State Rep. Bill Rehm (R-Albuquerque) took to the House floor Friday (Jan. 27) and made his first comments since a female guest of his received an eye injury after members of the Occupy movement burst into a dinner hosted by a conservative political organization back on Wednesday night at the Eldorado Hotel in Santa Fe.

Rehm reamed out the hotel staff for what he said was their being most concerned about “clean[ing] the crime scene before police arrived,” inferred that Rep. Brian Egolf (D-Santa Fe) had some idea what the protesters would do and even questioned whether the city of Santa Fe provides a safe enough environment to act as the home of the legislature.

But Rehm saved his harshest words for members of the Occupy movement.

“One attacker was taking crime scene tape and stringing it over the dinner patrons and their chairs,” Rehm said. “At the same time another group of protesters were forcing their way in by a side door. This was not a protest but a well-coordinated, planned assault.”

Rehm then raised some questions about one of his legislative colleagues.

He didn’t mention Egolf by name but every member of the House knew Rehm was talking about the liberal state rep who has often gone on social media outlets promoting “the 99 percent” and spoke at an “Occupy the Roundhouse” demonstration on the opening day of the current 30-day session.

“One member of the legislature was seen meeting with the Occupy persons at the [hotel] bar just prior to dinner but left just prior to the dinner,” Rehm said. “One must ask why. For what purpose was this meeting? Why didn’t they stay for dinner? Did they know a reason why not to stay?”

After Rehm made his remarks, Egolf approached Rehm and they had a somewhat animated conversation at Rehm’s desk on the House floor.

After the House adjourned for the day, Egolf talked to reporters and fired back:

Rehm finished his remarks by asking, “Is Santa Fe a safe setting for the legislature? Or should we seek another city?”

That caused Speaker of the House Ben Luján (D-Nambé) — whose district is in Santa Fe County — to say, “I resent that. The city of Santa Fe is definitely safe.”

Police reports have been filed after Wednesday night’s incident and on the Senate floor Thursday Sen. Bill Payne (R-Albuquerque) called for prosecution of those involved in the outburst.

Click here to get more details of the incident on Wednesday night, including some video of the protest.

Late Friday afternoon, Jeff Haas of Occupy Santa Fe released a statement to the media saying the protesters had been victimized. The news release said in part:

Four women and two men committed to nonviolent civil disobedience interrupted the dinner to hold members accountable for their anti-immigrant, anti-union and anti-environment policies, while Crime Scene tape was dispersed around the tables. Protesters sought to distribute Paper programs parodying ALEC’s agenda. When one was attacked, some programs unintentionally flew from the protester’s hand. The resulting injury was unfortunate, and totally unintended. OSF is glad to hear the victim is recovering. By contrast ALEC members choked two women protesters with their own scarves while simultaneously punching them in the back, one by Representative Kintigh of Roswell. Following them to the sidewalk in front of the restaurant, an ALEC member punched a male protester in the face, and shoved another male protester to the wall in a chokehold. Four security guards from the El Dorado Hotel contained the violent ALEC legislative member. A 68-year-old photographer filed a complaint that night after she was manhandled and injured in an effort to take her camera. ALEC members are attempting to cover up their violent response to the protesters in the El Dorado, deflecting responsibility on protesters, hotel security, and state police. This is a continuation of ALEC’s political maneuvering, one of corruption, dominance, and deceit.

Click here to read the entire news release.