A key question in Griffins case is whether he entered a restricted area while Pence was still present on Capitol grounds, a prerequisite for the U.S. Secret Service to invoke access restrictions. While the decision of a state court isnt binding elsewhere, New York Universitys Daniel Hemel noted, it could embolden similar efforts to disqualify people from office with more direct ties to the insurrection up to and including Trump. 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. Reconstruction-era federal prosecutors brought civil actions in court to oust officials linked to the Confederacy, and Congress in some cases refused to seat members, according to the Congressional Research Service. Prosecutors didnt give any opening statements. The case against Griffin is unlike most of the Capitol riot prosecutions. Sign up for notifications from Insider! He was arrested on January 17 and charged with knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds without lawful authority. As early as November 2020, the ruling said, Mr. Griffin attended Stop the Steal rallies in his home state, some of them with a militia group known as the New Mexico Civil Guard. 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.". "I'm . agent who had instigated the mob that day. 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. Prosecutors also pointed to more recent social media posts and statements in which Griffin appeared to mock his March guilty verdict and display a lack of contrition for the Capitol attack, underscoring how January 6 defendants have talked themselves into deeper trouble amid their criminal proceedings. The ruling declared the Capitol assault an insurrection and unseated Couy Griffin, a commissioner in New Mexicos Otero County and the founder of Cowboys for Trump, who was convicted earlier this year of trespassing when he breached barricades outside the Capitol during the attack. Mr. Mr. Griffins attempts to challenge Mr. Trumps defeat in the 2020 election including issuing calls for violence on behalf of the former president preceded the events of Jan. 6, according to the ruling by the judge in New Mexico. Griffin already served 20 days in jail upon his arrest last year, so he was released Friday. Griffin's lawyers say that unlike the other protesters, he did not enter the Capitol, but instead stood on the steps of the building urging on others with a bullhorn, Buzzfeed News reported. A January 6-related trial began Monday in the case of "Cowboys for Trump" founder Couy Griffin. Not Couy Griffin, a New Mexico county commissioner and founder of Cowboys for Trump.. Truth is I was 1 for 1 with the US Government. Cowboys for Trump cofounder Couy Griffin is confronting a trial by jury on charges that he failed to register a political organization without filing related public financial disclosures. Griffin is charged with two misdemeanors: entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds. Griffin, a 48-year-old former rodeo rider and former pastor, helped founda political committee called Cowboys for Trump. WASHINGTON An elected official from New Mexico went to trial with a judge not a jury set to decide if he is guilty of charges that he illegally entered the U.S. Capitol grounds on the daya pro-Trump mobdisrupted the certification of Joe Bidens presidential election victory. In a statement, the FBI's Washington Field Office told Insider that Couy Griffin, an elected Republican county commissioner in New Mexico, was detained Sunday afternoon by US Capitol Police,. Griffin added. An appeals court ruled in May that participants in an insurrection against the U.S. government could be barred from holding office, but the target of that case, Representative Madison Cawthorn, Republican of North Carolina, had already lost his primary, rendering the matter essentially moot. It was a busy week to be covering government in Otero County, as the years-long saga surrounding County Commissioner Couy . Inside the siege: During the rampage, rioters came perilously close to penetrating the inner sanctums of the building while lawmakers were still there, including former vice president Mike Pence. U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden is scheduled to hear attorneys closing arguments Tuesday for the case against Otero County CommissionerCouy Griffin, whose trial in Washington, D.C., is the second among the hundreds of people charged with federal crimes related tothe Jan. 6, 2021, siege. 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, guilty of . At Griffins sentencing Friday, McFadden noted the tension between Griffins professed remorse in the courtroom and his numerous public statements after his conviction. 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?. The confidential agreement was offered to Griffin during discussions at a Monday court hearing in Washington, D.C., according to the Associated Press. I wonder who wrote it?. He acknowledged that Griffin was not criminally convicted of insurrection and there is no evidence that Griffin engaged in violence himself. 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. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Reffitts conviction on all charges could give prosecutors more leverage in negotiating plea deals in many other cases or discourage other defendants from going to trial. Judge Unseats Official Who Trespassed at Capitol on Jan. 6, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/06/us/politics/jan-6-griffin-insurrection.html. In addition to objecting to being tested, Griffin has also been vocal proponent of ignoring medical advice calling for COVID-19 vaccinations or the wearing of masks amid the pandemic. 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. A New Mexico judge has ordered Otero County commissioner and "Cowboys for Trump" founder Couy Griffin to leave public office immediately for his participation in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Prosecutors plan to call a Secret Service inspector and Capitol police inspector later on Monday. Some have sought to wield that seldom-invoked provision against members of Congress, without success, and even floated using it against Trump. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. Their first witness was Matthew Struck, who joined Griffin at the Capitol and served as his videographer. 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.). WASHINGTON A judge in New Mexico on Tuesday ordered a county commissioner convicted of participating in the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol removed from office under the 14th Amendment, making him the first public official in more than a century to be barred from serving under a constitutional ban on insurrectionists holding office. 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. The text of Section 3 of the 14th Amendment states (key parts bolded): The last time elected officials were disqualified from office using the 14th Amendment appears to be 1869, shortly after the Civil War and the ratification of the 14th Amendment. Couy Griffin serves as District 2 Otero County Commissioner and Otero County Commission Vice Chairman in New Mexico, according to the Alamogordo Daily News. Smith asked Struck if anybody appeared to be riled up by the prayer that Griffin led. , Southern Poverty Law Center 'hate' list suffers legal setback, Secret Service blocks Muslim mayor from White House Eid-al-Fitr celebration, Ryan Webb, Delaware County, Indiana, councilman, mocks left by coming out as lesbian woman of color, Seven bodies found in Henryetta, Oklahoma, during search for two missing teens, U.S. government destroying the dollars value through inflation, Bidens idea of freedom should frighten every liberty-loving American. 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. Mar 21, 2022, 9:53 AM Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin speaks Friday, Jan. 31, 2020, in Santa Fe, N.M., as hundreds of advocates for gun rights rallied at the New Mexico Statehouse. The ruling made Couy Griffin, a county commissioner in New Mexico, the first official in more than 100 years to be removed under the Constitution's bar on insurrectionists holding office.. In March, Judge Trevor N. McFadden, presiding at a bench trial in Federal District Court in Washington, found Mr. Griffin guilty of one misdemeanor count of illegally entering a restricted area at the Capitol and acquitted him of another that accused him of disorderly conduct. In Greenes case, she was forced to testify, but ultimately was not disqualified. More: Cowboys for Trump founder Couy Griffin questions Capitol . 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. SANTA FE, N.M. -- 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. 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. Effort to bar Jan. 6 figures from office notches historic win. The sentencing effectively ruled out any further prison time for Griffin barring a violation of his probation in connection with his involvement in the January 6 attack. The disqualification of Berger, for instance, was later widely regarded as overreach. 6.). Griffin is constitutionally disqualified from serving, the judge wrote. Griffin has made a series of controversial statements calling for violence against his political opponents. Griffin has been investigated by the state for corruption and is currently facing a recall effort, with around one-third of the required recall petition signatures having been gathered as of last week. The dismissed charge against Griffin carried a potential punishment of up to a year in prison and a $1,000 fine. agent who had instigated the mob that day. 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. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider Hawa said agents took Pence from his office at the Capitol to a secure location at an underground loading dock on the Capitol complex. . Griffin is thinking about running for Catron County sheriff. He also took part in a multicity bus tour arranged by the pro-Trump group Women for America First designed to recruit protesters to go to Washington for Mr. Trumps speech on Jan. 6, in which the president called on his supporters to fight like hell against his election loss and urged them to march to the Capitol while Congress was meeting to confirm it. He is out there, he still believes this stuff. Griffins lawyer said he doesnt plan to call any defense witnesses. This just went from being theoretical to being something that is legally recognized and legally possible, said Noah Bookbinder, director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a nonpartisan watchdog organization that filed suit against Mr. Griffin on behalf of a group of New Mexico residents. In an hourlong hearing, McFadden sentenced Griffin to 14 days in prison but credited him for 20 days the Cowboys for Trump founder had served while awaiting trial. He is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 30 in Washington. 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.) Gift Article. By Aila Slisco On 8/9/21 at 9:46 PM EDT. Heres what we know about what Trump did on Jan. 6. He shouldn't be punished for showing his pride in his country, Miller said. Cuoy Griffin, a 1/6 suspect, says he doubts two of the fatalities caused by the insurrection. GOP commission refuses to certify New Mexico primary vote They started chanting, Pray for Trump, Struck replied. Big Tech news and how to take control of your data and devices, Cowboys for Trump founder Couy Griffin sentenced for trespassing, What the Jan. 6 probe found out about social media, but didnt report, Social Security numbers of Trump officials, allies posted in Jan. 6 files, Jan. 6 report recommends Congress ban Trump from running again, To become an Amazon Clinic patient, first you sign away some privacy, How Mark Zuckerberg broke Metas workforce, Elon Musk describes Starship flight as roughly what I expected, Jan. 6 committee released its final report, analysis about the committees new findings and conclusions, On Jan. 6, 2021, a pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol, close to penetrating the inner sanctums of the building. Another state lawmaker, then-West Virginia state Del. Brent Stirton/Getty. In several high-profile races, those who didnt storm the Capitol but were otherwise involved in the Jan. 6 proceedings have won their partys nomination. 