Instead, Griffin has participated in manipulation in a custody dispute by asking his son to pray that his mother do the right thing, Rosner wrote. While still a county commissioner, Griffin joined with Republican colleagues in refusing to certify the June 2022 primary election results based on distrust of the voting systems used to tally the vote. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee, File), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. He was one of 10 more people to be arrested on Saturday and Sunday. Griffin ignores the fact that his position as an elected official puts him in a different and nonprotected category from other rioters, McFadden said. Griffinrequested for the case to be dismissed and if it was not dismissed then he filed a demand for a jury trial in the case. Prosecutors plan to call a Secret Service inspector and Capitol police inspector later on Monday. But the judge greenlighted a request from Griffin's defense lawyers to question a Secret Service agent about a lingering question around the events of January 6: the location of then-Vice President Mike Pence. Couy Dale Griffin (born 1973) is a former politician who served from 2019 to 2022 as a county commissioner for District 2 of Otero County, New Mexico, which covers Tularosa, Three Rivers, La Luz, the western parts of Alamogordo, and the Mescalero Apache Reservation. In 2019, he forged a group of rodeo acquaintances into the promotional group Cowboys for Trump, which staged horseback parades to spread then-President Donald Trumps conservative message on issues such as gun rights and illegal immigration. The verdict from a 12-member jury capped a two-day trial in Alamogordo, the community where Griffin served as an Otero County commissioner until he was banished from office last year for his role in the U.S. Capitol incursion on Jan. 6, 2021. By Jack Davis March 3, 2023 . SANTA FE, N.M. -. It states his conduct resultedin his banishment from the Mescalero Apache Reservation, that he used county resources for non-commission reasons namely forGriffin's political advocacy companyCowboys for Trump, filing an improper travel voucher and violating the Gift Act when he received approximately $3,500 from a restricted donor to pay back the travel reimbursement from the travel voucher. Griffins attorney also said state campaign finance regulators were biased and singled out Cowboys for Trump for enforcement. The Otero County commissioner is facing charges for his alleged role in the January insurrection at the. Bei der Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps verwenden wir, unsere Websites und Apps fr Sie bereitzustellen, Nutzer zu authentifizieren, Sicherheitsmanahmen anzuwenden und Spam und Missbrauch zu verhindern, und, Ihre Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps zu messen, personalisierte Werbung und Inhalte auf der Grundlage von Interessenprofilen anzuzeigen, die Effektivitt von personalisierten Anzeigen und Inhalten zu messen, sowie, unsere Produkte und Dienstleistungen zu entwickeln und zu verbessern. Olivers office initially prevailed in a June 2020 arbitration decision that ordered Cowboys for Trump to register as a political committee, file expenditure and contribution reports and pay a fine of $7,800. When McFadden posed a boilerplate question about whether Griffin had taken drugs or alcohol the accused Capitol rioter said he'd had a couple beers the night before. "Cowboys for Trump" co-founder Couy Griffin was found not guilty Wednesday of a misdemeanor charge of failing to register a political committee at a trial in southern New Mexico. Here is the entire draft filing he's going to hit them with. The decision interrupts a string of adverse legal decisions for Griffin, who remains barred from elected office under a judge's decision upheld by the New Mexico Supreme Court in February. Instead, he waived trial by jury and bet his freedom on a bench trial before McFadden, who Trump appointed to the federal bench in 2017. Search warrants filed by the AGs Office earlier this month show the office is searching GoFundMe accounts associated with Cowboys for Trump, Griffin and Casey Conlee established since Jan. 20, 2019. One person is dead and another has been hospitalized after a shooting on Central Avenue near Moon Street, police said Thursday morning. On the witness stand, Struck said he used to post videos on his Twitter account "before it was shut down.". Griffin's defense lawyers plan to argue that, because Pence was rushed away amid the mayhem of January 6, the Capitol grounds were no longer a restricted, Secret Service-protected area by the time he was there. Mr. All rights reserved. Magliocca said the issue could arise in a number of ways moving forward and is ripe for the Supreme Court to litigate before Trump might run for and potentially win the presidency in 2024. . By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider However, the go I got a better idea, why dont you go back to Africa and form your little football teams over in Africa and you can play on a(n) old beat-out dirt lot and you can play your Black national anthem there. He is also awaiting trialon charges ofknowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authorityfor his alleged role in the Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol. Any special treatment given to her because of her Republican leadership position? Last year, he became the first elected official to be banished from elected office in connection with the Capitol incursion. The disqualification of Berger, for instance, was later widely regarded as overreach. Success in the latter scenario remains unlikely, especially in the absence of a criminal conviction. But she "did not take her minor child to war with her" as Couy Griffin is doing by taking their son to President Donald Trump campaign events during a pandemic, the attorneys said. Since Jan. 6, activists have sought to disqualify several members of Congress who supported questioning or overturning the 2020 election results, including Reps. