and terrorism aimed at government officials on a social media platform favored by the far-right was indicted Wednesday by a federal grand jury. The FBI arrested 49-year-old Michael Reyes last month after discovering the threats posted on the alternative social network
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AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Wednesday declined to join a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general in sending a letter to Acting U.S. Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen condemning the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol and stating such actions cannot be allowed to go unchecked. The letter from the National Attorney
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SANTA FE, New Mexico — New Mexico’s state government would increase general fund spending by 4% and devote new resources to health care and public education amid the coronavirus pandemic, under a detailed budget proposal announced by leading state legislators on Tuesday. The spending plan for the fiscal year starting on July 1, 2021, avoids spending
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LAS CRUCES, New Mexico — With capitols across the country bracing for armed protests, the Doña Ana County sheriff said she has not yet received a “specific threat alert” locally. “I’m concerned that we be on the alert,” said Commissioner Lynn Ellins, who represents west-central Las Cruces. “We have lots of employees in this building
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AUSTIN, Texas — The first day of Texas’ legislative session drew armed pro-Trump protesters to the state Capitol on Tuesday, ABC affiliate KVUE reported. Some of the demonstrators included men carrying long rifles and dressed in combat fatigues, but they were located far beyond the Capitol entrance. The state has not banned guns on Capitol
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ALAMO, Texas — President Donald Trump visited the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas on Tuesday trumpeting one of the pillars of his presidency: his campaign against illegal immigration and building a wall along the southern border. It was Trump’s first time appearing in public since a violent mob of his supporters sieged the nation’s Capitol last
Continue Reading AUSTIN, Texas (KTRK) — Some lawmakers say better medical marijuana programs in the state of Texas make sense as a means to help our economy recover from the pandemic. One advocate says what makes this year different is that there are a lot more lawmakers backing this change. Advocates like Sen. Jose Menendez (D) from
Continue Reading WASHINGTON, DC — Starting this week and running through at least Inauguration Day, armed protests are being planned at all 50 state capitols and at the U.S. Capitol, according to an internal FBI bulletin obtained by ABC News. “Armed protests are being planned at all 50 state capitols from 16 January through at least 20
Continue Reading MENLO PARK, California — Facebook will begin removing all content that mentions the phrase “stop the steal,” the social media giant announced Monday. The tech company said in a blog post that it will ramp up enforcement against the phrase because it was used by those who participated in last week’s riots at the U.S.
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LAS CRUCES, New Mexico – In an exclusive interview on Monday, southern New Mexico’s newly-elected GOP congresswoman told ABC-7 she has no plans to resign from office and will vote against impeaching the president on Wednesday. “I am here to represent the people of New Mexico and I am just going to stay grounded in
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ARLINGTON, Texas — After a rocky start, Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday promised to ramp up Covid-19 vaccinations across Texas. Twenty-eight coronavirus vaccination hubs will receive most of the state’s next shipment of Covid-19 vaccines this week, with 158,825 doses shipping to providers able to manage large-scale efforts as more doses arrive in the state.
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AUSTIN, Texas — Presumptive Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan on Monday detailed what legislating during the coronavirus pandemic may look like this year and how lawmakers plan to balance their agendas with the ongoing public health crisis, saying “we’re gonna take it a day at a time, a week at a time, a month at
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WASHINGTON (AP) – Two Republican senators now say President Donald Trump should resign as support for the drive to impeach him a second time is gaining momentum in his final days in office after the deadly riot at the Capitol by a violent mob of Trump supporters. Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania on Sunday joined
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EL PASO, Texas– As the dust settles at the U.S. Capitol many who were in attendance are now sharing their experiences. An Otero County commissioner who is with the group “Cowboys For Trump” looked back on the day of chaos. “It was surrounded by chants of: ‘This is our house. This is our land. This
Continue Reading BLOG: The Latest on the riots and Congress’ tally of the Electoral College vote WASHINGTON, DC — Congress formally affirmed President-elect Joe Biden’s 2020 victory early Thursday morning, completing a final step in the electoral process after a mob incited by President Donald Trump breached the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday and forced lawmakers to evacuate both the House and Senate
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WASHINGTON, DC — Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz is defending his objection to the Electoral College results as “the right thing to do.” The Texas senator condemned the violence that erupted as supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol in an extraordinary attack over the election outcome. Cruz led the first challenge to
Continue Reading WASHINGTON, DC — President Donald Trump said there would be an “orderly transition on January 20th” after Congress concluded the electoral vote count early Thursday certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s victory hours after he appeared to excuse the violent occupation of the U.S. Capitol by his supporters. Trump acknowledged defeat in the Nov. 3 election for
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WASHINGTON, DC — El Paso Congresswoman Veronica Escobar was among the lawmakers who sheltered in place as a group of violent protesters forced their way into at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday. In an interview with ABC-7 after law enforcement hours later regained control of the Capitol building, Escobar elaborated on what she initially described
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WASHINGTON, DC — While many Americans watched the chaos at the nation’s Capitol unfold from their homes on television or via social media, some El Pasoans were actually there to see it first hand for themselves. Journalist and former ABC-7 reporter Julio Cesar-Chavez was covering the events at the Capitol building for Reuters. As he
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HOUSTON, Texas — Republican former President George W. Bush derided the rioters who forced a shutdown of the House and Senate chambers of the US Capitol on Wednesday, calling the scene “sickening and heartbreaking” in a pointed statement. “This is how election results are disputed in a banana republic — not our democratic republic. I
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EL PASO, Texas – A group calling itself “Stop the Steal” that’s aligned with the group of protesters in Washington held a peaceful protest in San Jacinto Plaza on Wednesday. The group was led by Irene Armendariz, who who ran against U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar during the fall election. The group says they are protesting
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AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Department of Public Safety closed the state Capitol and surrounding grounds Wednesday afternoon after supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., during the certification of President-elect Joe Biden’s victory. An official with the law enforcement agency confirmed the move in a statement to The Texas
Continue Reading SANTA FE, New Mexico — The New Mexico Statehouse was largely evacuated on Wednesday afternoon as hundreds of supporters of President Donald Trump gathered peacefully outside the building and violence broke out in the nation’s Capitol in Washington, D.C. Democratic Speaker Brian Egolf said state police ordered the evacuation of the building that includes the
Continue Reading UPDATE #2: The Associated Press projected Wednesday afternoon that Georgia Democrat Jon Ossoff has won his Senate runoff election. His victory gives Democrats control of the U.S. Senate for the opening of Democrat Joe Biden’s presidency. Democrats needed to win both of Georgia’s Senate runoff elections on Tuesday to claim the Senate majority. The 33-year-old
Continue Reading WASHINGTON, D.C. – Members of the Borderland’s congressional delegation took to social media to describe the lockdown of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday after pro-President Trump protesters clashed with police. U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar tweeted out that she sheltered in place in the Capitol, saying “This is the chaos and lawlessness @realDonaldTrump has created.” I’m
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WASHINGTON, DC — In his first tweet of Wednesday morning, President Donald Trump continued to pressure Vice President Mike Pence to overturn the election — which Pence cannot do, as he has no such unilateral power under congressional rules that govern the count. Trump continued to peddle his claims of election fraud — which have
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