[5][6], Recall supporters said Griffin had used the office for personal gain. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin leaves the federal court in Washington on March. U.S. President | Griffin was sentenced in federal court in June to 14 days in jail over his role in the riot, two months after he was convicted in a bench trial of a misdemeanor count of entering and remaining on restricted grounds on Jan. 6, 2021. read more. A former Disneyland Paris rodeo cowboy and self-styled preacher, Griffin is a stonemason and racial provocateur whose use of social media won him plaudits from Trump and an invitation to the Oval Office. [1] Its county seat is Alamogordo. Griffins mockery of Native American rites got him banned from Mescalero Apache Tribe lands. District 2 Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin, 48 of Tularosa, was found guilty in federal court March 22 during a bench trial for trespassing on federal grounds during the during the . Ukrainian photographer missing following captured journali Woman has 'loud, full body orgasm' in the middle of LA concert, Bride killed, groom seriously hurt by drunk driver just minutes after leaving reception, Red carpet live updates and star-studded highlightsfrom the Karl Lagerfeld-themed Met Gala, Pete Davidson keeps it casual in a bucket hat on the Met Gala 2023 red carpet, Paris Hilton makes Met Gala 2023 red carpet debut in a black leather gown, Kim Kardashian is draped in pearls and corset at Met Gala 2023, Khristina Williams previews the New York Liberty's 2023 WNBA season, Elon Musk Tells Bill Maher Woke Mind Virus Is Dangerous On Real Time, Met Gala red carpet: Live updates of all the celebrity outfits. An unusual series of items is scheduled for discussion at the March 11 Otero County Commission.. Otero County Commission Vice-Chairman Couy Griffin sponsored two resolutions on the Commission's . "Griffin shall be removed from his position as an Otero County Commissioner effective immediately.". Couy Griffin first elected official barred from office for participating in Jan. 6 attack. Griffin was arrested on Jan. 8, 2021and charged with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building relating to his participation in theCapitol riot. Couy Griffin speaks for three minutes during the public comment period of the Otero County Commission meeting on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022. The three New Mexicans were not the only ones who expressed interest in removing Griffin from office. In March, a judge blocked a lawsuit seeking to remove Republican North Carolina Rep. Madison Cawthorn from running for reelection. The most comprehensive solution to manage all your complex and ever-expanding tax and compliance needs. Griffin's actions were "overt acts in support of the insurrection.". "Government officials are not immune from the rule of law. Griffins attorneys say hundreds if not thousands of other people did exactly what Griffin did on Jan. 6 and havent been charged with any crimes. The NAACP, Common Cause and the National Council of Jewish Women submitted amicus briefs stating their support for Griffin's removal as an Otero County Commissioner. McFadden found they did, after forcing the Secret Service to publicly confirm for the first time that Pence was evacuated to an underground Senate loading dock and remained there for four to five hours on the afternoon of Jan. 6. [9][14], New Mexico allows recalls at the county level for "malfeasance or misfeasance in office or violation of the oath of office by the official concerned." More: Couy Griffin arrives for trial in Washington, D.C. Griffin is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17 in person in U.S. Federal Court. Tribes need tax revenue. Maureen Cohen Harrington via Storyful, Storyful, was found guiltyin federal court March 22. All rights reserved. More than 230 riot defendants have pleaded guilty, mostly to misdemeanors, and at least 127 of them have been sentenced. U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden found Griffin, who is also an elected New Mexico county commissioner, guilty of illegally entering or remaining on restricted grounds after a one-day bench trial, and not guilty of a second misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct. I know that sometimes you travel down a hard road to get to a better road, but Gods a gracious God, and I think hes got me on that track., GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX, by Ryan Lowery, Source New Mexico September 9, 2022. The ruling also states that although the plaintiffs in the case presented evidence to support their claim, Griffin did not present any evidence for his defense. And though hes been removed from his seat on the county commission, Griffin showed that he wont be silenced when it comes to county matters and is more than willing to address decisions made by his former colleagues as a private citizen. This story has been updated with a statement from Couy Griffin and more information about the recall. District Court Judge Francis Mathew ruled that Couy Griffin, an Otero County commissioner, is now disqualified from holding public office because he violated Section 3 of the Fourteenth. [5], Recall supporters started circulating petitions on July 1, 2021, and had 90 days to collect signatures equal to 33.3% of voters who cast ballots in Griffin's most recent election, a total of 1,574 signatures. How to run for office | See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. Cities | Griffin, one of three members of the Otero County