NM GOP leaders slam Oil and Gas Association

The Albuquerque Journal ^ | August 10, 2020 | Dan McKay

[CedarDave]

SANTA FE – Three of New Mexico’s top Republicans lashed out at the state Oil and Gas Association in an opinion column this week, exposing a rift between two organizations that normally work well together on state energy policies and politics.

The frustration burst into view after the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association’s executive director, Ryan Flynn, described U.S. Rep. Xochitl Torres Small last week as a strong advocate for New Mexico’s energy interests and as someone who has “stood up to those in her party who want to completely ban fracking.”

The favorable comments about the New Mexico Democrat, reported by The Associated Press, drew harsh criticism in a column by state Republican Party Chairman Steve Pearce and the Republican floor leaders in the Legislature, Rep. James Townsend of Artesia and Sen. Stuart Ingle of Portales. The column was published Sunday in the Albuquerque Journal.

The three Republican leaders accused the Oil and Gas Association of acting as a “political weapon” in the race for the 2nd Congressional District – in which Torres Small faces Republican Yvette Herrell, a former state representative – and levied broader attacks on the work of Flynn, the group’s executive director.

In an interview Monday, Pearce, a former U.S. representative who worked in the oil industry, said flatly that the association should fire Flynn and hire someone else. He accused Flynn of falsely painting Torres Small as an ally of oil and gas, and trying to curry favor with people in power.

Robert McEntyre, a spokesman for the Oil and Gas Association, said Monday that Flynn’s comments on Torres Small simply reflected the group’s “experience working with her and her office, and her engagement with the oil and gas industry.”

[CedarDave]

Flynn's a snake and I'm surprised the NMOGA hired him as executive director. He was secretary of the NM Environment Department under former Pub Gov. Susana Martinez. I've never had personal dealings with the man, but a professional associate whose capabilities and credentials are exemplary was treated like a no-nothing consultant hack in a hearing before the man at the NMED. He's best gone.

Also, Ryan's praising Torres Small does nothing to help Herrell in her tight race with Torres Small and undercuts former NM-2 Dem Representative Harry Teague's endorsement of Herrell which is hardly being mentioned in the New Mexico media.

[CedarDave]

NM list PING!

I may not PING for all New Mexico articles. To see New Mexico articles by topic click here: New Mexico Topics

To see NM articles by keyword, click here: New Mexico Keyword

To see the NM Message Page, click here: New Mexico Messages

(The NM list is available on my FR homepage for FR member use; its use in the News Forum should not be for trivial or inconsequential posts. Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from the list.)
(For ABQ Journal articles requiring a subscription, scroll down to the bottom of the page to view the article for free after answering a question or watching a short video commercial.)

[SunkenCiv]

• Teague: Congressional candidate should support NM energy industry (Former Dem Cong. Rep [NM-2] supports Pub candidate)