Commissioners ultimately voted 2-1 for certification, with Griffin the lone no vote. The Otero County Commission met Thursday for the first time since former Commissioner Couy Griffin was removed from office by court order earlier this week because of his participation in the attack on the U.S. Capitol. Ballot measures, Who represents me? This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Noah Bookbinder the president of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW said the ruling against Griffin is the first time since the Civil War era that any public official has been removed under the provision of the Fourteenth Amendment, which bars anyone from holding state or federal office if they engage or support any kind of insurrection or rebellion against the U.S. Why did he motion Byrd to wait? Otero County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Mexico. But its been very difficult for me, Griffin said. Come to Source NM for fresh reporting, insightful opinion and analysis from around the state. CREW represented three New Mexico residents who brought the civil lawsuit against Griffin this past March and called for him to be removed. | 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. [4] The New Mexico Supreme Court affirmed the lower court's ruling on June 28, 2021, allowing the recall effort to move forward. Email Amy Barela. [1] Its county seat is Alamogordo. [3], Griffin was elected to the three-member Otero County Commission in 2018, defeating Democratic candidate Christopher S. Jones with 65% of the vote. Build the strongest argument relying on authoritative content, attorney-editor expertise, and industry defining technology. 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. Despite claims in the proposed resolution, houses of worship are allowed to seat 25% of their capacity and peaceful assemblies have been held in Otero County throughout the pandemic. Judge Mathews decision is a signal to elected officials everywhere who want to snub their noses at the constitution, foment mob violence and disobey the law, said Mario Jimenez, executive director of Common Cause New Mexico, in a news release. Griffin is one of three members of the Republican-led Otero County commission that is refusing to certify June's primary election results, citing unfounded conspiracy theories about voting. But Griffin also used the final minute of his allotted time to address his removal from office, telling those in attendance that his computer was seized by county officials before he was notified that District Court Judge Francis J. Mathew had ruled Griffin could no longer serve in his elected position or any other for the rest of his life. 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. After attendingTrumps Stop the Steal rallyon Jan. 6, Griffin and Struck walked over barriers and up a staircase to enter a stage that was under construction on the Capitols Lower West Terrace for Bidens inauguration, according to prosecutors. Local news, weather, sports, events, restaurants and more, Cowboys for Trump founder Couy Griffin guilty in first Jan. 6 misdemeanor trial, 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. All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. The Otero County Commission held a special meeting on Monday afternoon to discuss a resolution about county employees or elected officials who travel of state.. Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. Tweets. Attempts by the Alamogordo Daily News to contact Griffin about the ruling were unsuccessful. Social Services Annex: 215 Raton Ave. The industry leader for online information for tax, accounting and finance professionals. 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. In August 2020, the Commission unanimously passed a resolution on the same topic. We've received your submission. It really looked a whole lot like what the framers of the Fourteenth Amendment had in mind.". U.S. Congress | Address 1101 New York Avenue Alamogordo, NM 88310 New Mexico StateAuditor Brian Coln said his office's work would continue in the face of the conviction. After a tense back-and-forth about who drafted the pleadings, Judge Francis Mathew denied the motion. The courts ruling today is a historic moment for our country. District Court Judge Manuel Arrieta ruled in favor of the recall effort. 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. Arguably, he was trying to calm people down, not rile them up, he said. Judge Mathews decision is a signal to elected officials everywhere who want to snub their noses at the constitution, foment mob violence and disobey the law, said Mario Jimenez, executive director of Common Cause New Mexico, in a news release. The video also showed he spent more than an hour on the front railing of the inaugural stage with a bullhorn, ignoring the lingering odor of police-deployed pepper spray and leading the crowd below in prayer. Thats also when he learned he no longer had access to his county office, and that his county-issued computer had been removed from his office. Couy Griffin is no longer the District 2 Otero County Commissioner per a ruling by District Judge Francis Mathew. 2023 www.alamogordonews.com. [3] Griffin appealed that decision to the New Mexico Supreme Court on April 19, 2021. Griffin was arrested when he returned to Washington on Jan. 17, 2021, after saying during an Otero County Commission meeting that he planned to return for Bidens inauguration with his .357 Henry Big Boy rifle and single action revolver. Nora Meyers Sackett, a spokesperson for Gov. Replies. La Junta, CO 81050 (719) 383-3000. An unusual series of items is scheduled for discussion at the March 11 Otero County Commission. The Justice Department had initially asserted that disclosing Pences whereabouts could jeopardize national security interests. Griffin is one of the few riot defendants who wasnt accused of entering the Capitol building or engaging in any violent or destructive behavior. 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. Jeter Downs needs to play to develop. (Screenshot via the Otero County Commission livestream). The court is expected to resume Tuesday at 9 a.m. Prosecutors played video clips that showed Griffin moving through the mob that formed outside the Capitol, where police used pepper spray to quell rioters. 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. 