New Mexico House speaker rejects impeachment push against governor over border troop decision

by Morgan Gstalter - 02/12/19 9:23 PM ET

The Democratic Speaker of the New Mexico House of Representatives said Tuesday there was “no way” he would consider a movement to impeach Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) over her decision to withdraw troops from the southern border.

House Speaker Brian Egolf (D), who holds the authority to launch investigations, said “forget about it” when asked about the petition to initiate impeachment proceedings, The Associated Press reported.

The petition, signed by more than 36,000 people as of Tuesday, calls for Lujan Grisham to be impeached from office on the grounds of “treason.”

Lujan Grisham challenged Trump’s authority when she removed most National Guard members stationed at the New Mexico-Mexico border, according to the online petition.

“By doing so, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has deliberately and recklessly aided our enemies in illegal entry to the state, committing illegal activities and endangering the safety of its citizens,” the Change.org petition by John Daniel states.

Impeachment would require a majority vote from the state’s House members and a two-thirds majority to convict during a subsequent Senate trial, AP noted.

Lujan Grisham, a former U.S. representative, ordered the majority of the New Mexico National Guard troops stationed on the border to be pulled back.

A total of 118 troops were deployed, mostly in a support role to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, a division of the Department of Homeland Security.

Some troops will remain to provide humanitarian aid assistance for migrants and asylum-seekers who have arrived in recent weeks.

“I reject the federal contention that there exists an overwhelming national security crisis at the southern border, along which are some of the safest communities in the country,” said Lujan Grisham in a statement Tuesday. “However, I recognize and appreciate the legitimate concerns of residents and officials in southwestern New Mexico, particularly Hidalgo County, who have asked for our assistance, as migrants and asylum-seekers continue to appear at their doorstep.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) is also preparing a similar move, withdrawing about 260 of the 360 troops at the border.

Lujan Grisham, the state’s first Latina Democratic governor, gave her announcement last week just hours before the president delivered his State of the Union address.

“Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is strategic. It wouldn’t surprise me that she timed this release to send a direct message to the president,” a senior Democratic aide told The Hill.

Tags border security Michelle Lujan Grisham National Guard New Mexico