The group New Mexicans for a Better Tomorrow is currently working on an effort to recall city councilors Gill Sorg, Nathan Small, and Olga Pedroza. Another group of citizens is working to counteract their efforts.
George Griffin, a resident of District four, recently received a phone call from the group New Mexicans for a Better Tomorrow.
“It was a phone call from Washington D.C.,” Griffin said. “At least the area code Washington D.C. And the statement was ‘Nathan lives on a street that was recently paved, what about you? Isn't something wrong with that?’ And I’m thinking, What!”
Griffin said he hasn’t seen any of the misconduct that the group is alleging, and that so far Nathan Small has done a good job representing his district.
“I don’t necessarily always agree with everything he says,” Griffin said. “But, I have confidence that he is going to represent my basic values and he is going to do that with integrity, He’s done it so far.”
District 5 resident Violet Cauthon says that Jeffery Isbell, the campaign organizer, running the effort isn’t even from Las Cruces.
“This person came into Las Cruces not knowing this community at all,” Cauthon said. “He is just a hired hand. And the people who elected our councilor’s, our neighbors, and friends who live in the district, want good councilor’s to serve.”
She says that over 90% of the money contributed to New Mexicans for a Better Tomorrow has come from 7 people, who don’t live in the city of Las Cruces, and over 100 other contributors are unnamed. She says that the motivation for the effort is political.
“I think it’s a much stronger agenda behind it,” Cauthon said. “That we will get rid of the councilors that don’t vote the way we want, and we’ll put someone in who is much more compliant.”
Jeffery Isbell, campaign organizer of New Mexicans for a better tomorrow said this anti-recall group is following the lead of the quote “Liberal Media” in discouraging participation in the public process. He said in an email response,
“We look forward to a greater dialogue on how we can move our city forward with non-partisan representation for all citizens, not a few radical special interest groups. We continue with our signature collection efforts to force a special election for Nathan Small, Olga Pedroza, and Gill Sorg and are gaining momentum as we take our message to the voters." Isbell said.
