Around the Roundhouse

A 13th generation New Mexican with a 5-month-old daughter, Juan De Jesus Sanchez III says he’s running for state land commissioner with an eye toward the future. The farmer and conservation advocate who lives in Valencia County was the first candidate to announce an intention to succeed Stephanie Garcia Richard as leader of the State Land Office and he received the most votes from delegates at last month’s Democratic Party of New Mexico’s preprimary convention. He's running in the primary against state Rep. Matthew McQueen of Galisteo and Jonas Moya, a former state director of the Farm Service Agency. In the latest episode of the “Around the Roundhouse” podcast, Sanchez joins Santa Fe New Mexican state politics reporter Daniel J. Chacón to share his background and discuss what his priorities would be if elected to office. Sanchez has spent years working with water as a former natural resource specialist for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and a technical advisor for the New Mexico Acequia Commission. He said he’s “trying to bring more of a long-term vision” to the State Land Office and wants to “protect areas that are sacred and special to us.” Chacón asks Sanchez about his thoughts on greater oversight of leases to private land owners considering Jeffrey Epstein was allowed to lease public land through the State Land Office for grazing purposes until the agency canceled the leases in 2019, when Epstein was indicted in New York and arrested on charges of child sex trafficking. Sanchez, a former political director and deputy campaign manager for U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, speaks about how he plans to balance the pursuit of revenue while considering environmental stewardship. He also talks about wanting to decentralize the State Land Office and ensure there are jobs throughout the state by working with universities to open satellite offices that would allow the department to have employees on the ground across New Mexico.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With 24 years of experience in the FBI and well over 30 years in law enforcement, New Mexico state Rep. Bill Hall has spent much of his life in the pursuit of justice. Now, the retired FBI agent is part his home state’s investigation into criminal acts of abuse that took place at Jeffrey Epstein’s Zorro Ranch south of Santa Fe. In the latest episode of the “Around the Roundhouse” podcast, Hall joins Santa Fe New Mexican senior politics reporter Daniel J. Chacón to offer insight on the progress the so-called Epstein “truth commission” has made thus far, what it’s next steps are and what hurdles the committee faces as it seeks to uncover what happened at Zorro Ranch. One of four members of the bipartisan commission, which was formed during New Mexico’s recent legislative session, Hall said he admires his state for “stepping up” to take on a massive fact-finding mission aimed at pursuing allegations of abuse that were never fully investigated while Epstein was alive. In the episode, Hall address the challenges of investigating such a sprawling case with allegations of criminal activity and corruption that took place many years ago. "This is a big endeavor. I don't know how it'll look over time, but we're willing to take the challenge on,” he said.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury has been a vocal critic of U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and the U.S. Department of Justice over the handling of millions of files related to the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking investigation. This week, she joined U.S. Rep Summer Lee in filing articles of impeachment against Bondi, saying Bondi and the Department of Justice have failed survivors, obstructed justice, lied to the courts, and defied Congress and the law. On Friday, Stansbury spoke with Santa Fe New Mexican politics reporter Daniel J. Chacón about the DOJ’s “complete and total mismanagement” of the Epstein case and what she said is "very truly a cover-up” of information in the case and a failure to prosecute crimes. The New Mexico Democrat said she believes there’s a “complete obstruction of justice in the case” and a continuing effort to shield President Donald Trump, who is named thousands of times in the files. She discusses the Department of Justice’s failure to comply with the Epstein Transparency Files Transparency Act, which was signed into law in November and mandates that the DOJ release all unclassified records regarding Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Stansbury shares why she and fellow Democrats on the House Oversight Committee on Thursday walked out of a closed-door briefing on the Epstein files by Justice Department leaders, saying Bondi refused to commit to honor a subpoena and testify under oath over the Epstein files. Chacón asks Stansbury if we’ll reach a point where Trump is deposed. Noting she supported former President Bill Clinton being deposed, she said “Congress is conducting an investigation into the most extensive sexual criminal enterprise in American history. You don’t get a pass just because you’re a former president or a current president.” Stansbury goes on to describe some of the alleged crimes committed at Epstein’s Zorro Ranch near Stanley, New Mexico. She mentioned a lawsuit filed against Epstein by a man who claimed he was invited to a party at the ranch and was drugged and raped along with other young men. Chacón also asks Stansbury about the Department of Homeland Security partial shutdown and her thoughts on the likelihood of the passage of the SAVE Act.