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Submission Deadline 11:59 PM Sunday Night
email [email protected] with your submission
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“For all its imperfections, America is still the beacon to the world,
an ideal to be realized, a promise to be kept.” President Joseph Biden
| Democratic Party of Torrance County Newsletter April 3, 2023 | |
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Hello Fellow Democrats!
March 30, 2023 was a sad day for our country. Even though many of us had been awaiting a confirmation that in this country no person is above the law, the realization that a person who was elected as the leader of our nation had been charged with criminal behavior and would face prosecution is an embarrassment to our nation. And sadly, this won’t be the last of the charges the former President will face. I am convinced that the investigations and grand juries in both Georgia and being conducted by the Department of Justice will lead to additional criminal charges.
I would have preferred, like many others, that either the Georgia investigation into the former President’s illegal attempts to overturn the 2020 election or one of the DOJ investigations either into January 6th or the classified document scandal would have been brought first, but the fact of the matter is the Manhattan case had been initiated earlier and was ready to go.
The charges in the Manhattan case won’t be certain until the arraignment which I understand is being scheduled for Tuesday (tomorrow). I suspect there will be multiple counts of false recording of business transactions and violations of campaign finance laws. The underlying legal theory is that this man committed fraud. Not surprising given his history. This will be a long, drawn-out fight which no doubt will see multiple appeals, but my sense of it is there is a strong criminal case. The former President’s multiple, flip-flopping statements on the hush money payment(s) will be key evidence in the trial, if they are allowed into evidence by the Court.
All of this will be front page news for months/years to come, but the real concern for our country is how did we get here. How can we, in this country, where we have constant news coverage, elect a known flim-flam man president? And how can this same con-artist and scofflaw continue to be supported by a majority of Republicans in America? How can an average, every day Joe or Jane in our country believe that this guy is like them - represents their values – is in any way concerned about the issues that they experience on a day to day basis?
I don’t understand it, but I know this – It’s a sad day for our country.
Dennis
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From US Rep. Melanie Stansbury | |
Recruiting high school and college students to be Stansbury Scholars in the National Democracy Summer School
Rep. Melanie Stansbury's campaign will be participating as an affiliate in the 2023 National Democracy Summer School! This one-of-a-kind Democratic program—founded by Congressman Jamie Raskin and expanded across the country in an historic partnership with the DCCC—is dedicated to training and educating the next generation of political activists and visionary leaders.
This virtual six-week program will take place from Monday, June 26, 2023 - Monday, August 7, 2023 and requires a commitment of about 4 hours per week. We will host live educational sessions with unmatched leaders and facilitate in-depth discussions and activities over Zoom.
Past Democracy Summer School speakers have included House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Professor Laurence Tribe, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, Rep. John Lewis and Civil Rights leaders Bob Moses and Rev. William J. Barber II.
Finally, Stansbury Scholars will also host at least one voter registration or voter education event in collaboration with other participants and under the guidance of program staff. More information is available at dccc.org/democracysummer
Please share this information with high school and college students!
Applications are due by April 14. For more information contact Donna Lockner at [email protected].
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Commission and Council Meetings | |
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Torrance County Commission
Meeting April 12, 2023, 9 AM
205 S. Ninth Street, Estancia, NM
meeting is available via Zoom
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Moriarty
City Council
2nd & 4th Wednesday
Moriarty Civic Center
201 Broadway Street
7:30 PM
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Estancia
Board of Trustees
1st & 3rd Monday
Estancia Town Hall
513 Williams Avenue
6:15 PM
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Mountainair
City Council
1st & 3rd Tuesday
Council Meeting Room
107 1/2 N. Roosevelt
5:30 PM
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Meet Our New Vice Chair - Ann Schropp
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My husband, Sam, and I moved here in 2016 from the VERY red state of Utah to the blue state of New Mexico. We were unaware of the political “color” of Torrance County. We quickly became aware. But for the first few years here, we pretty much kept our heads down and worked our new land. It needed a lot of work.
