The motion said Couy Griffin has publicly expressed views and opinions which have incited threats of violence to his ex-wife and son. On Monday, federal prosecutors displayed video footage in McFadden's courtroom showing Griffin climbing a makeshift ramp as he approached the Capitol. 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. Weitere Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. Couy Griffin Wife, Children Griffin is currently single, he was previously married to his girlfriend Kourtnie A Gates, but they were divorced in 2019. No Maam, Griffin said in a video recorded Jan. 7 cited in government filings. The extra trip to New York City exceeds the scope of the authorized travel, court records state. I will not be intimidated, I will not be threatened, and I sure as Hell wont back down!! Griffin invoked free speech protections in declining to register and disclose the donors to Cowboys for Trump and expressed concern that financial contributors might be harassed. Here is the entire draft filing he's going to hit them with. Sign up for our free Daily Headlines newsletter Your . the judge asked. Unlike that trial, which featured felony charges, Griffin was accused only of misdemeanor offenses. While still a county commissioner, Griffin joined with Republican colleagues in refusing to certify results of the June 2022 primary election based on distrust of the voting systems used to tally the vote, even though the countys election official said there were no problems. The dismissed charge against Griffin carried a potential punishment of up to a year in prison and a $1,000 fine. Prosecutors have said that Pence remained at the Capitol complex during the relevant period. Otero County Commissioner and Cowboys for Trump founder Couy Griffin is being investigated by the New Mexico Attorney Generals Office on grounds he violated the Campaign Reporting Act and the Governmental Conduct Act, and that he allegedly committed embezzlement, racketeering, money laundering and making or permitting a false voucher for public funds. The day-long trial is also expected to feature video footage of the January 14, 2021 meeting of the Otero County commissioners, where Griffin addressed his involvement in the Capitol attack. 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. After the fall of Roe, the pro-life movement is facing a battle of unprecedented complexity and staggering scope. 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. 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. Couy isAmericanby nationality as he is a native of New Mexico. They said Griffin was a politician in his own right who clearly advocated for Trump while the president was a candidate for reelection, and that Griffin also promoted political positions on border enforcement, gun rights, abortion and more. He also required to complete community service. 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. Griffin is reviled and revered in. The Court concludes that Mr. Griffins crossing of barricades to approach the Capitol were overt acts in support of the insurrection, as Griffins presence closer to the Capitol building increased the insurrectionists intimidation by numbers, wrote Mathew, who was appointed to the bench by former Republican Gov. At the outset of the bench trial, McFadden confirmed that Griffin wanted his verdict decided by a judge rather than a jury. So, we are still unknown about his actual net worth and earnings he receives from his job. They want to destroy our country. 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. Derrick Evans, was sentenced to three months in jail this summer for committing civil disorder on Jan. 6. New Mexico and ABQ News, Sports, Business and more, By Nicole Maxwell / Alamogordo Daily News 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. 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. His trial comes just weeks after a jury in Washington, DC, found Guy Reffitt guilty on five charges, including possession of a firearm on Capitol grounds. Indeed, Griffin has been that talk of the town since the news of his arrest swirled in the media. "On the decision, I am obviously very pleased," Sanchez said. He was one of 10 more people to be arrested on Saturday and Sunday. Also, Griffin reportedly hasa sonfrom his former relationship with Kourtnie. Only the March 11 complaint was heard in the April 8 recall hearing. There is an uncomfortable irony when, in the aftermath of that attack, we purport to defend democracy by using the judicial process to deprive voters of their choice of leader. Trumps attack on democracy after the November 2020 election started out as an attempt to use the judicial process to deprive voters of their choice of leader. Still, New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas reportedly had issued the statement demanding Griffins resignation from his current post as Mexico County Commissioner. How about that? Griffin said in the video. ", Get caught up:Otero Commissioners to discuss calls for resignation of Couy Griffin on Thursday. Another state lawmaker, then-West Virginia state Del. The secretary of states 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. Griffin has five calendar days to file an appeal to the New Mexico Supreme Court. The judge said Griffin also repeatedly has defied health orders to put a mask on his son at public events and has openly said he will continue to do so. 86. 6.). 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. 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. Susana Martinez. The Justice Department said in charging papers that, following the January 6 insurrection, Griffin recorded a video in which he claimed to have "climbed up on the top of the Capitol building" and stated his intention to return on January 20 the day then-President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration. 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. 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. 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 . Just dont say anything bad about a scammer politician for the Republican Party of Otero County, otherwise Amy Smith Barela might try to intimidate you too. 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.). 