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jonas Moya has a lot of work to do and not a lot of time to do it. Over the weekend, the Democratic Party of New Mexico held its pre-primary convention where party delegates voted to designate candidates for the June ballot. Candidates needed to receive at least 20% of the vote to earn a spot on the ballot. Those who failed to meet the threshold need to submit additional petition signatures by next week to run in the primary. As a Democratic candidate for state land commissioner, Moya received about 7% of the vote at the convention. On Thursday, Moya said he needs about 1,700 more signatures to qualify for the primary. On the latest episode of “Around the Roundhouse,” Santa Fe New Mexican state politics reporter Daniel J. Chacón speaks with Moya about why he’s decided to keep fighting to stay in the race and discuss what his priorities would be if he were to be elected state land commissioner. A fourth-generation rancher from Tucumcari, Moya is a former Joe Biden-appointed state director of the Farm Service Agency. He talks about his experience working in the agency and his other relevant experience. Moya shares what he would focus on if elected, including addressing an incoming “tidal wave” of retirees at the State Land Office, building and diversifying revenue streams, and using state land for affordable housing projects. He also talks about how he would address dumping on state land.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Albuquerque-based radio host Eddy Aragon has spent several years looking into what went on at Jeffrey Epstein’s Zorro Ranch and has received calls from listeners who he says have provided insight about the workings of the property south of Santa Fe. In 2019, Aragon received an anonymous email alleging the bodies of two foreign girls were buried near Epstein’s property. “Both died by strangulation during rough, fetish sex,” the anonymous email said. The writer claimed to be a former staff member at the ranch. Aragon forwarded the email to the FBI, and the email is among the millions of documents released in the Epstein files. Aragon, who hosts “The Rock of Talk” on KIVA 1600 AM, spoke with Santa Fe New Mexican reporter Daniel J. Chacón on the latest episode of the “Around the Roundhouse” podcast to discuss his history with the Epstein case. He talks about how the public’s curiosity spurred his early interest in the case. He also expresses his frustration with the lack of attention Epstein’s wrongdoings received from state officials and the media until the release of the Epstein files. Aragon says he knows who the sender of the anonymous email is and that he relayed that information to an FBI agent. He also claims to know who many of the people who were employed at the ranch were and their relationships with each other. Aragon shares his thoughts on the new Epstein “truth commission” that was formed during the state’s recent 30-day legislative session to investigate what went on with the ranch. “We need to get this stain off of our state of New Mexico,” he said.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An opportunity to connect with survivors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein prior to the State of the Union address Tuesday had a powerful impact on Andrea Romero, a New Mexico state representative who co-sponsored a resolution to create a so-called “truth commission” to investigate Epstein’s activities at Zorro Ranch in southern Santa Fe County. The Santa Fe Democrat, who was a guest of U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury at the State of the Union, shared her experience in the latest episode of the “Around the Roundhouse” podcast, saying the survivors told her that out of Epstein’s operations in various states, “New Mexico was basically the worst.” During the episode, Romero speaks with Santa Fe New Mexican state politics reporter Daniel J. Chacón about the formation of the Epstein “truth commission,” its mission, its members and how it plans to operate as it creates its reports over the next year. “This isn’t about politics, it’s about bringing justice to survivors,” Romero said. Romero also discusses the recently completed legislative session and two pieces of contentious legislation she co-sponsored — the Clear Horizons Act and a bill that would have banned the sale of some “extremely dangerous weapons” in New Mexico. Both bills failed to pass.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2026 30-day legislative session came to a close Thursday with Democrats largely touting it as a success following an overhaul of the state's medical malpractice law, the funding of universal child care and more.  One of the bigger news items to come out of the final full day of the session was an omnibus tax package with 1% raises for state employees. Rep. Derrick Lente and other House Democrats helped get the raises across the finish line after they had been previously removed from the budget in the Senate.  In the latest episode of "Around the Roundhouse," Lente joins Santa Fe New Mexican politics reporter Daniel J. Chacón to talk about how it took a creative solution to reinstate the raises for state employees. Lente, who chairs the House Tax committee, also shares his thoughts on the power of the Senate Finance Committee, which had previously stripped the raises. Chacón also asks Lente about his position on a measure that will go before voters to determine whether state legislators will receive a salary, how he feels about what lawmakers accomplished during the session, and how he decompresses at the end of a session.