The following is a statement from Javier Gonzales, Chairman of the Democratic Party of New Mexico, on the political cartoon published in today's Roswell Daily Record.

"Keith Bell's political cartoon that ran in today's Roswell Daily Record clearly plays in to a racist stereotype which is offensive to anyone of Hispanic heritage. The Roswell Daily Record and Keith Bell must issue an apology for the racist cartoon."

"As I have said before, the President understands that solving the immigration crisis requires not only a comprehensive approach which includes increased border security, but also a recognition of the millions of immigrants in the United States contributing daily to our economy. We must have a frank discussion to solve this problem and this racist cartoon is an example of divisive and vitriolic politics too often used by Susana Martinez and the Republican Party."  

The cartoon is included below:

(ALBUQUERQUE) -- The following is a statement from DPNM Chairman Javier Gonzales on President Obama's immigration announcement:

"This is yet another example of President Obama demonstrating strong leadership by taking on an important issue that other leaders have frankly been too timid to take on. The President understands that solving the immigration crisis requires not only a comprehensive approach that includes increased border security but also a recognition that there are millions of immigrants in the United States contributing to our economy."

Check out some of the highlights from the speech:

Fixing America’s Broken Immigration System and Protecting Americans at the Gas Station

·         As President Obama said, immigration reform is an economic necessity – that’s why so many businesses and leaders from both ends of the ideological spectrum are calling for reform.

·         President Obama believes we have to reform our immigration system so that we as a country live up to our values and our heritage as a country of immigrants and a country of laws.

·         We have to fix our current system.  Millions of people are living in the shadows and are vulnerable to businesses that avoid taxes, pay less than the minimum wage, or take risks with their employees’ health and safety.  In addition, businesses that follow the rules and Americans that correctly ask for the minimum wage or overtime or a safe place to work are at an unfair disadvantage under the current system.

·         Reforming our current system will do away with a huge underground economy that takes advantage of a cheap source of labor while pushing down wages for everyone else – in the end, reform will strengthen the middle class.

·         In the recent past, the biggest obstacles to reform were questions about border security.  During the last two years, President Obama has answered those concerns by increasing border security more than many believed was possible.  He has dedicated unprecedented resources to America’s borders, put in place smarter and more strategic interior and worksite enforcement standards, and improved America’s legal immigration system.

·         Those efforts have yielded real results.  There are twice as many border patrol agents today as in 2004.  And this Administration has deployed unmanned aerial vehicles to patrol the border from Texas to California.

·         For the first time, America is screening 100 percent of southbound rail shipments – seizing guns and money that are headed south even while going after drugs headed north.

·         Although there is no single, easy answer for addressing increased gas prices in the short term, there are things we can do to guarantee that Americans aren’t victims of escalating gas prices in the long term.

·         One of those things is ending $4 billion in unnecessary tax breaks for oil and gas companies and instead investing that revenue in shrinking the deficit as well as in clean energy research and development that will create jobs and end America’s reliance on foreign oil.

·         America has to make smart investments in a more energy independent economy.  Those investments will make our economy stronger, create 21^st century industries and jobs, and reduce America’s reliance on an always changing oil market. 

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Report Debunks New Mexico Congressman Pearce's Claims About Protection for Rare Lizard

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— A Center for Biological Diversity report on oil and gas leasing released today debunks claims by Rep. Steve Pearce (R-N.M.) that protection for the dunes sagebrush lizard will jeopardize “most of the oil and gas jobs in southeast New Mexico.” The Center’s analysis of U.S. Bureau of Land Management data finds that protecting the lizard would affect less than 1 percent of public lands where drilling was proposed in 2010 and 2011.

“Representative Pearce’s outlandish claim that the dunes sagebrush lizard will be a huge job-killer for the oil and gas industry simply isn’t backed up by the facts,” said Jay Lininger, an ecologist with the Center and author of the report. “This endangered animal occupies a fraction of the public lands proposed for oil and gas drilling. Even where the lizard lives, drilling can go forward in almost every instance.”

Today’s report analyzes oil and gas areas proposed for leasing in 2010 and 2011 by BLM field offices in Carlsbad and Roswell.

In 2010 and the first half of 2011, the BLM offered 52,874 acres for lease in southeast New Mexico. Only 2,920 of those acres (5.5 percent) were identified by the BLM as habitat for the lizard. The agency determined that drilling could go forward on all 2,920 acres subject to conditions intended to protect habitat.

For the second half of 2011, the BLM has proposed 22,383 acres for possible leasing. At most, 3,484 acres may be habitat for the lizard, according to the BLM. Of those, the agency will allow drilling on 2,924 acres and defer leasing on just 560 acres — which is less than 1 percent of all areas proposed for drilling since January 2010.

“Pearce misleads the public about environmental policy in service to the fossil fuel industry,” Lininger said. “He can make up whatever he likes, but it just makes him look foolish.”

Pearce accepted nearly $1.2 million in campaign contributions from oil and gas interests. 

Today’s report bolsters U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service statements that protection of the dunes sagebrush lizard “would not imperil jobs” and that “there’s just no data to support” Pearce’s claims.

Similarly, officials with New Mexico’s state forestry division have stated that Pearce's claims that legal protections for the spotted owl caused the decline of the timber industry were “incorrect and oversimplified.”

The dunes sagebrush lizard has the second smallest range of any North American lizard, living only in southeast New Mexico and western Texas on sand dunes covered by shinnery oak. The lizard’s dunes habitat has long been in decline.

The Center for Biological Diversity first petitioned for the lizard’s protection in 2002. In December 2010, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed protecting the lizard under the Endangered Species Act.

Protection for the lizard is unlikely to imperil jobs because the Fish and Wildlife Service, which is charged with protecting endangered species, almost never halts development projects altogether. Rather, the agency requires reasonable modification or mitigation ensuring that species aren’t driven extinct and that the environment receives some protection.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Scott Forrester

April 13, 2011 505-934-5681

Martinez wrongly dismantled state labor board, court rules.

(ALBUQUERQUE) -- The following is a statement from Democratic Party of New Mexico Chairman Javier Gonzales upon the news today that Governor Martinez's firing of Public Employee Labor Relations Board members was ruled unconstitutional by the State Supreme Court.

"In barely more than 100 days in office Susana Martinez has yet again lost in the state supreme court for overstepping her authority," said DPNM Chairman Javier Gonzales. "First she was caught making a back-room deal with lobbyists to weaken clean-water protections, now she has been soundly rebuked for attempting to take away employees' rights by dismantling the board assigned to hear worker complaints. Clearly Governor Martinez has a troubling agenda and it appears she is willing to run afoul of state law to do it."

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