Republican staff in the Roundhouse sent an email to reporters Friday claiming Rep. Brian Egolf, D-Santa Fe, verbally accosted fellow lawmaker, Rep. James Strickler, R-San Juan, "screaming the F-bomb, G--D----, and other obscenities, attracting attention from the offices."---
But Egolf calls the quotes attributed to him in the statement "not accurate," adding that he and House Minority Leader Donald Bratton, R-Hobbs, "both agree that the release should not have gone out."
Paige McKenzie, the GOP staffer who sent out the email, was not available for immediate comment. The release says Egolf, the chair of the House Energy Committee, was angered because Republican members of the committee left before they could vote on two memorials.
Egolf acknowledges he raised his voice and says he's apologized.
It's a sign of the tension that can arise in the Roundhouse as the deadline to pass bills to Gov. Susana Martinez' desk approaches fast. Along with passing a budget, lawmakers are considering proposals to increase the minimum wage statewide and attempting to fix financial woes of the lottery scholarship program, among other issues. They have until Feb. 20 at noon to send bills to Gov. Susana Martinez' desk.
