Indeed, Griffin has been that talk of the town since the news of his arrest swirled in the media. Last week, Griffin faced criticism after he posted a Facebook live video where he said some Black NFL players should go back to Africa if they wanted to stand for Lift Evry Voice and Sing traditionally known as the Black national anthem as a gesture of solidarity against racial injustice. 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. 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. A copy of the check was included in the warrant packet. How Republicans became the party of Trumps election lie after Jan. 6, It is wild to see that he was in a loading dock in an underground parking garage beneath the Capitol complex, Karl said during an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. There was no place to sit, no desk, no chairs, nothing.. Whether youre a lifelong resident of D.C. or you just moved here, weve got you covered. General Flynn is suing the federal government for $50 million. Their son was born in 2014. They provide content and services to help engage audiences worldwide, working with companies of all types, from broadcasters to brands. 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,. New Mexico Supreme Court: Juveniles who plead can appeal Ruling stems from the case of Christopher Rodriguez, who was sentenced as an adult to 14 years in prison for his role in the San Juan sheriff shoots dog during off-duty traffic stop, Luna County man charged in brothers beating death. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. By Jack Davis March 3, 2023 . South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh has been found guilty on all four counts in connection with the 2021 murders of his wife and 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 incursion on Jan. 6, 2021. For years, Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin has been Donald Trump's most flamboyant supporter in New Mexico, creating spectacles and controversy in equal measure. Couy rarely would make headlines before his arrest. 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. Lets not forget that free food from ranchers too. The ruling comes after lawyers for Griffins ex-wife, Kourtnie, filed an emergency motion in May to modify their custody and visitation agreement. He shouldnt be punished for showing his pride in his country, Miller said. 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. Couy Griffins career background is not sufficiently transparent as his bio cannot be found on Wikipedia. Reffitt's trial presented a test for the Justice Department as it undertakes an investigation it has called "unprecedented," and the conviction marked a significant victory in the nearly 800 prosecutions related to the January 6 attack. Who Is Cowboys for Trump Founder Couy Griffin? - Newsweek Griffin never complied with the agreement. "It is not intended for simple disagreements and so the judge having made the decision, there's a process that we must follow now and part of that is whether or not Commissioner Griffin decides to file an appeal. The hearing was only to establish probable cause, in other words to determine if there wasevidence of truth to the charges alleged. Professionally, Kourtnie is an Iraqi war veteran. Griffin never complied with the agreement. 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.. 6.). You may opt out at anytime. Couy's ex-wife, Kourtnie, is a 34 years old Iraqi war veteran who was born in the year 1986. 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. The decision interrupts a string of adverse legal decisions for Griffin, who remains barred from elected office under a judges decision upheld by the New Mexico Supreme Court in February. With all those donations Couy takes in you would think he would want to pay for the items his sheep give him. FILE - Otero County, New Mexico Commissioner Couy Griffin speaks to reporters as he arrives at federal court in Washington, June 17, 2022. Weitere Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. If you dont believe me, ask all those who thought Dennis Rader was such a nice guy. Griffin, the Cowboys for Trump founder and an Otero County commissioner, was arrested in Washington on Jan. 17, 2021, after allegedly posting a video on Facebook of himself on the inauguration stage next to the Capitol within the barricaded perimeter of its grounds during the Jan. 6 siege. Griffin was previously convicted in federal court of a misdemeanor for entering restricted U.S. Capitol grounds on Jan. 6, without going inside the building. He acknowledged that Griffin was not criminally convicted of insurrection and there is no evidence that Griffin engaged in violence himself. For the first time since the War of 1812, the U.S. Capitol was breached. 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. They include GOP gubernatorial nominees Doug Mastriano in Pennsylvania and Dan Cox in Maryland, who both organized buses for the Stop the Steal rally. Couy Griffin Wiki Bio: Wife, Married, Age, Son, Net Worth, Family I did nothing violent on that day, I broke nothing, I didnt fight with anybody, Griffin has told the court in a pretrial hearing. and signed a child-support check to his ex-wife from his . Defense attorney Jonathan Miller portrayed Griffin as 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. But when it was operational, it offered options to donate to the organization by direct donation or by purchasing merchandise. See you never really know who is nice and who is not. 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. It seems like Couy prefers to keep details about his family a secret. The Audience's Response Will Give You Goosebumps, 'He's a Stupid Rapper': Gang Member Charged with Murder After Police Hear His Latest Song, 'Ouch': 11 House Democrats Reportedly Snubbed Biden for a Concert, 'Pure Theater': Greta Thunberg 'Detained' at Protest, But Look What Happens After Police Let Her Down, Elderly Man Pulls Out Six-Shooter and Fires Back After Being Shot in Leg by Two Alleged Armed Robbers, Read the Entire Explosive $50 Million Gen. Flynn Lawsuit Against the US Government, Op-Ed: The Pro-Life Movement Has a Golden Opportunity, But Only if We Work Together. . 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. Prior arrests for drunk driving and more on the Backwoods Tees case. You want to say that was a mob? Success in the latter scenario remains unlikely, especially in the absence of a criminal conviction. 