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. Note: This photo has been removed from the White House Flickr page. Get the latest news delivered right to your email. Most of these cases fizzled quickly, and none have succeeded. Updated: March 23, 2022 - 2:43 PM Published: January 6, 2022 - 1:40 PM ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. Couy Griffin, Cowboys for Trump founder and Otero County commissioner, was arrested last year for his. 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 Commissioner Couy Griffin, a. Whether its riding for Israel or doing the Covid Canter. Photo credit: @AP on Twitter. Griffin also said the reelection campaign for Trump would distance itself from Cowboys for Trump after Griffin posted the video. The hearing was held in the old Otero County Commission Chambers in the Otero County Courthouse across the street from the Otero County Administration Building. I dont know but I will find out. (Berger was later seated after his espionage conviction was overturned.). 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. as well as other partner offers and accept our. 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. But legal experts say the ruling in New Mexico is significant nonetheless especially if it holds up. 2023 www.alamogordonews.com. 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. Couy Griffin, who was charged for breaching the Capitol grounds on Jan. 6, is disappointed the former president didn't follow through on his promise to jail Hillary Clinton. Police say a man shot himself and unintentionally killed a woman when the bullet passed through his head and struck her last month at Middle school students killer to remain in custody until Juan Saucedo Jr., 14, pleaded no contest to second-degree murder and was sentenced to remain in custody until age 21 in the 2021 shooting Albuquerque Police data: Use-of-force policies followed 95% of the Albuquerque superintendent of police reform hails Albuquerque superintendent of police reform hails results as "success" in Court Approved Settlement Agreement compliance. A Luna County man was arrested Monday for allegedly beating his older brother to death while he slept at their home outside of Deming. 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. But this is also a man who beat a "Mom and Pop business" that has 5 kids out of thousands of dollars. As per the sources, He was married to him for a long time and got divorced in 2019. Whether this will ultimately stand up if appealed remains a major question and one that could have far-ranging implications. Otero Countys financial director told AG investigators that, following a records request for the vouchers and several complaints from citizens, Griffin voluntarily opted to pay the entire $3,237.48 back to Otero County, court records state. 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. We proceeded and the judge found for us.". Published: Monday, February 15th, 2021 at 10:05PMUpdated: Monday, February 15th, 2021 at 10:13PM. However, the go A January 6-related trial began Monday in the case of "Cowboys for Trump" founder Couy Griffin. 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. Miller, a public defender, said Griffins intention was to speak boldly and openly about common sense convictions and national pride without yielding to government control through the regulation of nonprofit groups. "The Committee to Recall Couy Griffin is very pleased that we have been found with probable cause, no less for all five of the allegations we presented.". 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. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,600],'millionsofcelebs_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_1',125,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-millionsofcelebs_com-medrectangle-4-0');There hasnt been further news about his execution. Hes going to run, and weve got to know whether hes allowed to run or not, Magliocca said. Last year, he became the first elected official to be banished from elected office in connection with the attack on the U.S. Capitol building, which disrupted Congress as it was trying to certify President Joe Bidens 2020 election victory. For the first time since the War of 1812, the U.S. Capitol was breached. Griffins disqualification from office is not only retroactive to Jan. 6, 2021; he is also barred for life from holding any civil or military office in the future. 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. Couy Griffin poses with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House on September 12, 2019. 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. Including allegations of drunk driving with 5 yr child. Couy Griffin Wikipedia And Age You want to say that was a mob? South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh has been found guilty on all four counts in connection with the 2021 murders of his wife and son. He shouldnt be punished for showing his pride in his country, Miller said. Couy Griffin, the founder of the Cowboys for Trump group, appeared to turn on the former president . Prosecutors rested their case after Hawas testimony, but McFadden called her to return Tuesday morning. Miller, a public defender, said Griffin's intention was to speak boldly and openly about common sense convictions and national pride without yielding to government control through the regulation of nonprofit groups. Cowboys for Trump cofounder Couy Griffin was found not guilty yesterday of a misdemeanor charge of failing to register a political committee at a trial in in Alamogordo, New Mexico. Manage the news you want to see, read exclusive content and explore other subscriber benefits. 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.. The State Auditor was notified of the voucher and launched an investigation. The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards. ALAMOGORDO, N.M. (KRQE) -Otero County Commissioner and Cowboys for Trump leader Couy Griffin is proposing to fully reopen his county, breaking the state's public health order. Griffin's attorney also accused state campaign finance regulators of bias and singling out Cowboys for Trump for enforcement. But, he hasnt revealed the identity of his son. 