Ask A Genius 1490: Failed GOP Candidate Sentenced to 80 Years for Political Drive-By Shootings
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): Ask A Genius
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2025/08/13
Scott Douglas Jacobsen and Rick Rosner talk about Solomon Peña, a failed Republican candidate in New Mexico, has been sentenced to 80 years in federal prison for orchestrating drive-by shootings at the homes and offices of Democratic officials following his 2022 election loss. Motivated by false election fraud claims, Peña recruited Jose and Demetrio Trujillo to target two county commissioners and two state legislators, including the House speaker. One attack endangered a state senator’s 10-year-old daughter when bullets struck her bedroom. Convicted on 13 felony counts, including conspiracy and weapons violations, Peña will also serve three years’ supervised release. His legal team intends to appeal the conviction and sentence.
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: A failed Republican candidate has been sentenced to eighty years in prison for orchestrating drive-by shootings at the homes of Democratic officials.
Solomon Peña, who lost his 2022 bid for a New Mexico state House seat, received an 80-year federal prison sentence for organizing shootings at the homes and offices of four Democratic officials following his defeat. Peña was convicted earlier this year on 13 felony counts, including conspiracy, weapons violations, solicitation to commit violence, intimidation, and interference with federally protected activities. Prosecutors said he was motivated by false conspiracy theories that the election was stolen.
Between December 2022 and January 2023, Peña recruited Jose and Demetrio Trujillo to carry out multiple drive-by shootings targeting two county commissioners and two state legislators, including the current state House speaker. No one was physically injured, though bullets did strike the bedroom of a state senator’s 10-year-old daughter.
In one attack, Peña personally participated and even used an AR-15, though it malfunctioned. After his conviction, prosecutors sought a 90-year sentence; the court imposed 80 years and added three years of supervised release, plus restitution and a $250,000 fine. Peña’s lawyers plan to appeal.
Rick Rosner: These convictions reflect the broader trend of increasing politically motivated violence and threats against public officials, exacerbated by unfounded election fraud claims following the 2020 presidential election. He has a propagandistic, racist agenda.
Jacobsen: Trump can only deploy the National Guard for thirty days without Congress’s permission.
Rosner: I am not certain if that requires approval from both the House and the Senate, but Republicans control both chambers. They have shown they will support Trump’s directives, and with only narrow majorities in each chamber, it is unlikely enough Republicans would break ranks to block him. They will likely vote to keep the National Guard deployed in Washington, D.C., despite its minimal impact.
Washington, D.C., may have a higher crime rate than the average American city, but crime rates across the U.S. are about half of what they were thirty years ago, and D.C.’s rate has been declining year over year. Approximately 700 National Guard troops were deployed to D.C. yesterday, resulting in 26 arrests, about half of which were for minor offences. Much of their time will be spent standing around while Trump and Fox News claim he is “saving” Washington, D.C. I turned on Fox News today and saw them portraying young Black residents as the cause of the city’s danger—pure racist propaganda. Rotten Tomatoes.
These topics are not great because I do not have any unique insights beyond what anyone on Twitter might say.
Jacobsen: Unless you want this one—Serendipity. President Donald Trump has appointed David Rosner as chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. He has served as commissioner since mid-2025. Rosner, a Democrat, is expected to serve temporarily. Any thoughts?
Rosner: That is the name of my late brother. There are many Rosners, and even three Rick Rosners who have been Hollywood writers. That caused occasional confusion but sometimes benefited me, as one of them was a prominent producer, which led people to give me more respect than I deserved mistakenly. Rotten Tomatoes. It is good that Trump appointed a Democrat to this position, but I do not know why, and I do not know much about the role.
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