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. No we could have a 2nd Amendment rally on those same steps that we had that rally yesterday. I dont know but I will find out. 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. "He had as much right to due process as we do and the judge very much made it clear and afforded him that right. 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. Bill) Richardson appointed judge in Manuel Arrieta," Griffin said in an email April 7. Praying for 12 jurors to say in unison "NOT GUILTY"!!. 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. Griffin deniedthe allegations claiming they were"frivolous and devoid of merit," court records state. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider 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 . 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. Photo credit: @AP on Twitter. Seriously girl, its time to come off your knees and wipe your chin. 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. 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. 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. 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. A copy of the check was included in the warrant packet. 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 State Auditor was notified of the voucher and launched an investigation. In each of these cases, Griffin has associated criminality with his organization, Cowboys for Trump. I guess one needs to ask whats in this for the Chairman of Otero County GOP? Why on earth would someone put their reputation on the line for a person who is being exposed as a fraud and financial scammer? 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.". When two thugs tried to attack an elderly man, he pulled out his own weapon and fired back, scaring them away. It doesnt bother local leadership that Couy has made this EXACT same trip time and time again, through donations for whatever cause will pay. Although Griffin's trip to Washington, D.C. in September 2019 was initially for the proper reason of attending a regional county . 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. Hes going to run, and weve got to know whether hes allowed to run or not, Magliocca said. Griffin has not been criminally charged in reference to the September 2019 travel voucher. 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. Griffin ignores the fact that his position as an elected official puts him in a different and nonprotected category from other rioters, McFadden said. The disqualification of Berger, for instance, was later widely regarded as overreach. Perhaps leadership is knowingly/financially or literally in bed with the candidate? 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. It would be helpful if they would take this opportunity to rule really for the first time what Section 3 means.. At the same time, Griffins conviction was for misdemeanor trespassing, for which he was sentenced to 14 days and a $3,000 fine. U.S. Donald Trump Qanon Las vegas Capitol Riots. Regardless, they said the law only requires that Pence was at the complex or "would be" returning to prove that Griffin unlawfully entered a Secret Service-protected area. Couy is the professional Otero County Commissioner who made headlines in the news after FBI agents arrested him on Sunday on 17 January 2021. Congress used the 14th Amendment to disqualify Socialist Rep. Victor Berger in 1919, but not the insurrection provision specifically, and this was not a court decision. That travel voucher was approved and a check was cut to Griffin in the amount of$3,237.48. Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin proposes fully reopening - KRQE Couy Griffin Wife, Children Griffin is currently single, he was previously married to his girlfriend Kourtnie A Gates, but they were divorced in 2019. Who is Couy Griffin? Couy Griffin's Wife, Children Griffin is currently single, he was previously married to his girlfriend Kourtnie A Gates, but they were divorced in 2019. 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. 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. Cowboys for Trump Founder Offered Plea Deal in Capitol Riot Case - Newsweek The motion said Couy Griffin "has publicly expressed views and opinions which have incited threats of violence" to his ex-wife and son. The disclosure verifies reporting by ABC journalist and author Jonathan Karl and came in testimony by the liaison officer for Pences Secret Service security detail against the second defendant to face trial in the Capitol attack. 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. 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. Evans resigned shortly after the insurrection and before he was charged, but he has flirted with an attempted political comeback. Nicole Maxwell can be contacted by email at nmaxwell@alamogordonews.com, by phone at 575-415-6605 or on Twitter at @nicmaxreporter. I would have wanted him to have the opportunity to argue his points here," Sanchez said. The office alleged Griffin misused campaign donations associated with Cowboys for Trump to pay child support for his son. They want to talk about playing a Black national anthem before football games? 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. "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. Still, New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas reportedly had issued the statement demanding Griffins resignation from his current post as Mexico County Commissioner. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. The Cowboys for Trump website was not operational Feb. 13. Couy Griffin has been reported as one of the men involved in the riots at the U.S. Capitol that occurred on January 6, 2021. Prosecutors later acknowledged that Harris had in fact left the vicinity beforehand and cleaned up their error in charging and other documents. Testifying under oath Monday, Secret Service Inspector Lanelle R. Hawa confirmed that the secure location to which Pence was evacuated at 2:26 p.m. from the Senate chamber was a loading dock under the Senate plaza connected to the Capitol via the attached underground Capitol visitor center. By Ewan Palmer On 10/25/21 at 11:33 AM EDT. Supporters of President Donald Trump broke into the building, forcing the evacuation of Congress and Pence as they met to certify the electoral college results. He was one of 10 more people to be arrested on Saturday and Sunday. In a reversal, Biden said he would sign a resolution blocking a D.C. effort to reduce penalties for violent crimes. In response to the allegations, Griffin said in the April 7 email that "As far as Im concerned I will stand on the same principle Ive stated over and over. "Recall is intended to be difficult and it is intended to be a very serious matter,"Ivey-Soto said. 