Organizers of a recall campaign against three Las Cruces city council members are calling for Mayor Ken Miyagishima to recuse himself from discussions about the recall.
The group New Mexicans for a Better Tomorrow issued a statement demanding that the Mayor recuse himself from any discussions relating to its recall effort because of the Mayor’s recent automated phone call asking people not to sign recall petitions.
The recall campaign targets Olga Pedroza, Nathan Small, and Gill Sorg. The three councilors voted against the city’s minimum wage law, with the stated hope that it would be placed on the November ballot. But they were outvoted, and the council this week approved changes to the law proposed by Nathan Small. Small’s measure received support from the other three councilors, Miguel Silva, Ceil Levatino, and Greg Smith…but the Mayor voted against it.
The Mayor tells KRWG News he sent the phone message “because I don't believe this recall is warranted nor the right way to handle disagreements.” He also says he may recuse himself from council discussions about the recall effort, but has not yet decided. The Mayor adds that he will donate money to his campaign fund for the calls. As for the phone numbers targeted, he says the calls used numbers that were identified on voter registration lists.
In a written statement, Jeffrey Isbell of New Mexicans for a Better Tomorrow, said, “As a recall effort, we denounce the intimidation tactics of Mayor Miyagishima and ask for a public apology.”