A Trump appointee, McFadden handed down the verdict because Griffin elected for a so-called bench trial, in which a judge rather than a jury reviews evidence and determines guilt or innocence. Gift Article. GOP commission refuses to certify New Mexico primary vote Brent Stirton/Getty. AP. They started chanting, Pray for Trump, Struck replied. 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. Griffin is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17. 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. 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 has made a series of controversial statements calling for violence against his political opponents. I went with the heart to pray with people, and that's what I did.". Some have sought to wield that seldom-invoked provision against members of Congress, without success, and even floated using it against Trump. and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.). 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. , 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. But legal experts say the ruling in New Mexico is significant nonetheless especially if it holds up. "I'm really hoping that the judge will dismiss the charges," Griffin told the Albuquerque Journal in June. Cowboys for Trump Founder Offered Plea Deal in Capitol Riot Case Couy Griffin guilty of misdemeanor trespassing on restricted Capitol 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. 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. 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. The Washington Post examined text messages, photos and videos to create a video timeline of what happened on Jan. 6. "What I was a part of on Jan. 6 wasn't a violent mob or anything that looked like an insurrection. Couy Griffin - Bio, News, Photos - Washington Times Susana Martinez. Cowboys For Trump leader guilty on one count in Jan. 6 Capitol riot His advisory sentencing guideline range for the misdemeanor conviction was zero to six months. 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. Two other defendants have pleaded guilty to brining unregistered firearms in their vehicles. 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. He said he would participate in an Otero County commission meeting later Friday by phone to refuse to certify a recent election until the voting machines are inspected. Cowboys for Trump founder returns to Otero County Commission 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 . 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. 'Brainwashed' 1/6 Suspect Says Ashli Babbitt, Brian Sicknick May Not Griffins lawyer said he doesnt plan to call any defense witnesses. Anyone can read what you share. I love the smell of napalm in the air, Griffin said in an apparent reference to a line by Robert Duvalls character in the war movie Apocalypse Now.. The actions and statements youve taken since then are in tension with that oath, the judge said. 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. We have not had to escalate the process for any other political committee, Vigil said. video timeline of what happened on Jan. 6. Also worth weighing here, Hemel noted, is whether disqualification is an appropriate remedy. Abbott invoked the immigration status of shooting victims, How Trump made it cool for Republicans to hate their own party, JPMorgans acquisition of First Republic revives too-big-to-fail talk, removed Otero County commissioner Couy Griffin, to disqualify Socialist Rep. Victor Berger in 1919, sought to disqualify several members of Congress. The network's correspondent said he learned from pursuing the story that many of those who had stormed the Capitol still believed the line pushed by former President Donald Trump and his allies that the election had been stolen. Griffin, one of three members of the Otero County Commission in southern New Mexico, is among a handful of riot defendants who either held public office or ran for a government leadership post in the 2 1/2 years before the attack. He later said that he had been attempting to lead them in prayer. 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. He is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 30 in Washington. The Associated Press reported the confidential plea agre Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. In a challenge to the candidacy of Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican of Georgia, a judge also said the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol qualified as an insurrection but said that there was insufficient evidence to prove that Ms. Greene engaged in it. 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. McFadden also ordered Griffin, a New Mexico county commissioner, to pay a $3,000 fine and ordered a yearlong period of probation. In Greenes case, she was forced to testify, but ultimately was not disqualified. The dismissed charge against Griffin carried a potential punishment of up to a year in prison and a $1,000 fine. 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. Instead, he showed up Monday as a passenger in a pickup truck that had a horse trailer on the back. Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin arrives at the Federal Court House in Washington, Monday, March 21, 2022. Trump's latest attack addresses DeSantis' overseas trips to the U.K., Israel, Florida's Covid-19 record, and polling support for the 2024 Presidential race. In court papers, federal prosecutors said Griffin bragged about his involvement in the Capitol attack at a county commission meeting. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. At the outset of the bench trial, McFadden confirmed that Griffin wanted his verdict decided by a judge rather than a jury. Whether this will ultimately stand up if appealed remains a major question and one that could have far-ranging implications. Prosecutors have said that Pence remained at the Capitol complex during the relevant period. Capitol riot trial opens for Cowboys for Trump founder Couy Griffin Frankly, I think thats completely legitimate, the judge said. Ahead of Friday's hearing, federal prosecutors recommended that he receive 90 days in prison but receive credit for those 20 days already served a period months below the maximum sentence of a year in custody. A judge said Couy Griffin's stated remorse for January 6 conflicted with incendiary public comments. Defense attorney Nicholas Smith asked Hawa if it was Pences decision to remain there for hours. 