Spray-painting vandal hits New Mexico GOP headquarters
ALBUQUERQUE - A spray-painting vandal has hit the headquarters of the New Mexico Republican Party, video footage shows.
Surveillance video shows a man tagging the Albuquerque headquarters around 2:30 a.m. Saturday before fleeing in an SUV.
On Monday, Feb. 10, officials discovered that the vandal had painted the words, "still traitors," in front of the building.
New Mexico Republican Party Chairman Steve Pearce said the headquarters has been struck a number of times in recent months and the party has installed cameras.
"I don't think it's an organized effort by any party," Pearce said. "But it has no place here."
He said footage of the vandalism, which shows the man's face, has been handed over the Albuquerque police.
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Democratic Party of New Mexico spokesperson Miranda van Dijk denounced the vandalism and called it sad.
"Our focus as Democrats is to continue engaging in a productive and respectful dialogue about the kind of policies that are going to make a difference in the lives of hardworking New Mexicans, and it's unfortunate when actions like this distract from that conversation," van Dijk said.
In March 2019, the state GOP headquarters was hit by a vandal who spray-painted the word "traitors" on the building. In July 2017, two activists from the group Betsy Riot spray-painted an "A" on the headquarter's sign.
Pearce said he is not worried about the safety of staff or volunteers and takes all threats seriously.
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