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With just over a week left in New Mexico’s 30-day legislative session, a handful of bills have been passed and signed into law but there’s still a lot up in the air for lawmakers. Some of the bills passed so far have had bipartisan support, but others have faced strong opposition by the Republican minority in both chambers. In the latest episode of the “Around the Roundhouse” podcast, House Minority Leader Gail Armstrong joins Santa Fe New Mexican state politics reporter Daniel J. Chacón to offer her take on the good, the bad and the ugly of the session so far. The Magdalena Republican starts with sharing her support for the interstate compacts for doctors and social workers, and the medical malpractice reform bill that is still working its way through the Legislature. Armstrong also discusses her opposition to the passage of House Bill 9, a bill to ban local governments in New Mexico from contracting with the federal government to detain undocumented immigrants and others with pending civil immigration cases. She later talks about Senate Bill 17, a gun control bill Republicans have called unconstitutional. Chacón asks Armstrong about Republicans’ hopes of picking up seats in the Legislature in the upcoming election. She discusses what it’s been like being in the minority party, saying “we’re really sick and tired of being pushed around” and that better balance is needed in the Roundhouse. Armstrong ends the podcast by talking about her House district, which is the largest in the state and very rural. “I probably have more cows and elk than I do people. I kind of like it like that,” she says.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Mexico made national headlines last year with Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s announcement that it would be the first state in the country to offer child care to all families at no cost. Elizabeth Groginsky, secretary of the state Early Childhood Education and Care Department, was at the governor’s side during the news conference and has been a key figure in the landmark initiative. In the latest episode of the “Around the Roundhouse” podcast, Groginsky joins Santa Fe New Mexican state politics reporter Daniel J. Chacón to discuss the progress of the program since the September announcement, the national recognition the initiative has received and the challenges ahead. The governor’s push to remove all income limits to the child care assistance program is one of the most discussed issues during the current 30-day legislative session as lawmakers hash out a budget for the coming fiscal year. Groginsky speaks on her department’s desire for fully funding the program and on concerns regarding child care provider capacity. To learn more about applying for universal child care and to access a child care finder, visit https://www.nmececd.org/child-care-assistance/.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cristina Parajón’s first day at the Roundhouse as a lawmaker got off to a bit of an awkward start when the  sergeant-at-arms initially wouldn’t let her in her seat in the House chamber because he thought she looked too young to be a legislator. With some notable early legislative successes, the now 28-year-old is relishing the opportunity to have a seat at the table and is making a name for herself at the Capitol. The Albuquerque Democrat, who is the youngest woman serving in the Legislature, helped pass a bill last year that allows semi-open primaries in New Mexico. It allows voters who don’t state a party affiliation to cast a ballot in a Democratic or Republican primary without changing their registration. In the latest episode of the “Around the Roundhouse” podcast, Parajón joins Santa Fe New Mexican state politics reporter Daniel J. Chacón to discuss her path to the Roundhouse, her early legislative victories and her priorities for the current 30-day session. Born to a Nicaraguan father and a Taiwanese-American mother who are both medical professionals, Parajón took an interest in health care access and housing issues at an early age. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Harvard, a master’s degree in business and economics, and is now in her second year of law school. Parajón was appointed to represent House District 25 in 2023 and won the seat in an election the following year. Chacón asks her about the legislation she’s helped pass thus far and how she views the opportunity to be a voice for younger generations of New Mexicans. Parajón also discusses some of her priorities for the current session, including a constitutional amendment to pay legislators a base salary and a bill that would continue a pet food manufacturer fee that helps fund statewide spay and neuter programs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

During his years serving in the Legislature, state Sen. Jeff Steinborn has championed and passed a wide variety of legislation including the creation of an independent ethics commission, setting campaign contribution limits and banning the storage of high-level nuclear waste in New Mexico. This year, some of the bills Steinborn is working to pass bills involve increasing lobbyist transparency and holding data center microgrids in the state to renewable energy standards. In the latest episode of the “Around the Roundhouse” podcast the Las Cruces Democrat joins Santa Fe New Mexican state politics reporter Daniel J. Chacón to discuss the first week of the 30-day legislative session and offer insight into some of the bills he’s championing. Steinborn, a member of the Legislative Finance Committee, speaks on Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s plan to provide universal child care to New Mexico residents and if he thinks the state can fully fund it. Steinborn also talks about the reintroduction of a lobbyist transparency bill, House Bill 35, that would require lobbyists to report when they lobby on a bill and if they were for it or against it. It would also require reporting if a lobbyist was involved in the creation of a bill prior to a session. In 2025, the lobbyist transparency bill Steinborn co-sponsored passed the Legislature but was vetoed by the governor. Steinborn goes over why the governor said she vetoed the bill and discusses the changed that were made for the new bill. Another major piece of legislation Steinborn is pushing for is a microgrid oversight act that would require new microgrids creating self-generated power to adhere to the same renewable energy mix required of publicly owned utilities. Currently, Steinborn said microgrids that power data centers are not required to generate any power through renewable sources. He said 40 percent of energy generated by public utilities in the state today must come from renewable sources. Steinborn discusses how the proposed legislation could impact Project Jupiter, a massive data center project in Doña Ana County, and other projects in New Mexico.