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. Source New Mexico is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. This decision marks the first time since 1869 that a court has disqualified a public official under Section 3, and . He is among only three riot defendants who have asked for a bench trial, in which judges decide a case without a jury. "I didn't have any intent of being a part of an insurrection or a violent mob. The resolution on the table calls the COVID-19 public health orders unconstitutional on series of grounds including that itinfringes on New Mexicans' First Amendment right to free exercise of religion and to peaceably assemble. Monday - Friday 8 am to 5 pm. Fax: 575-443-2928. The three New Mexicans were not the only ones who expressed interest in removing Griffin from office. The three New Mexicans were not the only ones who expressed interest in removing Griffin from office. I only know him by his first name, which his first name is Hiramand hes not a licensed attorney, hes not a BAR-certified attorney, hes a friend of mine who knows the law.. But hes being prosecuted for standing on the steps, a place a federal appeals court has declared to be a public forum, Smith said. Struck has an immunity deal with prosecutors for his testimony. Other evidence recorded by a videographer Griffin brought with him to Washington showed him climbing over a stone wall that marked the Capitols security perimeter and walking over trampled plastic mesh fencing and dismantled bicycle rack barriers. La Junta, CO 81050 (719) 383-3000. The judge denied the motion and said he would refer Hiram to the disciplinary counsel for the investigation of possibly practicing law without having a license. Griffin was booted from the board earlier in the week by court order due to his participation in the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The New Mexico Supreme Court has repeatedly upheld the State's authority to impose such mandates. Couy Griffin addresses reporters outside federal court in Washington on June 17. Griffins trial in Washington, DC, was the second among the hundreds of federal cases arising from the Jan. 6, 2021, siege. 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 September 2022, Griffin was removed from office under the Disqualification . Maureen Cohen Harrington via Storyful, Storyful, was found guiltyin federal court March 22. In September 2022, it was employed by a judge in New Mexico, who removed Couy Griffin, a county commissioner in Otero County, from office for his participation in the January 6 insurrection. [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. He turned down an offer to plead to a lesser charge and probation, waived a trial by jury and took his chances with McFadden. The Otero County Commissioners have had enough of Cowboys for Trump leader Couy Griffin. 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. if(document.getElementsByClassName("reference").length==0) if(document.getElementById('Footnotes')!==null) document.getElementById('Footnotes').parentNode.style.display = 'none'; What's on my ballot? Hes on the [inauguration] stage, while police worked to restore order for hours. A county official in New Mexico who was convicted of entering a restricted area during the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol must be immediately removed from office for his involvement in an insurrection, a judge decided Tuesday. [13], At a county commission meeting on February 11, 2021, Griffin said he was accused of crimes but not convicted. Griffin could have thought business was still taking place, but the burden was on the government to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt, McFadden said. 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. Contact Editor Shaun Griswold for questions: info@sourcenm.com. Griffin said the allegations against him were baseless and politically motivated. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. It is named for Miguel Antonio Otero, the territorial governor when the county was created. Michelle Lujan Grisham's public health orders as unconstitutional. Likes. [4] The New Mexico Supreme Court affirmed the lower court's ruling on June 28, 2021, allowing the recall effort to move forward. Leading up to Jan. 6, Griffin and his organization helped mobilize the "Stop the Steal" movement that falsely claimed Donald Trump's election defeat in 2020 was the result of widespread fraud, an assertion rejected by multiple courts, state election officials and members of his own administration, Mathew wrote. He went on some tangents prompting Judge Mathew to put his foot down to stay on track. Misogyny is fueling the countrys gun violence epidemic,. [3], Griffin also said the recall hearing proceedings were tilted against him as Judge Manuel Arrieta had been appointed by a Democratic governor. Defense attorney Nicholas Smith said the case against Griffin was built on a series of false assumptions and premises. Trial testimony showed Griffin went to the Capitol to support free and fair elections, Smith told the judge. Griffin was jailed for more than two weeks after his arrest on Jan. 19, 2021. It's a real disgrace towards our democracy," he said during a brief phone interview. Otero County Courthouse: 13 West 3rd Street. Recall supporters did not collect enough signatures by the deadline on September 28, 2021. Each charge was punishable by up to one year in jail. Griffin was charged with two misdemeanors: entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds. SANTA FE A New Mexico judge ordered Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin be removed from office, effective immediately, ruling that the attack on the Capitol was an insurrection and that Griffin's participation in it disqualified him under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. 