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.) The videos show Griffin on Jan. 6 climbing over a stone wall marking the Capitols security perimeter and climbing over a sideways metal bike rack within it, and spending more than an hour perched on the front railing of the inaugural stage with a bullhorn, ignoring the lingering smell of pepper spray and leading the crowd below in prayer. Copyright 2020 Millions of Celebs. I mean my goodness why on earth would you leave town with bald tires and faulty windshield wipers? Conlee set up the original Cowboys for Trump GoFundMe page, court records show. I dont think the government is entitled to some Secret Service exception or sensitive information exception from proving its case beyond a reasonable doubt, McFadden reiterated Monday before Hawa took the witness stand. "He had as much right to due process as we do and the judge very much made it clear and afforded him that right. The extent of his criminal activity is the subject of this investigation.. Kourtnie Griffin, an Iraqi war veteran, understands passions for God and country and believes her ex-husband has a right to express his views, her lawyers said. In July 2020, a check from a bank account for Cowboys for Trump was sent to Griffin's ex-wife for child support. Prosecutors called Matthew Struck, who traveled with Griffin to Washington, DC, and recorded videos of him on January 6. Read our editorial standards. If convicted, Griffin faces up to a year in prison on each of the two charges against him: trespassing and disorderly conduct on restricted Capitol grounds. Griffin also said the reelection campaign for Trump would distance itself from Cowboys for Trump after Griffin posted the video. All I did was stand on the steps of the Capitol and pray with people, thats it.. FILE - In this March 12, 2019, file photo, Otero County Commissioner and Cowboys for Trump founder Coy Griffin denounces gun control and pro-abortion rights bills in the New Mexico State Legislature at a protest outside the Statehouse in Santa Fe, N.M. Couy Griffin, a county commissioner in Otero County, New Mexico, speaks on June 17 outside federal court in Washington, D.C., where he was convicted of entering a restricted area during the. You may opt out at anytime. Wenn Sie Ihre Auswahl anpassen mchten, klicken Sie auf Datenschutzeinstellungen verwalten. I would have wanted him to have the opportunity to argue his points here," Sanchez said. Defense lawyers plan to grill the Secret Service about ex-Vice President Mike Pence's whereabouts. It doesnt bother local leadership that Couy has made this EXACT same trip time and time again, through donations for whatever cause will pay. But, he hasnt revealed the identity of his son. Couy gotarrestedon 17 January 2021 incharge of his connection in the riots at the U.S. Capitol. He was also pastor at New Heart Church in . "To mount a meaningful defense Griffin must be allowed to test the veracity of the Government's contention that Vice President Pence was on the Capitol grounds during the relevant period," McFadden ruled. Now its made even more history: Someone found to have engaged in insurrection that day has been disqualified from office, for what appears to be the first time in 150 years. I dont know but I will find out. Including allegations of drunk driving with 5 yr child. The sheer number of members of Congress who voted both against certifying the election and, later, to convict Donald Trump at his impeachment trial had few if any historical parallels. In a reversal, Biden said he would sign a resolution blocking a D.C. effort to reduce penalties for violent crimes. Plenty of history very bad history was made on Jan. 6, 2021. Defense attorney Jonathan Miller said Griffin was just a guy who rides a horse and tried to do the right thing by registering Cowboys for Trump as a for-profit corporation and notifying donors that they cannot deduct donations from taxes. Federal judge reverses detention order for N.M. county commissioner facing trial in Jan. 6 riot. Griffins marching with the mob all the way to the inaugural stage, knowing the mobs insurrectionary purpose, likewise constitutes an overt act.. Kourtnie Griffin, an Iraqi war veteran, understands "passions for God and country" and believes her ex-husband has a right to express his views, her lawyers said. If you dont believe me, ask all those who thought Dennis Rader was such a nice guy. Ahead of the trial, McFadden rejected Griffin's claim that he was politically targeted. And a judge acquitted him of disorderly conduct. Griffin deniedthe allegations claiming they were"frivolous and devoid of merit," court records state. Griffin is one of at least 10 people charged in the riot who either held public office or ran for a government leadership post in the two-and-a-half years before the attack, according to an Associated Press tally. A New Mexico judge on Tuesday removed Otero County commissioner Couy Griffin by invoking the 14th Amendments prohibition on those who engaged in insurrection from