Dem N.M. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's settlement with her alleged sexual assault victim was a lot higher than her campaign initially said

Sarah D | 9:51 AM on October 12, 2021

This past April, Republicans pounced all over Democratic New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham after learning that Grisham had reached a settlement of at least $62,500 with a former male staffer who had accused her of pouring water on his crotch and then grabbing him.

Well, guess what:

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NM Gov Michelle Lujan Grisham was forced to pay an additional $87k to the male staffer who said she grabbed his crotch

$150k total in sex scandal settlement paid by the vulnerable Democrat governor https://t.co/mMCUyRkmHN

— Jesse Hunt (@JJHunt10) October 11, 2021

More from the Albuquerque Journal:

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s campaign paid an additional $87,500 over the past six months as part of a settlement with a former staff member who had accused her of sexual mistreatment during a 2018 meeting, a campaign spokeswoman said Sunday.

The payments, the last of which was made Sept. 29, will be included in a mandatory campaign finance report Lujan Grisham’s reelection campaign will file Monday.

They bring the final dollar amount of the settlement with James Hallinan to $150,000, as the Lujan Grisham campaign previously reported paying $62,500 to a law firm representing Hallinan in an April campaign filing.

…

Meanwhile, the settlement has drawn criticism from state and national Republicans, with the New Mexico GOP describing it as “hush money” paid to a former staffer, and could be used as campaign fodder by Lujan Grisham’s rivals during next year’s gubernatorial race.