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 that disrupted Congress as it was trying to certify President Joe Bidens 2020 election victory. Mazza is the second person to be convicted of carrying a handgun in the Capitol riot, with charges pending against a third. Susana Martinez. 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. More than 770 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the Capitol riot. Anyone can read what you share. I dont think justice was served, Griffin said of his case in a radio interview earlier this month. Back in the studio, Drew Griffin said that Cuoy Griffin was "so far off the rails" with his belief in the conspiracy theories, that "I would dare to use the loaded term, he is brain-washed. In some ways, Mr. Griffins case was a cleaner win for advocates seeking to punish officials connected to the riot because he was part of the mob that stormed the Capitol, not a lawmaker sitting inside. While Griffin says he did not knowingly trespass, news outlet KVIA showed images this week of Griffin scaling a metal barricade to get to the inauguration platform. Griffin, an ardent conspiracy theorist who refused to certify the state's primary election results this summer in Otero County, told CNN he has been ordered to clean out his office and attacked. They are as mistaken as you are, McFadden said. After climbing over a stone wall and entering a restricted area outside the Capitol, Griffin said, This is our house we should all be armed, according to prosecutors. 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. But legal experts say the ruling in New Mexico is significant nonetheless especially if it holds up. For the first time since the War of 1812, the U.S. Capitol was breached. 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 Pence's whereabouts. Cowboys for Trump cofounder Couy Griffin has been found not guilty of a misdemeanor charge of failing to register a political group and provide financial disclosures at a trial in southern New Mexico. McFadden dismissed that claim as "preposterous.". Couy Griffin banned from holding public office over role in Jan. 6 riots. 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 6. The dismissed charge against Griffin carried a potential punishment of up to a year in prison and a $1,000 fine. 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. I dont want the state of New Mexico to know who has supported Cowboys for Trump. McFadden acquitted Griffin of disorderly conduct but convicted him of the misdemeanor charge of entering a restricted building or grounds. A CNN reporter was left flabbergasted when a man charged with breaching the U.S. Capitol on January 6 said that he was not convinced about the veracity of two of the insurrection's fatalities. as well as other partner offers and accept our. A federal judge on Tuesday convicted Cowboys for Trump founder Couy Griffin of trespassing in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, handing the Justice Department its second . On January 6, my actions were taken as the result of my faith and that was why I went down to the Capitol on January 6, to go pray with people., Griffin said there was no signage, there was nothing that indicated I was going into a restricted or unauthorized zone. McFadden responded that was preposterous and you knew you shouldnt be there and you continued to do it., I suspect you were prosecuted because you went to great lengths to publicize your actions. 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. Griffin is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17. ", "Others like himI don't believe Cuoy would be dangerousbut others like him can and will be dangerous.". The riot: On Jan. 6, 2021, a pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to stop the certification of the 2020 election results. Prosecutors played video clips that showed Griffin moving through the mob that formed outside the Capitol, where police used pepper spray to quell rioters. Evans resigned shortly after the insurrection and before he was charged, but he has flirted with an attempted political comeback. Both the prosecutors and the probation and parole department recommended he serve 90 days. 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. Why Gov. 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. (Berger was later seated after his espionage conviction was overturned.). Pence remained in the loading dock location for four to five hours and never left the security perimeter before the joint session of Congress resumed on the night of Jan. 6, Hawa testified. Frankly, I think thats completely legitimate, the judge said. Griffins attorneys said in a court filing that Pence had already departed the restricted area before the earliest that Griffin could have entered it, but Secret Service inspector Lanelle Hawa testified that Pence never left the restricted area during the riot. Derrick Evans, was sentenced to three months in jail this summer for committing civil disorder on Jan. 6. The answer to that was yes, as the clip then segued into an interview with Babbitt's brother, Roger Witthoeft who described how close the siblings had been and how he was dealing with her loss. In his decision, Judge Francis J. Mathew of the New Mexico District Court said the insurrection on Jan. 6 included not only the mob violence that unfolded that day, but also the surrounding planning, mobilization and incitement that led to it. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. 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. COVID report finds suicide calls, overdose deaths and mental illness soared in D.C. duncan hines cake mix in microwave, kyle dake college losses, elegant dresses for wedding guests,
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