I have ancestors who fought fascism in World Wars I and/or II. I’m sure many of you do, as well. As I have watched events unfold in the past 6 or 7 years, and in particular, the events of January 6, 2021, I realized that this, right here, right now, is our war against fascism and Nazism. Sam and I began attending DPTC meetings and volunteering to build and run a float in the county parades and help set up and run booths at community events. As I worked campaigns last summer and fall, I began to suspect that there are a lot more Democrats in this county than voter rolls indicate. I also found that there are plenty of Republicans who are not happy with the current state of their party. There are also an awful lot of citizens who have simply given up, believing that they have no voice. I want to give them their voice back. I believe that the Democratic Party of Torrance County can be instrumental in doing that. It takes work. More work than I did last year with booths, parades, and putting up campaign signs. But I just had a complete overhaul of my lower spine, so I should be good for at least another hundred thousand miles. This is a war for democracy, and it is one we MUST win. While there are extremists with whom no reasonable conversation can be achieved, I believe that civil discourse is not utterly dead. If we are to have a prayer of turning things around (in Torrance county and the rest of the US) we cannot allow those who would destroy democracy continue to divide the nation into “us” and “them”. Your new DEMOCRATIC COUNTY COMMISSIONER, Sam Schropp and I have some plans for the next two years, but I am eager to hear ideas to move this forward. Contact me through the Blue Beacon. I am honored to serve the Democratic Party and the citizens of Torrance County as the vice-chair of the DPTC, but this is going to take a true ‘grassroots effort’ from everyone.
Ann Schropp
Vice Chair, DPTC
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A Few Words From our Commissioner | |
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Our form of government requires the participation of its citizens.
We all talk about transparency in government and transparency in the process, but all the laws in the world do no good if people aren't paying attention. I appreciate the effort people are making to come to the County Commission meetings both in person and via Zoom. There are more people attending the meetings now and paying attention to the workings of the county government.
I would like everyone to become more involved in shaping policy, especially road policy. Please bring specific problem spots on your roads to the attention of the commissioners and the road department during public comment
Samuel D. Schropp
Torrance County Commissioner District 3
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CLEAN UP WEEK!
MORIARTY CITY CLEAN UP DAYS
TUESDAY, APRIL 18 - SUNDAY, APRIL 23
Please Bring Water Bill & Driver’s License for proof of residency.
(You must live inside The Moriarty City Limits)
The city will provide roll-off trash dumpsters for Moriarty City Residents free of charge located at 400 Saiz Drive at the City Public Works Department.
You can also dispose of large nonfunctioning items such as appliances furniture, and other items.
***NO HAZARDOUS MATERIALS***
We CANNOT accept: Batteries, Chemicals or oils, Automobiles, Tires.
YOUTH AND NON PROFIT GROUPS ARE ENCOURAGED TO VOLUNTEER TO CLEAN UP DESIGNATED AREAS.
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ESTANCIA TOWN CLEAN UP
Town Clean up on the weekend of April 22,23. Residents will receive a pre-paid ticket, good for one 5 cubic yard load, in their April water utility bill that they can use that weekend. This card can only be used once and if lost will not be replaced.
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Your Democratic Party of Torrance County Executive Committee | |
DPTC Chair - Dennis Wallin – [email protected]
DPTC Vice Chair - Ann Schropp – [email protected]
DPTC Secretary - Millie Peifer – [email protected]
DPTC Treasurer - Bill Peifer – [email protected]
Ward Chairs
DPTC Ward A (Pcts 1,2,7,14 & 16) – Scott Corwin –505-985-8575 [email protected]
DPTC Ward B (Pcts 5,13,17, 20 & 21) – Vacant
DPTC Ward C (Pcts 3,4,8,9,10,11 & 12) – Jason Quintana – [email protected]
DPTC Ward D (Pcts 6,15,18,19 & 22) – Bill Peifer – [email protected]
Don't know your precinct? Click here.
Democratic Party of Torrance County Website: DPTC-NM.org
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Please DONATE to the
Democratic Party of Torrance County!
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OR
You can mail a check to:
Democratic Party of Torrance County
PO Box 2206, Moriarty NM 87035
(make check payable to Democratic Party of Torrance County)
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