The "Luevano Incident"

Life for active duty military servants is complicated. The words “permanent” and “residency” can never be used with any certainty.
Consider N.M. House District # 16 candidate Johnny Luevano who just finished a twenty year career in the U.S. Marine Corps. In doing so, he, like all others who serve in the military, essentially surrendered his freedom of movement. It was up to his commanding officers in the Marines to decide where his temporary residences would be. Whenever and wherever the Marines wanted Luevano to go, it was his sworn duty to go there.
Several years ago Luevano could see the end of his military career approaching. Accordingly, he purchased a building lot in House District # 16 in Albuquerque. In recent years, while paying taxes on his permanent residential lot, he made plans to build his post military career residence there. Construction of the new home began in 2011.
Luevano voted his entire active duty career as a New Mexico resident. Recently he was stationed in Tucson, Arizona. On January 1, 2012, Luevano’s retirement from active duty became official. And also early in 2012, the Luevano family began the joyful process of packing their belongings in anticipation of a move to a long awaited and well-deseved permanent residence. As luck would have it, construction and permitting delays at the city of Albuquerque kept the family move to the permanent residence in limbo until March. And then suddenly, all hell broke loose.

Progress Now New Mexico, a partisan radical fringe group made a huge media splash when it falsely accused Luevano of casting his final active duty vote illegally. Preposterously, the progressives demanded a "criminal" investigation.

Johnny Luevano

Since then the smear of this 20 year Marine veteran has been on. And so far there has been little or no recognition of the implications of Luevano’s active duty status in the media. Why would anyone want to smear Luevano and suggest he committed fraud? It is all very simple. He had the gall to run for elected office against one of Progress Now New Mexico’s favorite darlings, Representative Antonio “Moe” Maestas.

For his part Maestas, an attorney, has filed a lawsuit to try to have Luevano removed from the ballot. The hearing is set for April 9th. It is simply amazing to contrast this situation with the recent technical flaws in filing documents submitted by elected officials. If that contrast is not enough, consider the circumstances surrounding the candidates in the recent Sunland Park municipal elections.
With the unemployment rate for returning veterans at somewhere between 20 and 30%, and all of the seemingly heartfelt “Support the Troops” efforts made in our society, the “Luevano Incident” seems to have finally put all sense of shame and decency to rest. What people will do now days to hold on to political power is simply remarkable. American citizens who claim to “Support our Troops” should come from all over the nation and defend the rights of Johnny Luevano to serve his country and when he finishes, run for elected office.

The "Luevano Incident"