Bill Sharer, Senate Republican Leader, said that the New Mexico Senate Ethics Committee's decision to clear Senator Mimi Stewart of verbal abuse allegations reveals a partisan reluctance among Democratic lawmakers to enforce their own anti-harassment policies.
"Democrats on the Senate Ethics Committee have made it clear: abusive behavior by Democratic Senators toward staff is perfectly acceptable under their ‘so-called' anti-harassment rules," said William "Bill" E. Sharer, Ranking Member. "Perhaps New Mexicans won't be surprised that the same Democrat lawmakers who fail to hold criminals accountable also refused to hold Senator Stewart responsible for her verbal abuse of a legislative staff member. Their decision disregarded the recommendation of the special counsel, an experienced labor attorney who investigated the matter thoroughly and recommended that the committee find that Senator Stewart violated the policy."
The August 2025 statement from Senator Sharer follows the Senate Ethics Committee’s decision to dismiss a complaint of verbal abuse against Senator Stewart. The incident reportedly involved Stewart berating a legislative staff member in 2024. According to KRQE News, a special counsel hired to investigate the complaint recommended that Stewart be found in violation of the Legislature's anti-harassment policy, but the committee ultimately voted not to take disciplinary action.
New Mexico’s legislative anti-harassment policy, adopted in 2019, requires lawmakers to uphold professional conduct standards and prohibits intimidation or verbal abuse of staff. The policy outlines a multi-step investigation process, including independent counsel review and confidential committee hearings. Despite the policy's intent, lawmakers are not subject to automatic consequences, leaving disciplinary decisions to politically composed committees, as noted by the New Mexico Legislature’s official guidelines.
Special counsel Thomas Hnasko, a seasoned labor attorney based in Santa Fe, was appointed to review the allegations against Senator Stewart. Hnasko concluded that Stewart’s conduct during the incident "was inconsistent with the Legislature’s policy" and recommended that the Ethics Committee issue a finding of violation. Nonetheless, according to KRQE News, the committee made up of members from both parties ultimately voted along party lines to dismiss the recommendation.
Sharer has represented District 1 (Farmington) in the New Mexico Senate since 2001. A longtime Republican lawmaker, he has held leadership roles and is known for his outspoken positions on ethical governance and conservative policy issues.