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 riot on Jan. 6, 2021. Or is she starstruck, with her boy feeling, how did he put it like a Rockstar? Copyright 2023 The Western Journal. The motion said Couy Griffin "has publicly. Nicole Maxwell can be contacted by email at nmaxwell@alamogordonews.com, by phone at 575-415-6605 or on Twitter at @nicmaxreporter. Wednesday's emergency proclamation in the counties of Amador, Kern, Los Angeles, Madera, Mariposa, Mono, Nevada, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Sierra, Sonoma and Tulare will . You also agree to our, The Associated Press is an independent, not-for-profit news cooperative headquartered in New York City. and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.). 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. 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. Couy Griffin has been barred from in-person visits with his son due to social media posts that have produced threats and for refusing to comply with the requirements of the COVID-19 mask. Griffin chose to drive his own personal diesel-fueled pickup truck with large C4T stickers on the drivers and passenger side doors, court records state. 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. 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. The original civil complaintwas filed March 11 with amended complaints filed March 24 and April 5 by the Committee to Recall Couy Griffin. With Struck on the stand, prosecutors played one video in which Griffin recounted members of the pro-Trump mob spilling over barriers outside the Capitol. 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. "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. Cowboys for Trump . You want to say that was violence? It doesnt bother local leadership that Couy has made this EXACT same trip time and time again, through donations for whatever cause will pay. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds - AFP / Getty Images, "Cowboys for Trump" co-founder Couy Griffin speaks to reporters as he arrives at federal court in Washington on June 17, 2022. The ruling comes after lawyers for Griffins ex-wife, Kourtnie, filed an emergency motion in May to modify their custody and visitation agreement. The board ultimately certified the election on a 2-1 vote with Griffin still voting no based on a gut feeling., Trump cowboy found not guilty of campaign finance charge. "I would rather these allegation brought forward be heard from a group of peers rather than a (former Gov. Last year, he became the first elected official to be banished from elected office in connection with the Capitol incursion. 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. All Rights Reserved. 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. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. 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. 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. We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Dont miss reporting and analysis from the Hill and the White House. 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. Although Griffin's trip to Washington, D.C. in September 2019 was initially for the proper reason of attending a regional county . 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. This is America, we play the National Anthem in America today.. When asked whether he and Griffin had decided it would be "inappropriate" to enter the Capitol building, Struck replied, "I don't think we discussed that.". When local Republican Party Leadership will openly attack average (ie not running for office) citizens to silence their criticism of their elected official we have a HUGE problem inside that party. 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 . Cowboys for Trump founder Couy Griffin, who is facing charges in connection with the U.S. Capitol riot, has turned on the former president in a conference speech for abandoning January 6. The Cowboys for Trump website was not operational Feb. 13. 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. But when it was operational, it offered options to donate to the organization by direct donation or by purchasing merchandise. Griffin also offered to give people of color what he called a 101 lesson on racial identity and said anyone who does not identify as American first or opposes the Second Amendment right to bear arms should leave the U.S. or go home. Statements like go back to where you came from is a racist insult aimed for decades at immigrants and African Americans in the United States. Mr. It is unclear when McFadden will hand down his verdict. Do any of her businesses contract with the county? Griffin invoked free speech protections in declining to register and disclose donors to Cowboys for Trump, while expressing concern that financial contributors might be harassed. Couy Griffin, a 48-year-old Republican elected official from Alamogordo, N.M., and founder of a pro-Donald Trump grass-roots group, had challenged U.S. prosecutors to prove Pences whereabouts as he defends himself from misdemeanor counts of trespassing and disorderly conduct on grounds restricted from the public because of the presence of a Secret Service protectee. 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. On the witness stand, Struck said he used to post videos on his Twitter account "before it was shut down.". maybe thats the Freudian Slip Couy made when setting up @Baredown C4T FB page, well at least thats better than sister), will tout how Couy, C4T and the GOP are protecting the Constitution. Lewis Capaldi handled himself like a true pro, simply backing away from the mic and hanging on to the stand while his fans took the lead. The motion said Couy Griffin "has publicly expressed views and opinions which have incited threats of violence" to his ex-wife and son. 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. The second amended complaint against Griffin is 141 pages long and alleges failed to meet his duties as a public servant, including missing regular Otero County meetings. You havent shown he [Pence] ever left the restricted area, the judge told Griffins defense attorney, Nicholas D. Smith. Ahead of the trial, McFadden rejected Griffin's claim that he was politically targeted. You may opt out at anytime. 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. One person is dead and another has been hospitalized after a shooting on Central Avenue near Moon Street, police said Thursday morning. The judge in the case, District Judge Francis J. Mathew, was unsparing in ruling that Griffin is disqualified from office. (Gemunu Amarasinghe / AP), Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge.
