In a rare instance of bipartisanship, two state senators crossed the aisle to pursue legal action against Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham over what the pair asserts is the spending of federal money without legislators’ input.
KOB4 reported that Sens. Jacob Candelaria (D-Albuquerque) and Greg Baca (R-Bernalillo) have filed a suit against Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for her spending of the federal American Recovery Plan Act funds.
"The senators (Dem and Republican) are petitioning the New Mexico Supreme Court to halt the governor's spending, alleging it is unconstitutional without legislative authorization," New Mexico Rep. Stefani Lord (R-Sandia Park) tweeted on Sept. 21.
Candelaria and Baca hope the state Supreme Court would put the brakes on Lujan Grisham’s spending, which has crossed the $600 million threshold, according to KOB4.
New Mexico has received $1.75 billion in ARPA funding, KOB reported.
The senators believe that the governor, a Democrat, may have run afoul of the state constitution and a state law requiring general fund expenditures to garner legislative approval.
KOB4 reported that state lawmakers voted to move the money to a contingency fund, but the governor vetoed the measure on grounds the legislature had no authority to dictate how she should spend the money.