serving in office. So, we are still unknown about his actual net worth and earnings he receives from his job. This would explain why Couys GoFundMe Page has beneficiary as a Deborah Foley, not Couy Griffin or his sister Kayrn Kay Griffin as being the beneficiary for supposedly Couys Legal Fund. Who is Couy Griffin? Biden enlists potential rivals as advisers ahead of 2024, Their toddler took a nap in an Airbnb and fentanyl killed her, removed Otero County commissioner Couy Griffin, to disqualify Socialist Rep. Victor Berger in 1919, sought to disqualify several members of Congress. He shouldn't be punished for showing his pride in his country, Miller said. The Otero County Clerk's Office, although not a participant in the recall proceedings, is interested to ensure that, if a recall is triggered, it is done in an orderly and clear fashion "so the voters are clear on the process," Ivey-Soto said. City of Albuquerque goes to court to shut down City says the property puts the community at risk, but owner says it's unfair to blame businesses for Albuquerque crime and homelessness, Albuquerque Police: Man shoots self, unintentionally kills woman. The testimony resolves a mystery over Pences precise location during the attack, which defense attorneys for Griffin had sought to exploit and won permission from a federal judge in Washington to probe with a live Secret Service witness over the Justice Departments objections. Its the first time a U.S. president has sought to interrupt the peaceful transfer of power. Couy Griffin is a white man from Tularosa, Otero County, New Mexico, United States. In addition to those legal arguments, the Justice Department asserted that pinpointing Pence's precise location on January 6 would jeopardize the continuing security of future vice presidents, including Vice President Kamala Harris. The judge said the jury has till 10 tonight to come to a verdict or it will be called a mistrial. The verdict gave the Department of Justice a second win . More:Griffin gets guns back, but only at home, Although Griffin's trip to Washington, D.C. in September 2019 was initially for the proper reason of attending a regional county commissioners conference, the reason stated on a travel voucher submitted by Griffin was "meeting with President.". Wearing his signature black cowboy hat, "Cowboys for Trump" founder Couy Griffin arrived Monday at a federal courthouse just blocks from the Capitol to stand trial on charges stemming from his alleged participation in the January 6, 2021, insurrection. It should be noted that New York City is over 200 miles north of Washington, D.C., and Griffin had to pass Washington to get there.. SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) Cowboys for Trump cofounder Couy Griffin was found not guilty Wednesday of a misdemeanor charge of failing to register a political committee at a trial in southern New Mexico. Prior to Griffin's leaving the hearing, Arrieta told him that the Otero County Commission would have a quorum present without Griffin and that this hearing may be more important at this time. Advocates for that approach now have a victory under their belts, though. Or is she starstruck, with her boy feeling, how did he put it like a Rockstar? Harrowing video has emerged of a racially charged incident that rocked an elementary school in Springfield, Ohio. Struck received immunity for his testimony. McFadden, a former Virginia police officer and Justice Department criminal division official under the George W. Bush and Trump administrations, earlier admonished prosecutors for a sloppy mistake last year in which they claimed for months in court filings that vice president-elect Kamala D. Harris was also present on Capitol grounds during the attack. As per the United States District Courts affidavit for the District, he was arrested for violating the law, entering the restricted building without lawful authority. In the cross-examination of Struck, a defense lawyer for Griffin used his questioning to underscore that the "Cowboys for Trump" co-founder was not violent on January 6 and did not enter the Capitol building itself. SANTA FE, N.M., Otero County, New Mexico Commissioner Couy Griffin must be removed from office and disqualified from holding future public office under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution based on his participation in the January 6, 2021 insurrection, according to a lawsuit filed today by a group of New Mexico residents. Ruling stems from the case of Christopher Rodriguez, who was sentenced as an adult to, Sheriff Shane Ferrari said the dog came out of the vehicle and charged at him, A Luna County man was arrested Monday for allegedly beating his older brother to death. U.S. Donald Trump Qanon Las vegas Capitol Riots. The original civil complaintwas filed March 11 with amended complaints filed March 24 and April 5 by the Committee to Recall Couy Griffin. Their teams in over 100 countries tell the worlds stories, from breaking news to investigative reporting. Jurors deliberated for more than nine hours before delivering the verdict. They claimed Griffin was a politician in his own right who clearly advocated for Trump while the president was a candidate for re-election and that Griffin also promoted political positions on border enforcement, gun rights and more. Magliocca said the New Mexico decision could reverberate, not just for people like Mastriano, but if Democrats retain control of Congress and want to challenge the seating of certain Republicans tied to Jan. 6. It seems