New Mexico secretary of state condemns removal of federal election commissioners
New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver condemned the Trump administration's removal of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission's members, citing threats to public confidence in elections. Separately, the New Mexico Environment Department is holding a hearing for an air quality permit for the Project Jupiter data center, prompted by public interest and allegations of misuse of names in supportive comments.
New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver criticized the Trump administration's decision to remove the remaining members of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), leaving all four seats vacant. She described the action as reckless and potentially harmful to public confidence in upcoming elections, emphasizing the EAC's role in supporting secure elections, developing voting-system guidelines, and accrediting testing laboratories.
The three departed commissioners, confirmed unanimously by the Senate, included one Republican who resigned and two Democrats who were fired. A White House official defended the removals, citing presidential authority over independent federal agencies to align with election-security priorities. Toulouse Oliver affirmed New Mexico election officials' commitment to conducting the November midterm elections securely despite the federal disruption, encouraging residents to rely on the Secretary of State's website for voter information.
In a separate development, the New Mexico Environment Department has scheduled a public hearing for an air quality permit application for the Project Jupiter data center. This hearing follows significant public interest and concerns, including allegations that supportive public comments were submitted using the names of residents and elected officials without their consent.