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. Griffin is the co-founder and spokesman for the political advocacy group Cowboys for Trump. Now he has regrets., In middle of Jan. 6 riot, Oath Keepers chief reached out to Proud Boys. "His protestations and his characterizations of his actions and the events of Jan. 6, 2021 are not credible and amounted to nothing more than attempting to put lipstick on a pig," Mathew's ruling states. Nicole Maxwell can be contacted by email at nmaxwell@alamogordonews.com, by phone at 575-415-6605 or on Twitter at @nicmaxreporter. He condemned people who view the Confederate flag as racist as vile scum. In July 2020, when the National Football League began playing Lift Every Voice and Sing, what is referred to the Black national anthem, before games, Griffin suggested that players 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.. Griffin "incited, encouraged and helped normalize the violence," Mathew wrote. Those actions must have occurred during the official's current term of office in order for a recall effort to be approved to circulate petitions. Michelle Lujan Grisham, confirmed that the governor will fill the vacancy, adding that the governor accepts applications from eligible residents as possible replacements. 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. Ive been in my office, cleaning my office out today with the undersheriff standing guard in the room. That resolution was also sponsored by Griffin. Both carry maximum sentences of one years imprisonment. Griffin was removed from office under theU.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment's Disqualification Clause, which states that an elected official may be removed from their position for acts against the government, including insurrection which some experts have labeled the events of the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riots. He [Griffin] crossed over three walls, McFadden said. , Photos: Sky News 13 flies over Good Friday pilgrimages, PHOTOS: Storm moves through New Mexico leaving snow, Snow causes difficult driving conditions across NM, Map: New Mexico Veterans Monuments and Memorials, BestReviews.com - Top gifts to make everyone happy this spring, Surprise your mom with one of these Mothers Day, Mothers Day inspo: This foot massager has 20,000, Drew Barrymores Walmart collection is perfect for, Best Mothers Day gifts for the budding plant mom, 13 Broadcast Pl SW, Albuquerque, NM, 87104, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Recall supporters would have had to collect 1,574 signatures from registered voters in District 2 in 90 days to get the recall on the ballot. 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. "Elected officials must respect the rule of law, and we will evaluate whether this misdemeanor convictionand any of Griffin's other actions warrant his removal from public office," Mares said March 22. Griffin was previously convicted of a misdemeanor for entering Capitol grounds and was sentenced to 14 days, but was given credit for time served. "Under New Mexico law, a local officer may be removed from office upon written accusation," New Mexico Attorney General's Office spokeswoman Jerri Mares said. This story has been shared 182,853 times. McFadden set sentencing for June 17, after defense attorney Nicholas D. Smith declined an offer for immediate sentencing. Assistant US Attorney Janani Iyengar said Griffin climbed over metal bike racks, up a plywood ramp and shouted over the crowd about his belief that the election was stolen from Trump. Marquardt and Matherly, along withNew Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas, asked Griffin to resign following his Jan. 17 arrest in which he was charged withknowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority by federal authorities foris participation in the Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol building. Nicole Maxwell can be contacted by email at nmaxwell@alamogordonews.com, by phone at 575-415-6605 or on Twitter at @nicmaxreporter. Otero County Commissioner and founder of Cowboys for Trump. In a court filing, prosecutors called Griffin an inflammatory provocateur and fabulist who engages in racist invective and propounds baseless conspiracy theories, including that Communist China stole the 2020 Presidential Election.. Social Services Annex: 215 Raton Ave. La Junta, CO 81050. The decision against Griffin, who made headlines earlier this year by refusing to certify his county's election results, comes after some similar, high-profile Fourteenth Amendment challenges to incumbent lawmakers across the country failed. Access unmatched financial data, news and content in a highly-customised workflow experience on desktop, web and mobile. By allowing this case to move forward, youre going to set a very dangerous precedent, said Griffin. "His protestations and his characterizations of his actions and the events of Jan. 6, 2021 are not credible and amounted to nothing more than attempting to put lipstick on a pig," Mathew's ruling states. Updated: Aug 15, 2022 / 04:46 PM MDT. 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. Thanks for contacting us. Maureen Cohen Harrington via Storyful, Storyful, U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment's Disqualification Clause, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. WASHINGTON A federal judge on Tuesday convicted an elected official from New Mexico of illegally entering restricted US Capitol grounds but acquitted him of engaging in disorderly conduct duringthe riotthat disrupted Congress from certifyingJoe Bidens presidential election victory. hide caption. Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin gestures before getting into a car after the first day of his trial in federal court in Washington on March 21. More than 230 riot defendants have pleaded guilty, mostly to misdemeanors, and at least 127 of them have been sentenced. 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. Thats the thing that has hurt the most in this. "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. This conviction is an example of accountability and justice," Coln said. Smith said prosecutors apparently believe Griffin engaged in disorderly conduct by peacefully leading a prayer on the Capitol steps. "Griffin shall be removed from his position as an Otero County Commissioner effective immediately.". All of this would suggest to a normal person that perhaps you should not be entering the area, McFadden said from the bench. It's one thing to be charged, it's another thing to be proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. More than 770 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the Capitol riot. Couy Griffin's Tweets. Pence remained in the loading dock location for four to five hours, until the joint session of Congress resumed on the night of Jan. 6, Hawa testified. usc beach volleyball recruits, murrayfield stadium tickets, nine trey gangsters leonard mckenzie,