like Couy prefers to keep details about his family a secret. They want to destroy our country. (Griffin is the founder of a group called Cowboys for Trump, which has been promoted by the former president. Couy Griffin is a political figure who served as County Commissioner of Otero County, New Mexico from 2019 until she was removed from her position on Tuesday, 6 September 2022. News, Politics, Culture, and more in realtime. Still, New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas reportedly had issued the statement demanding Griffins resignation from his current post as Mexico County Commissioner. Third Judicial District court Judge Manuel Arrieta determined probable cause existed to proceed with a recall lawsuit filed against Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin, initiating procedures to remove Griffin from public office. Besides being Mexico County Commissioner, he is also the founder of the group namedCowboys for Trump. Pence spent Jan. 6 at underground Senate loading dock, Secret Service confirms, QAnon Shaman stays in jail as judge slams his arguments: So frivolous as to insult the Courts intelligence, He kicked back in Pelosis office on Jan. 6. Federal prosecutors have offered Cowboys for Trump founder Couy Griffin a plea agreement over charges that he illegally entered barricades during the deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol on January. Prosecutors have said that Pence remained at the Capitol complex during the relevant period. In bond proceedings but not in Mondays trial, prosecutors have cited videos in which Griffin also said he planned to return armed to Washington for Joe Bidens inauguration with his .357 Henry big boy rifle and single action revolver and rhetorically suggested the blood of political foes could be spilled at the Capitol in defense of the right to bear firearms. All I know is if the Chairman of the Otero Co GOP is willing to try and smoke a citizen there must be some major fire that needs to be extinguished. Couy's ex-wife, Kourtnie, is a 34 years old Iraqi war veteran who was born in the year 1986. Griffin has claimed his prosecution is politically motivated, arguing that unlike the vast majority of more than 750 people charged, he is not accused of assaulting police, damaging property or even entering the Capitol. In each of these cases, Griffin has associated criminality with his organization, Cowboys for Trump. But he found that Griffins actions met the standard set forth by the 14th Amendment, citing Griffins violent rhetoric and evidence of his actions at the Capitol. The judge in the case, District Judge Francis J. Mathew, was unsparing in ruling that Griffin is disqualified from office. Griffins case differs from the others in one crucial way: He was actually part of the crowd that stormed the Capitol and was later convicted of his role. Derrick Evans, was sentenced to three months in jail this summer for committing civil disorder on Jan. 6. Aug. 14Cowboys for Trump founder Couy Griffin will face off in court Monday against three New Mexicans who argue in a lawsuit that he should be removed from his post as an Otero County commissioner for participating in an insurrection against the United States. But U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden ruled late last week that the defense had a bedrock right to challenge the governments evidence establishing that Griffin violated restricted grounds. Oh, the furs and clothing, nope sorry Couy dont pay for clothing either, my bad. Praying for 12 jurors to say in unison "NOT GUILTY"!!. Prosecutors entered into evidence Monday videos recording Griffins activities in Washington and his statements explaining his conduct before and after, including several taken by a witness who was granted immunity, a videographer and friend who traveled with Griffin to Washington. Evans resigned shortly after the insurrection and before he was charged, but he has flirted with an attempted political comeback. Griffin appeared at the hearing telephonically. Struck responded "no" as the lawyer asked whether Griffin had destroyed anything, confronted law enforcement, or taken any action that would put someone in fear. In 2019, Griffin forged a group of rodeo acquaintances into the promotional group called Cowboys for Trump, which staged horseback parades to spread President Donald Trumps conservative message about gun rights, immigration controls and abortion restrictions. Indeed, Griffin has been that talk of the town since the news of his arrest swirled in the media. Photo credit: @AP on Twitter. He also required to complete community service. Ivey-Soto requested that the stamp on the facepage of the petition not be affixed until the sixth day following the April 8 hearing unless Griffin files the appeal. If you find yourself getting wet over an elected official you are no longer using your mind or good senses. Couy is the professional Otero County Commissioner who made headlines in the news after FBI agents arrested him on Sunday on 17 January 2021. The extra trip to New York City exceeds the scope of the authorized travel, court records state. Since early 2020, Griffin has resisted pressure to register the group as a political committee, including filing an unsuccessful petition with the 10th District Court of Appeals. The dismissed charge against Griffin carried a potential punishment of up to a year in prison and a $1,000 fine. What the hell are the donations for exactly? Although Griffin's trip to Washington, D.C. in September 2019 was initially for the proper reason of attending a regional county . A January 6-related trial began Monday in the case of "Cowboys for Trump" founder Couy Griffin. With all those donations Couy takes in you would think he would want to pay for the items his sheep give him. Dozens of Democrat elected officials decided to pass on president Joe Biden's speech in Maryland, opting instead to attend a tribute concert. He has occasionally surfaced in national news for his violent rhetoric and his efforts to impugn the election results in his home state as recently as this summer.). Unlike that trial, which featured felony charges, Griffin was accused only of misdemeanor offenses. Griffin is also under investigation by the New Mexico Attorney General's Office for potential criminal charges relating to the September 2019 travel voucher issue. 