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Residents in communities across New Mexico have felt the impact of a physician shortage that has led to patients facing long wait times and a struggle to schedule appointments. A bipartisan group of state legislators has been working to help improve access to health care through the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, which would allow fully licensed physicians in one member state to obtain licenses more quickly in other member states. State Sen. Linda Trujillo, D-Santa Fe, is a lead on the bill that will be introduced as the 30-day legislative session opens next week. She joins the “Around the Roundhouse” podcast to speak with Santa Fe New Mexican state politics reporter Daniel J. Chacón about the importance of the bill, the changes that have been made since last year, and her level of confidence that the bill will reach the governor’s desk. Trujillo discusses other bills she’s been working on, including legislation that deals with nontraditional health care options being included in health coverage plans, a bill addressing human trafficking and a juvenile justice bill. Chacón asks Trujillo, a member of the Legislative Finance Committee, if she anticipates a battle over child care funding between legislators and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. The LFC’s budget plan that was released last week didn’t fully fund the governor’s free universal child care initiative. Trujillo also talks about how she preps for the legislative session, what the transition has been like going from the House to the Senate, and how her background as superintendent of the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department has helped her now that she’s back in the Legislature.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Mexico’s 30-day legislative session is less than two weeks away and the Legislative Finance Committee just released its budget proposal for fiscal year 2027. The committee’s $11.1 billion spending plan is similar to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s but doesn’t fully fund the governor’s free universal child care initiative. In the latest episode of the “Around the Roundhouse” podcast, Rep. Nathan Small, the LFC chair, joins Santa Fe New Mexican state politics reporter Daniel J. Chacón to discuss the committee’s budget proposal. He delves into how the committee develops its budget recommendations, highlights its priorities, and talks about the key differences between the LFC’s plan and the governor’s. Small, a Democrat from Las Cruces, also discusses his upbringing in El Cerro Mission, his connection with the outdoors, and how he views the responsibility of being the LFC chair. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duke Rodriguez officially launched his candidacy for governor of New Mexico earlier this month by making the announcement in newspaper advertisements across the state. A former state human services Cabinet secretary who is now among New Mexico's most successful cannabis entrepreneurs, Rodriguez is the latest of three Republicans to announce a run for the highest office in the state. In this week’s episode of the “Around the Roundhouse” podcast, Rodriguez joins Santa Fe New Mexican senior state politics reporter Daniel J. Chacón to explain why he has decided to run for governor, respond to questions about his residency in New Mexico and discuss his personal and professional background. Chacón questions Rodriguez on his voting history in New Mexico and Arizona. He also asks Rodriguez if he voted for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, and to share his thoughts on the president’s second term in office. Rodriguez, the president and CEO of the Ultra Health cannabis firm, speaks to what led him to enter the cannabis industry. He also discusses how he plans to finance his campaign with the Republican primary just over five months away.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shel Neymark helped found the Embed Valley Library in Dixon in 1992 and, over the years, has seen it become a cornerstone of the small community. It’s a place to not only check out books, but also serves as a gathering place and a link to connect residents with resources that support their well-being. In the latest episode of “Around the Roundhouse,” Neymark joins Santa Fe New Mexican state government reporter Clara Bates to discuss his continued work to provide New Mexico’s rural libraries with the funding they need to continue their important work. Neymark is director of New Mexico Rural Library Initiative, which advocates on behalf of roughly 60 libraries in small villages and tribal communities throughout the state. He plans to push for $29.5 million in the coming legislative session to fully fund the Rural Library Endowment, which was established with his advocacy in the 2019 session to help keep rural libraries afloat. Neymark says the services rural libraries provide to their communities are more vital than ever amid the recent federal funding cuts. He talks about the limited financial resources libraries are operating with and shares his outlook on the prospects of an increase for the endowment in the upcoming session. Learn more about the New Mexico Rural Library Initiative at www.nmrurallibraryinitiative.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.