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. He also expressed frustration that a judge, and not Otero County voters, had the final say. [1], Recall supporters filed paperwork on March 11, 2021. Thats the thing that has hurt the most in this. The most comprehensive solution to manage all your complex and ever-expanding tax and compliance needs. "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. 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. "[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's Tweets. Monday - Thursday 8 am to 5 pm, Fridays telecommuting 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. The industry leader for online information for tax, accounting and finance professionals. But McFadden acquitted the defendant of disorderly conduct, finding prosecutors had not proved he was acting knowingly to disrupt a government proceeding. Griffin was unhappy that Stephanie DuBois, a Democrat, was appointed to his old seat . Griffin is fighting to . The left is always crying about how our democracy is under attack. This is a historic win for accountability for the January 6th insurrection and the efforts to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power in the United States," said Noah Bookbinder, the president of the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), an ethics watchdog that filed a lawsuit against Griffin, calling for his removal. A key question in Griffins case was whether he entered a restricted area while Vice President Mike Pence was still present on Capitol grounds, a prerequisite for the US Secret Service to invoke access restrictions. Phone: 575-491-7265. He also said he was a target because of his relationship with former President Donald Trump. 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.". The courts ruling today is a historic moment for our country. Otero County commissioner files restraining order against Couy Griffin Couy Griffin: New Mexico county commissioner removed from elected Ballot measures, Who represents me? "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. Daves Hot Chicken will have you begging for more, and maybe for mercy, Josiah Gray finishes April with a flourish as Nats avoid a series sweep, at least 163 Republicans who have embraced Trumps false claims, National Football League began playing Lift Every Voice and Sing, what is referred to the Black national anthem. Why didn't he stop Ashli instead of ASSIST Ashli? Monday - Friday 8 am to 5 pm. 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. 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. [3], Griffin, who founded the organization Cowboys for Trump, was arrested in Washington, D.C., on January 17, 2021, for his alleged role in the breach of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. 21, 2022. My intent of going to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6 was because I had concerns that our elections had been compromised.". 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. Email Amy Barela. 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. All of this would suggest to a normal person that perhaps you should not be entering the area, McFadden said from the bench. AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe, File A. The quo warranto complaintasking for Griffin's removal from office was filed by Marco White on Santa Fe County, Mark Mitchell of Los Alamos County and Leslie Lakind of Santa Fe County. Attempts by the Alamogordo Daily News to contact Griffin about the ruling were unsuccessful. Source New Mexico maintains editorial independence. After a tense back-and-forth about who drafted the pleadings, Judge Francis Mathew denied the motion. Griffin said the allegations against him were baseless and politically motivated. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site. Couy Griffin first elected official barred from office for participating in Jan. 6 attack. He continued to claim he was a victim of political persecution although his judge was appointed by Trump in 2017 and served as a Justice Department criminal division official in the Trump and George W. Bush administrations. The Otero County Commissioners have had enough of Cowboys for Trump leader Couy Griffin. At trial last month for the civil lawsuit, Griffin unsuccessfully sought to dismiss the case, the Journal reported. Why did he motion Byrd to wait? Our elected officials and candidatesmust obey the law. And in May, officials in Georgia ruled that Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene could remain on the ballot after her role in the Capitol riot. 1,584 Following. Prosecutors didnt give any opening statements. SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) - A prominent figure in New Mexico politics surrounding the events of the 2020 presidential election, Otero County Commission Couy Griffin has been removed from office ba Otero County Directory | Otero County My office will continue its examination of Otero County and the concerns of its residents.. Griffin told NPR that he was shocked by the ruling. 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 was accused of trespassing onto the west steps of the Capitol Building Jan. 6. Social Services Annex: 215 Raton Ave. Griffins trial in Washington, DC, was the second among the hundreds of federal cases arising from the Jan. 6, 2021, siege. Media. 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. U.S. President | NEW MEXICO (KRQE) -The trial for Otero County Commissioner and Cowboys for Trump founder, Couy Griffin begins Monday in Santa Fe. Tweets. States keep taking it. How to run for office | 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. Cowboys for Trump founder sentenced to 14 days for breaching Capitol His lawyers argued that he was selectively prosecuted for his political views. Instead, he will be hiring some great legal minds.. The case against Griffin was initially filed in March by three New Mexico residents who argued Griffin should be removed from his elected position for violating the Constitution, specifically because of his participation in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. In his ruling on the case, Mathew contended that Griffin was not eligible to hold office because of his participation in the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riots. I kind of was bracing myself because I figured that it was going to go this way, Griffin said. Lowery was awarded the 2020 William S. Dixon First Amendment Freedom Award from the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government, and the 2021 Sunshine Award from the New Mexico Press Association for his reporting that highlighted lack of transparency from multiple government agencies. 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. Recall supporters did not collect enough signatures by the deadline on September 28, 2021. That resolution was also sponsored by Griffin. 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. But its been very difficult for me, Griffin said. [2] District Court Judge Manuel Arrieta ruled on April 8, 2021, that the recall effort could move forward. ( AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe, File) N.M. Supreme Court intervenes after GOP commission refuses to certify Some high-profile legal efforts to remove public officials from their positions due to their involvement in Jan. 6 have failed so far. Ballotpedia features 408,500 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. 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. He was charged with "knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority," according to the Alamogordo Daily News. Failing to be present at county commission meetings, Being unable to perform his duties within his district due to being banned from the sovereign nation and lands of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, Filming a video inside the County Commission Administration building to solicit funds for a political organization, Filing a travel voucher with the county to pay for events that did not relate to his duties as a county commissioner, Soliciting and receiving a donation from a restricted donor. How to vote | Protecting our democracy cannot be optional the people of Otero County deserve elected officials committed to protecting and upholding our laws.. County Commission | Otero County, NM Gov. 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 2 years before the attack, according to an Associated Press tally. 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. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. Smith argued that one could find the events of Jan. 6 embarrassing and shameful, but also conclude that it was offensive and wrong to selectively prosecute and convict Griffin for exercising his freedom of speech and leading a prayer. Griffin is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17. They are not above it. In August 2020, the Commission unanimously passed a resolution on the same topic. Griffin was jailed for more than two weeks after his arrest on Jan. 19, 2021. , 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. 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.