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Sign up for notifications from Insider! A Trump-appointed judge disagreed with Griffin's explanation while rejecting a legal argument that he was being "selectively charged" for his political beliefs in July. A judge in New Mexico declared Tuesday that the Jan. 6 Capitol riot was an "insurrection" as he ruled that Otero County Commissioner and "Cowboys for Trump" founder Couy Griffin must be . 'Cowboys for Trump' founder Couy Griffin sentenced in Jan. 6 case He had vowed to arrive at the courthouse on horseback. Around that time, Mr. Griffin also took part in an attempt by the Otero County commission to reject certification of a recent local election until voting machines in the county were inspected. Stay up to date with what you want to know. People try to storm the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 in Washington, DC. 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. 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. 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. 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. ", Trump cowboy Couy Griffin found not guilty of campaign finance charge But McFadden said Griffin's claimed contrition felt "in conflict" with his tweets and public statements. Cuoy Griffin, a 1/6 suspect, says he doubts two of the fatalities caused by the insurrection. 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He claims he has been selectively prosecuted for his political views. 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?. Judge removes Otero County's Couy Griffin for Jan. 6 role : NPR As a strategic matter, Im skeptical that disqualification under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment is the best way or even a productive way to fight back against anti-democratic forces across the country, Hemel said. 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. 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. At the same time, Griffins conviction was for misdemeanor trespassing, for which he was sentenced to 14 days and a $3,000 fine. 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. Its the first time a U.S. president has sought to interrupt the peaceful transfer of power. In a segment on Anderson Cooper 360, Drew Griffin was recounting his interview with the founder of Cowboys for Trump, Cuoy Griffin, who is also a New Mexico county commissioner. 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. 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. Two states temporarily suspend gas tax to ease drivers' bu Woman has 'loud, full body orgasm' in the middle of LA concert, Bride killed, groom seriously hurt by drunk driver just minutes after leaving reception, All the red carpet highlights and star-studded fashionfrom the Karl Lagerfeld-themed Met Gala, The best-dressed celebs at the 2023 Met Gala: Rihanna, Gisele Bndchen, more, Kim Kardashians Met Gala 2023 look sparks comparisons to Playboy cover, Kim Kardashian, Pete Davidson reunite at Met Gala 9 months after breakup, Khristina Williams previews the New York Liberty's 2023 WNBA season, Elon Musk Tells Bill Maher Woke Mind Virus Is Dangerous On Real Time, Katy Perry will be temporarily replaced on 'American Idol' amid drama. Its about protecting donors.. Struck has an immunity deal with prosecutors for his testimony. 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.) Updated: 6:15 PM EDT June 17, 2022. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Behind US recruitment woes, Joes risky alternative strategy and other commentary, Pence testifies for 7 hours before Jan. 6 grand jury after Trumps bid to block him fails, Former Rep. Liz Cheney to publish book warning of Trump threat, Capitol rioter who crushed officer with shield gets 7 years, a political committee called Cowboys for Trump. A judge said Couy Griffin's stated remorse for January 6 conflicted with incendiary public comments. Couy Griffin had returned to DC and was taken into custody just blocks away from the Capitol after Capitol Police officers ran his license plate and noticed that he had an outstanding warrant. Couy Griffin: Judge finds January 6 defendant guilty of - CNN After he was sentenced, Mr. Griffin urged reporters to examine a series of debunked conspiracy theories about Jan. 6, including one about an Arizona man who was falsely pegged as an undercover F.B.I. He invoked free speech protections and said Cowboys for Trump used donations to travel and espouse support for conservative ideals, without raising money for a political candidate. Struck testified that he and Griffin went to the Capitol to find a place to pray. I dont think justice was served, Griffin said of his case in a radio interview earlier this month. Truth is I was 1 for 1 with the US Government. 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. After his sentencing, Griffin implored reporters to follow up on discredited conspiracy theories about the Capitol doors mysteriously opening on Jan. 6, an Arizona man falsely accused of being an FBI agitator in the crowd, and the possibility that voting machines in New Mexico might be electronically hacked. Prosecutors plan to call a Secret Service inspector and Capitol police inspector later on Monday. According to a court document, Griffin tweeted after the trial that the media has tried to make me look like the biggest loser the last couple days. 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. New Mexico judge unseats county commissioner over Jan. 6 involvement Thats hugely significant. Instead of taking his case to a jury, Griffin elected a bench trial with McFadden, an appointee of former president Donald Trump. And he said there was "grave tension" between Griffin's conduct on January 6 and his oath as a county commissioner in New Mexico to protect and defend the Constitution. Newsweek has contacted Cuoy Griffin's county commission office for comment. Why Gov. Cowboys for Trump founder Couy Griffin was reportedly offered a plea deal on Monday regarding charges related to his alleged involvement in the January 6 Capitol riot. 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.
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