86. After all, if Couy Griffin is disqualified from holding office for his role in Jan. 6, then shouldnt Donald Trump be disqualified for his even greater role in Jan. 6th?. But his defenses claim that prosecutors must prove that Griffin knew that Pence was present at the Capitol or planned to return also poses ramifications for hundreds of others charged with a similar misdemeanor count. Whether youre a lifelong resident of D.C. or you just moved here, weve got you covered. You know, and if we do, then its going to be a sad day, because theres going to be blood running out of that building. But she did not take her minor child to war with her as Couy Griffin is doing by taking their son to President Donald Trump campaign events during a pandemic, the attorneys said. The office alleged Griffin misused campaign donations associated with Cowboys for Trump to pay child support for his son. "There's nothing illegal about that You feel clearheaded now?" Also worth weighing here, Hemel noted, is whether disqualification is an appropriate remedy. . In my next musing I will explore Couys court records more thoroughly. But when it was operational, it offered options to donate to the organization by direct donation or by purchasing merchandise. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd called the suspect a bad rapper and also compared him to a "baby" at a news conference. "On the decision, I am obviously very pleased," Sanchez said. They have a Son Together was born in 2014. Judge Trevor McFadden served as a top Justice Department official in the Trump administration before the Senate confirmed him in 2017 to the federal trial court in Washington, DC. While Griffin was present at the hearing, he was able to answer to the allegations against him and rebut Committee To Recall CouyGriffin President Paul Sanchez. See you never really know who is nice and who is not. Sanchez presented the allegations to Arrieta even after Griffin left the hearing. But the judge paid close attention to testimony Monday about whether Griffin knew that he was crossing barriers or otherwise entering areas off limits to the public and the reason the barriers were erected. Since early 2020, Griffin has resisted pressure to register the group as a political committee, including filing an unsuccessful petition with the 10th District Court of Appeals. Griffin is reviled and revered in. But at the end of the day, you mark my word, we will plant our flag on the desk of [House Speaker] Nancy Pelosi and [Senate Majority Leader] Chuck Schumer and Donald Trump if it boils down to it., The bizarre voter-fraud hunt in a New Mexico county Trump won by 25 points. District Judge Mary Rosner ruled July 14 that Couy Griffin can only see his son on Facetime calls after he ignored orders to remove social media photos of his son at Cowboys for Trump events. In a Jan. 14, 2021, county commission meeting, Griffin said that he knew Mike Pence had certified a fraudulent election before he walked toward the Capitol grounds, and that he was part of a crowd that just pushed through plastic mesh fencing securing the inauguration area, albeit toward the back. "Several of the defendant's statements in the recording of the meeting constitute either direct admissions that he was illegally present in a restricted area or evidence of the defendant's state of mind during and after January 6, 2021," prosecutors said. In July 2020, a check from a bank account for Cowboys for Trump was sent to Griffins ex-wife for child support. And while circumstances might make that difficult to replicate, its nonetheless a historic marker of what transpired 20 months ago. CNN A federal judge on Tuesday found Couy Griffin, a founder of Cowboys for Trump and the second January 6 defendant to go on trial as part of the Justice Department's massive prosecution,. Griffin, a county commissioner in New Mexico, is the second accused participant in the Capitol attack to go to trial on January 6-related charges. Here you have Couy Griffin as Cowboys For Trump not only hiding assets from his ex-wife and son. Otero County Commission member and Cowboys for Trump co-founder Couy Griffin rides his horse on 5th avenue on May 1, 2020 in New York City. Sign up for our free Daily Headlines newsletter Your . You havent shown he [Pence] ever left the restricted area, the judge told Griffins defense attorney, Nicholas D. Smith. The judge said Griffins many defenses were not credible, and nor was his summary of his role on Jan. Griffin said in a text message that he felt blessed to be judged by a jury of peers in his home community and has never felt as vindicated.". "We are disappointed that Commissioner Griffin was not able to be here for the entire process.