Lujan Grisham says she regrets food, alcohol spending

Feb. 20—Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said she "dropped the ball" when it came to finding a way to use some of her contingency funds to pay for food for needy children or those hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Instead, she found herself dealing with "bad press," as she put it during a virtual news conference with reporters Friday, after it was discovered she had spent some $6,500 on groceries and alcohol while holding small in-person meetings at the governor's mansion.

The spending drew the scrutiny of media and the ire of some Republican lawmakers, who said the governor should not have been engaging in such expenditures and social events when so many New Mexicans were struggling to make ends meet.

Receipts show more than $6,500 was spent on groceries — from Wagyu beef and tuna steaks to several purchases of bottles of tequila, vodka, gin, wine and beer.

Tripp Stelnicki, a spokesman for the governor, said this week the goods were not just for Lujan Grisham but for members of her staff, including her security detail, as well as for visitors.

Lujan Grisham said Friday she knew the purchases didn't look good.

"When people are struggling, should it be fair that residents [of the governor's mansion] literally have a locked-up grocery store closet ... that has libations and catering stuff and food?" the governor said.

"I don't want New Mexicans to feel like I don't take seriously their hardship," she said.

She said she thought it was appropriate for her to invite people who worked to curb the spread of the pandemic to her residence to "celebrate our success when we're ready."

Lujan Grisham said she had previously looked into whether she could buy prepackaged food and donate it to Boys and Girls clubs or to front-line workers battling the virus.

"Let's take that routine grocery store purchasing that happened and let's get it out and feed people in a way that I can in this pandemic," she said. "I regret that I didn't push harder to make that happen."

Lujan Grisham said she was told her plan would violate the state's anti-donation clause. She said she should have asked for a "secondary financial review" of that clause to see if her plan was possible.

She said she wanted to "find a way to let people know that I care about them. I do."

She said she did not make the grocery and alcohol purchases herself. Rather, she said, a staff member, whom she described as a "woman who works here [who] is a rock star," did so.

Regarding the bad press, Lujan Grisham — known for having a sense of humor — said, "I'm thick-skinned. Apparently with all my eating, it's just getting thicker."

Speaking to reporters during the governor's news conference — which covered topics such as this year's legislative session and her proposed budget for the coming year — Lujan Grisham said, "Even when you're mean to me, I expect you ... to do your job."

"I understand that you have to do a job. And when you do, you create more trust and credibility in elected leaders," she said.

Lujan Grisham also told the media she wanted them to stop sending a drone over her mansion to capture images of her in her pajamas.

"If it's one of you guys flying or driving a drone around my residence trying to get a photo of me in my Target pajamas ... just ask me. I'll send you a photo," she said. "For the love of God ... it's not a good look."