WC New Mexico News

House Speaker Brian Egolf has decided that instead of outside clergy, state representatives will now deliver the daily invocation during the legislative session.

This comes on the heels of Lee Moquino, a Native American activist, delivering the opening prayer in which he said lawmakers were standing in "occupied indigenous space" and spoke about protections for Chaco Canyon.

Egolf insists the change in procedure has nothing to do with Moquino's prayer. He said it is instead a resolution to some of the trouble his staff has had scheduling outside clergy to give the invocation. 

“My staff is the one who coordinates who gives the invocation each day,” Egolf told the New Mexico Political Record. “They spent probably an hour and a half, two people, trying to find someone to come in and fill the slot. I just thought, ‘Why are we spending a combined three hours to have someone give a 60-second invocation and paying them on top of that and dedicating a parking space to them?’"

Egolf said feedback that he's received from other members of the House has been positive, reporting they find it more meaningful when one of their colleagues offers a prayer for them.

House Minority Leader Rep. Jim Townsend said he believes political prayer does not belong on the House floor.

"I worked for Speaker Don Tripp, we were required to send a letter out that had information on what was 'allowed,' it was encouraged not to get political. I’m not sure if a similar letter goes out now or not. What was said that day was not acceptable in my mind. A lot of people believe in a higher power, we should not make prayers political in any form, it’s unfortunate that the great divide has reared its ugly head in the House of Representatives," Rep. Gail Armstrong said.

Egolf said the conversation about the origin and cost of the invocation has been going on amongst House leaders for about a year.

The Senate will continue to seek clergy to give the daily invocation.