Commission in southern New Mexico, is among a handful of riot defendants who either held. The decision to represent himself during the bench trial was made, Griffin said, because he felt hed provided the judge with strong evidence to have the case dismissed, and he never thought the case would go to trial. "A county commissioner could propose a resolution saying that pigs can fly, it doesn't make it true.". Couy Griffin is no longer the District 2 Otero County Commissioner per a ruling by District Judge Francis Mathew. More than 220 individuals have pleaded guilty so far, most of them to a petty offense of misdemeanor parading, picketing or demonstrating punishable by no more than six months in jail. Ballot measures, Who represents me? Prior to the verdict, the New Mexico Attorney General's Office discussed what a conviction would mean for the Otero County Commission, where Griffin holds the District 2 seat. Couy Griffin speaks for three minutes during the public comment period of the Otero County Commission meeting on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022. NEW MEXICO (KRQE) -The trial for Otero County Commissioner and Cowboys for Trump founder, Couy Griffin begins Monday in Santa Fe. In . The Justice Department had initially asserted that disclosing Pences whereabouts could jeopardize national security interests. He also expressed frustration that a judge, and not Otero County voters, had the final say. The NAACP, Common Cause and the National Council of Jewish Women submitted amicus briefs stating their support for Griffin's removal as an Otero County Commissioner. The state supreme court then stepped in, ordering the county to certify. Of the many agenda items concerning the commissioner on the April 8 agenda, the item that generated the most contentious discussion was the ratification of a press release that Commissioners Gerald Matherly and Vickie Marquardt -- both Republicans -- sent to media calling for Griffin's resignation. And in May, officials in Georgia ruled that Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene could remain on the ballot after her role in the Capitol riot. "I don't think it's fair to accuse me of insurrection," he says. Click here to contact us for media inquiries, and please donate here to support our continued expansion. A jury will consider this week whether the support group Cowboys for Trump and cofounder Couy Griffin violated state election law by failing to register as a political organization without filing related public financial disclosures. On Jan. 6, Griffin joined thousands of people at the Capitol. Griffin was arrested on Jan. 18, 2021after being charged with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building relating to his participation in theCapitol riot. The three New Mexicans were not the only ones who expressed interest in removing Griffin from office. "This is very evident of the tyranny that is raising its head up in our country.". [10] Griffin said he would not resign. At trial last month for the civil lawsuit, Griffin unsuccessfully sought to dismiss the case, the Journal reported. Griffin, who is defending himself, said he went to Washington D.C. to peacefully protest and pray. In considering closing arguments submitted by Griffin in the case asking Mathew to consider the will of District 2 constituents, the judge said: "The irony of Mr. Griffin's argument that this Court should refrain from applying the law and consider the will of the people in District 2 of Otero County who retained him as a county commissioner against a recall effort as he attempts to defend his participation in an insurrection by a mob whose goal, by his own admission, was to set aside the results of a free, fair and lawful election by a majority of the people of the entire country (the will of the people) has not escaped this court.". Couy Griffin, one of three commissioners in Otero county in southern New Mexico, was immediately removed from his position and cannot hold elected office again, Francis Mathew, a district. The outcome of Griffins trial could have a ripple effect, helping other Capitol riot defendants decide whether to let a judge or a jury decide their case. Public Works, Land Use, & Building Department: 411 N 10th St. Rocky Ford, CO 81067 (719) 383-3035. As of the 2010 census, the population was 63,797. [2][3] Griffin appealed that decision to the New Mexico Supreme Court on April 19, 2021. He was found guilty of the charge at a federal district court hearing on March 22 and sentenced on June 17 to 14 days of time served and ordered to pay $500 in restitution, a $3,000 fine and complete community service and one year of supervised release. Griffin is one of the few riot defendants who wasnt accused of entering the Capitol building or engaging in any violent or destructive behavior. Phone: 575-491-7265. Judge: Now Imgoing to ask you again, who drafted those pleadings? According to the judge's ruling, Griffin's group, called Cowboys for Trump, "played a key role in Stop the Steal mobilization efforts" ahead of Jan. 6, 2021. Updated: Aug 15, 2022 / 04:46 PM MDT. Former Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin caused a fuss at the Otero County Commission meeting last week when his time at the public comment table became so heated, one of the sitting county commissioners plans to file a restraining order against Griffin. Griffin, founder of politicaladvocacy group Cowboys for Trump, also requested a discussion period be placed on the agenda which would focus on Chairman Gerald Matherly and Commissioner Vickie Marquardt's