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. The dismissed charge against Griffin carried a potential punishment of up to a year in prison and a $1,000 fine. No Maam, Griffin said in a video recorded Jan. 7 cited in government filings. 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. Vice President Mike Pence was taken to an underground Senate loading dock after rioters breached the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and spent four to five hours there under guard with his wife and daughter, the Secret Service confirmed Monday for the first time. "On the decision, I am obviously very pleased," Sanchez said. Some have sought to wield that seldom-invoked provision against members of Congress, without success, and even floated using it against Trump. Couy Griffin Career Griffin was found taking active participation in the 2021 US Capitol riots and was arrested for the same on 8th January 2021. The judge in the case, District Judge Francis J. Mathew, was unsparing in ruling that Griffin is disqualified from office. Well, read his exclusive personal life details and the reason behind his arrest in the below facts!if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'millionsofcelebs_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_2',124,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-millionsofcelebs_com-medrectangle-3-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'millionsofcelebs_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_3',124,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-millionsofcelebs_com-medrectangle-3-0_1'); .medrectangle-3-multi-124{border:none !important;display:block !important;float:none !important;line-height:0px;margin-bottom:7px !important;margin-left:auto !important;margin-right:auto !important;margin-top:7px !important;max-width:100% !important;min-height:50px;padding:0;text-align:center !important;}. "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. In July 2020, a check from a bank account for Cowboys for Trump was sent to Griffin's ex-wife for child support. 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. A Donald Trump supporter, Griffin founded Cowboys for Trump and listed his sister Kay Griffin as its organizer. 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.". Stay up to date with what you want to know. (Griffin is the founder of a group called Cowboys for Trump, which has been promoted by the former president. Who is Couy Griffin? Karl, ABCs chief Washington correspondent, said last November in promoting his new book, Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show, that he had seen images taken by a White House photographer with Pence that day showing where he, his wife, Karen, and daughter Charlotte Pence Bond waited out the Capitol breach. Here is the entire draft filing he's going to hit them with. FILE - Otero County, New Mexico Commissioner Couy Griffin speaks to reporters as he arrives at federal court in Washington, June 17, 2022. New images show Couy Griffin scaling barricade during Capitol riots Indeed, Griffin has been that talk of the town since the news of his arrest swirled in the media. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'millionsofcelebs_com-box-4','ezslot_4',121,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-millionsofcelebs_com-box-4-0');Is Couy Griffin married? Now he has regrets., In middle of Jan. 6 riot, Oath Keepers chief reached out to Proud Boys, Kyle Kuzma, Wizards start fast and dont look back in win over Raptors, Nationals relievers see benefit in tinkering with new pitches, Roger Goodell, Muriel Bowser discussed future of RFK site in December call, Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show,, 163 Republicans who have embraced Trumps false claims are running for statewide positions that would give them authority over the administration of elections. 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. Only the March 11 complaint was heard in the April 8 recall hearing. Most of these cases fizzled quickly, and none have succeeded. And while circumstances might make that difficult to replicate, its nonetheless a historic marker of what transpired 20 months ago. Greta Thunberg gets detained in Sweden in her typical theatrical flare carried by two female police officers. Griffin appeared at the hearing telephonically. 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. But legal experts say the ruling in New Mexico is significant nonetheless especially if it holds up. We The People Have Found Couy Griffin Not Guilty! Any special treatment given to her because of her Republican leadership position? Federal judge reverses detention order for N.M. county commissioner facing trial in Jan. 6 riot. Or is she starstruck, with her boy feeling, how did he put it like a Rockstar? Couy Griffin (@CowboyCouy) / Twitter A Senate Judiciary Committee report stated that Mastriano and his wife took part in the January 6 insurrection, with video footage confirming that they passed through breached barricades and police lines at the U.S. Capitol. (Mastriano has said he never entered the Capitol itself, and he has been charged with no crimes.). Read our editorial standards. 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. As perABQ Journal, he was married toKourtnie. After the fall of Roe, the pro-life movement is facing a battle of unprecedented complexity and staggering scope. Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern, indem Sie auf unseren Websites und Apps auf den Link Datenschutz-Dashboard klicken. Couy Griffin Wikipedia And Age If this ruling stands up on appeal, it sets a significant precedent for the next election cycle, said Gerard Magliocca, a constitutional scholar at Indiana University who has studied Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd called the suspect a bad rapper and also compared him to a "baby" at a news conference. All I did was stand on the steps of the Capitol and pray with people, thats it.. 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.. Hemel added: I wouldnt want Couy Griffin to be my county commissioner, or anyones county commissioner, but I think defenders of democracy need to think long and hard about whether judicial disqualification is the wisest approach.. . Cowboys for Trump founder, Couy Griffin: 'The only good Democrat is a 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.
