Jacqueline Vigil

It was as smooth as it was divisive when President Trump Wednesday rolled out the placement of 35 federal agents to fight crime in ABQ. (Transcript here.)

The highlighting of the tragic murder of Jacqueline Vigil, the mother of two state police officers who was shot to death earlier this year while in her car on her westside driveway, was especially poignant. The crime shocked the city like few others and the FBI establishing a $25,000 reward Wednesday for information leading to an arrest, was a reminder of the appalling state of crime in the metro. Sam Vigil, the widow of Jacqueline, said at the White House event:

It’s been eight months and there have been no arrests at all, There are other victims in Albuquerque that are in the same boat.

Even though he has now become the target of vitriol from the Democratic Party's left wing, the presence of Bernalillo County Sheriff (and possible 2021 ABQ mayoral hopeful) Manny Gonzales at the White House for the unveiling of "Operation Legend" was also a PR coup. Trump spotlighting himself with an Hispanic Democratic sheriff placed him in a different context--and a more favorable one (although Gonzales sought political cover by rebuking rumors that he had invited the federal agents to ABQ).

Then there was the deployment--35 agents from the many agencies under Homeland Security. While the far left may call that "Gestapo" "Stormtroopers" and worse, for the man in the street it seemed a measured response after the recent uproar in Portland where a federal deployment there raised serious questions.

Then there was the statement from the local FBI, cognizant of the Portland mishap, reassuring the public here that the agents would not be involved in immigration laws or protests but concentrating on violent crime, drugs and firearms activity. The civil liberties watchdogs may doubt it--and that's healthy--but it helps dampen concerns about federal overreach.

Then there's those millions of dollars going to Chicago, Kansas City and ABQ to combat crime as part of Operation Legend. That makes it even more palatable, even as the city complained it has yet to receive $10 million promised by the Feds when they stepped up enforcement here late last year.

But for the not so average voter in the left wing of the Democratic Party Wednesday was apoplectic, with Senator Heinrich getting caught up in the frenzy, labeling the agents "stormtroopers" and making an over the top call for the resignation of Sheriff Gonzales that may be backfiring, especially with Hispanics. Other elected Democratic officials called the agents "Gestapo."

Mayor Keller also strayed from the mainstream, repeatedly calling the agents "secret police" even though they were announced on national TV, hardly a hallmark of secrecy. 

In his longshot campaign for New Mexico's electoral votes, Trump has been citing violent crime in his TV ads. While there's no question this decision Wednesday stiffened the resolve of his opposition, it gave his campaign a window into the world of crime-sickened citizens who don't feel the Gestapo is coming but hopefully some relief--as farfetched as that may be, given a similar "surge" by MLG's State Police into ABQ last year. Most of the arrests did not pan out.

Senator Udall, who is retiring, came with reasoned opposition to the deployment:

We must and will be vigilant about the expansion of ‘Operation Legend.' New Mexico leaders. . . should not tolerate the use of federal forces for political purposes. . . and violate constitutional rights. And we certainly do not need presidential attacks on New Mexico that only inflame tensions in an effort to politicize serious issues like improving community safety, achieving racial justice and better supporting those struggling with addiction. . .I am seeking answers about the exact authorities, missions, duration and conditions attached to this operation. . .and will do everything in my power to protect the constitutional rights and freedom of New Mexicans.

Tom must have forgotten the parts about the Gestapo, Stormtroopers and kicking the Sheriff out of town.

Don't forget. ABQ would not be in the unwanted national crime spotlight and subjected to the President's crime fighting whims if we had done our job and made this a safe and healthy city, instead of the poster boy for violence, mayhem and dysfunction. Parts of the governing political class, so out of sorts over what happened Wednesday and seemingly out of touch when it comes to crime, might want to think about that.

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2020