call for Griffin to resign his Commission seat. Social Services Annex: 215 Raton Ave. Exclusive news, data and analytics for financial market professionals, Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Chicago; editing by Jonathan Oatis, Texas man accused of killing five neighbors was deported four times, US may default June 1 without debt ceiling hike; Biden calls McCarthy to meet, US to end COVID vaccination requirements on May 11 for foreign travelers, federal workers, Biden urges Republicans take debt default off table, warns interest rates would jump, Brazil police shoot dead 4 illegal gold miners on Yanomami reservation, British royals release photo of a beaming Princess Charlotte, UK retailers report record food inflation but see falls ahead, US lawmakers dig into partisan corners as debt ceiling default looms, Sudanese fleeing north face arduous crossing into Egypt. La Junta, CO 81050 (719) 383-3000. In Tuesdays decision, Judge Mathew ruled that Griffin had broken his oath to support the Constitution when he participated in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack in Washington, D.C., violating Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. But the case against Griffin is unlike most Jan. 6 cases and may not be a bellwether for defendants who are charged with storming the Capitol. The hearing was held on April 8, 2021. Otero County Courthouse: 13 West 3rd Street. And being in the audience of Thursdays meeting instead of being seated with the commissioners brought a specific feeling to his mind. His lawyers argued that he was selectively prosecuted for his political views. Griffin, an ardent conspiracy theorist who refused to certify the state's primary election results this summer in Otero County, told CNN he has been ordered to clean out his office and. 17, 2022. Griffin is fighting to keep his seat on the county commission after three residents of Santa Fe and Los Alamos Counties filed a lawsuit saying he should be removed from office because of his participation in the January 6th insurrection at the Capitol. Griffin is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17. Griffin was released on his own recognizance. Couy Griffin, a county commissioner in Otero County, New Mexico, stands outside a federal court in Washington on March 22, 2022, after receiving a verdict in his trial. This little-known provision was included in the Fourteenth Amendment in the wake of the Civil War, Bookbinder says, as a way to exclude those who were part of the Confederacy from holding public office again. His name is Hiram., Griffin: As God as my witness I do not know his last name. The list includes 69 candidates for governor in 30 states, as well as 55 candidates for the U.S. Senate, 13 candidates for state attorney general and 18 candidates for secretary of state in places where that person is the states top election official. Whens the best time to see the sunset in Albuquerque? If you have questions about your subscription, please contact Customer Service atAlamogordoDailyNews@Gannett.com or call1-877-301-0013. Our elected officials and candidatesmust obey the law. Address 1101 New York Avenue Alamogordo, NM 88310 Griffin told Reuters that he plans to appeal the ruling, saying Mathew did not have jurisdictional standing to remove him from office. But in charging documents and plea talks, prosecutors have also deployed stiffer misdemeanor charges against those accused of more egregious or disruptive conduct than passing quietly through restricted areas, or, in a small number of cases like Griffins, did not enter the Capitol. My office will continue its examination of Otero County and the concerns of its residents.. Griffin was arrested on Jan. 8, 2021and charged with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building relating to his participation in theCapitol riot. This lawsuit is about removing a duly elected county commissioner from office through the civil court. The Washington Post has reported that at least 163 Republicans who have embraced Trumps false claims are running for statewide positions that would give them authority over the administration of elections. US District Judge Trevor McFadden heard one day of testimony without a jury on Monday before handing down a verdict in the misdemeanor case against Otero County CommissionerCouy Griffin, a 48-year-old former rodeo rider who helped found a group called Cowboys for Trump. In an interview Thursday, Griffin told Source New Mexico that he learned of the judges ruling during a phone call from the Otero County manager. I think that its just very difficult that I dont have the respect of being able to be out by Friday without having the county sheriff or the sheriffs department standing guard.. In the first trial of a felony defendant earlier this month, a jury deliberated barely two hours before finding Guy Reffitt guilty on all five counts, convicting the recruiter for a self-styled Texas militia movement of felony charges including obstruction of an official proceeding, witness tampering and interfering with police in a riot. In his ruling on the case, Mathew contended that Griffin was not eligible to . Now its no longer the peoples choice. Follow Source New Mexico on Facebook and Twitter. "[7][11][12], New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas (D) also called for Griffin's resignation in a letter published on January 16, 2021. Couy Griffin is no longer the District 2 Otero County Commissioner per a ruling by District Judge Francis Mathew. A criminal court convicted Griffin of misdemeanor trespassing on Jan. 6, which he plans to appeal. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS' OFFICE 719-383-3000: CSU EXTENSION OFFICE 719-254-7608: HEALTH DEPARTMENT (LA JUNTA) 719-383-3040: HEALTH DEPARTMENT (ROCKY FORD) 719-254-5300: . [7][8], Recall supporters listed five reasons for recall in their request to the Twelfth District Court, including:[2], At the recall hearing, Griffin called the recall supporters' allegations "frivolous, baseless and politically motivated," according to the Associated Press. Watch Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin get arrested in Washington D.C. Couy Griffin has been charged with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority. 1101 New York Avenue Alamogordo, NM 88310-6935 Phone: 575-437-7427 Fax: 575-443-2904 Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Smith said prosecutors apparently believe Griffin engaged in disorderly conduct by peacefully leading a prayer on the Capitol steps. It really looked a whole lot like what the framers of the Fourteenth Amendment had in mind.". The second proposed resolution is not the first which Otero County has considered in objection to New Mexico's public health emergency orders. This story has been shared 401,284 times. Mr. Griffins removal and bar from holding office again is a step towards obtaining justice and restoring the rule of law, Dodd Law Office, LLC President Christopher Dodd said in a Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington news release. Resolutions, when passed, do not hold the weight of law, rather indicate positions of understanding or support. ", Mares did not elaborate on what "moral turpitude" entails. District 2 Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin, 48 of Tularosa, was found guiltyin federal court March 22 during a bench trial for trespassing on federal grounds during theduring the Jan.6, 2021 Capitol riot. Assistant U.S. We are actively considering all options under New Mexico law. "I just want those that have already come to the conclusion that I'm guilty, I just again ask you to put the brakes on a little bit and let the legal process take place," Griffin said. "There are several bases for removal including conviction of a felony or misdemeanor 'involving moral turpitude' and 'failure, neglect or refusal to discharge the duties of office'. While reading his verdict, he said Griffin was not on the steps. Thats the very essence of democracy, and this ruling affirms it., Jimenez added that Common Cause hoped the ruling would set a precedent for other elected officials who "disregard their oath of office.". He called the current bench trial unfair and un-American. He [Griffin] crossed over three walls, McFadden said. Attorneys Janani Iyengar and Kimberly Paschall also cited a video Griffin posted of himself on the inauguration stage next to the Capitol during the riot that forced the evacuation of lawmakers meeting to certify Joe Bidens election victory. "He took an oath to support the Constitution of the United States [and then] engaged in that insurrection after taking his oath," Judge Mathew wrote. McFadden set sentencing for June 17, after defense attorney Nicholas D. Smith declined an offer for immediate sentencing. Otero County Commission Vice-Chairman Couy Griffin sponsored two resolutions on the Commission's agenda: one calling for the FBI to investigate the destruction of the Soldier's Monument in Santa Fe, and another labeling New Mexico Gov. Email Amy Barela. Earlier this month, in the first trial, a juryconvicted a Texas man, Guy Wesley Reffitt, of storming the Capitol with a holstered handgun, interfering with police and obstructing Congress joint session to certify the Electoral College vote. State and local courts | I feel like I was just really railroaded," Griffin said. Couy Griffin, an Otero County commissioner, responded to questioning in court, after watching a video of himself on U.S. Capitol grounds on Jan. 6, 2021. The March 11 Otero County Commission meeting agenda can be found on the Otero County website and will be streamed on YouTube beginning 9 a.m. on March 11. Griffin was unhappy that Stephanie DuBois, a Democrat, was appointed to his old seat . Some Republicans in Washington state cast a wary eye on an election security device, Scandal-plagued Rep. Madison Cawthorn is ousted in North Carolina primary, Georgia officials rule that Marjorie Taylor Greene can remain on the ballot. All of this would suggest to a normal person that perhaps you should not be entering the area, McFadden said from the bench. Well what bigger example is there whenever the courts remove a duly elected representative only to make way for the governor to hand select who she wants to represent the people? Griffin said. [13], At a county commission meeting on February 11, 2021, Griffin said he was accused of crimes but not convicted. 0:36. Maureen Cohen Harrington via Storyful, Storyful, U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment's Disqualification Clause, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Were your resource. Recall supporters did not collect enough signatures by the deadline on September 28, 2021. Its very humbling, and its very disappointing. In August 2020, the Commission unanimously passed a resolution on the same topic. The Commission meeting is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Griffin's attendance was not confirmed at the meeting, as a federal district court arraignmentwas scheduled for the same time and day.
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