[Updated] Lujan Leaves Meeting Because It Was Being Recorded by Tea Party Reps
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The Albuquerque Tea Party has issued an expanded press release regarding their treatment by Speaker Ben Lujan during a committee hearing today. Here is the expanded press release:
ATP Board Members Snubbed at House Committee Meet
For Immediate Release: Two ATP Board Members attending a House Committee on Rules and Order of Business meeting on January 27 as members of the general public were shocked by the treatment they received by House Speaker Ben Lujan.
Gayle Bacon and Pat Morlen were recording the meeting for their own use during a discussion on a resolution that would add video to the audio already streamed from the state House.
During the discussion, Mr. Lujan banged his gavel demanding to know the identities of both Ms. Bacon and Ms. Morlen and who had authorized them to record the meeting.
“I told him I did not remember who said we could record and he said an intelligent person would have written it down,” Morlen said “I then said, ‘Are you insinuating that I am not intelligent?’ Mr. Lujan then demanded to know what party I represented and I said none. He then demanded what campaign I represented, and again I said none.”
Mr. Lujan continued to demand who they represented. Ms. Morlen stated she was representing the citizens of NM, the Albuquerque Tea Party, and all the state Tea Parties. At that point Mr. Lujan got up and left the room.
The Albuquerque Tea Party is not a political action committee and is simply an organization for education and information. The board members were at the legislative session to gather information on the legislative process.
Although the two ATP board members had neglected to receive approval to record the meeting prior to the confrontation, no members of the committee had objected prior to Mr. Lujan. Committee Chairman Nick Salazar later granted permission for the board members to record the proceedings at the request of Representative Kathy McCoy as required in section 9-5-7 of the House Rules.
Ms. Morlen also said that Representative Elias Barela stated later in the meeting that the two board members deserved an apology.
The Rules committee decided to table discussion of the streaming video resolution until Friday.
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Posted under News.
Tags: Albuquerque Tea Party, Ben Lujan
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8:02 pm on January 28th, 2010
Maybe they should have tried to bug his office or shut down his phone service instead. That’s conservative journalism, right?
10:28 pm on January 28th, 2010
Full transparency and disclosure of our state’s legislative process is the right of every New Mexican. The Tea Party fully supports this and advocates that everyone be correctly informed. Afterall, don’t politicians work for us? It seems that many politicians, including Mr. Lujan, have forgotten this simple fact! Let their elitism and arrogance be revealed!
12:21 am on January 29th, 2010
The Tea Party is a bright light that makes the cockroaches scurry when the rocks get turned over. The problem is that there are so many rocks and so many cockroaches in New Mexico right now. The progressives are trying very hard to turn off the lights.
Benny – 277 days until the next election! Tick, tick, tick…
1:44 am on January 29th, 2010
Classic, liberal, ad hominem attack. When you start name calling,
we know you have no argument!
10:33 am on January 29th, 2010
I have deleted a comment from Richard because it used a disgusting, salacious term to ridicule the parents, children, veterans, and other Americans who are participating in the Tea Party movement. Richard is welcome to repost minus the sexual trash-talking.
6:21 pm on January 29th, 2010
Well, at least leave up that post where Richard makes an idiot out of himself by thinking that James O’Keefe tried to bug somebody’s office. The poor sap believes everything that he reads in the Washington Post.
6:41 pm on January 29th, 2010
Jim Scanantino,
Bravo for your refusal to allow a Leftist vulgar sexual slur to denote the Tea Party!
6:53 pm on January 29th, 2010
Just on more example of a witless politician. He does more damage to his image by walking out than he ever would by contradicting himself, or giving others ammunition with which to attack him later. The rules are changing, and they are clinging to the old ways, to their own detriment.
7:28 pm on January 29th, 2010
Richard also seems to be unaware ( probably not, though) that all the allegations of wire tapping, etc by James O’Keefe of Landreau’s office have been retracted. There was no such attempt.
Rick
8:14 pm on January 29th, 2010
“Maybe they should have tried to bug his office or shut down his phone service instead. That’s conservative journalism, right?”
Hey Richard, I have an idea, why don’t you lie about what happened with James O’Keefe and bring up something totally irrelevant to the discussion at the same time. Oh, wait, you already did. My bad.
9:04 pm on January 29th, 2010
maybe we should have recorded a few of the previous sessions as well….
9:15 pm on January 29th, 2010
Sometimes I’m awfully slow, but it finally sunk in to me that Speaker Lujan’s actions made a point I should have thought of a long time ago. My thought is that whenever an elected official in an open meeting where the public is welcome to attend objects to having their comments recorded or video streamed is hiding something from the citizens who put them there.
I don’t know why it took me this long to figure it out, but thanks to your website I finally got it! Bravo, ATP, and stay dilligent.
Ken in CA
9:32 pm on January 29th, 2010
Godspeed and God Bless!
9:42 pm on January 29th, 2010
Is Richard what is known as a Troll? Or, do you think he is honestly stupid?
9:43 pm on January 29th, 2010
Good work, citizens of New Mexico! Citizens of every State in the Nation are taking note of your past and present behavior. I am a resident of NJ. Good article here.
10:22 pm on January 29th, 2010
Sounds like someone has a lot to hide. Mark: Do a little research before you smother with your head up your butt. Us EMT hate the removal process.
11:54 pm on January 29th, 2010
He probably had a secret meeting to go to. Lujuan should be watched and recorded everywhere he goes. I don’t trust this guy.
12:24 am on February 3rd, 2010
That’s one Lujan on the New Mexico level that needs to lose himself and one on the U.S. level that should follow his father.
9:31 am on February 3rd, 2010
Ah yes, in the light of day our politicans start to run. It is refreshing to see the New Mexico taxpayer finally represented. One can only hope that the “intelligent” voter will soon rectify the problem.
3:53 pm on February 9th, 2010
I am with the East Mt Tea Party and we want to let every district in NM know how their representatives and senators acted during this session. Gail Chasey’s office hanging up on callers re HB123? We will let the voters know. We are going to make flyers and distribute them at willing businesses in the area. This is definitely one for the flyers. Any other suggestions are welcomed.
12:37 am on February 12th, 2010
I would (and will) like to thank Elias Barela for his actions. Even if we don’t all agree we can at least be civil. If not, things will get even uglier than they are now.