The ruling comes after lawyers for Griffin's ex-wife, Kourtnie, filed an emergency motion in May to modify their custody and visitation agreement. The dismissed charge against Griffin carried a potential punishment of up to a year in prison and a $1,000 fine. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee, File), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. (Griffin did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But what officials disclosed of Pences whereabouts may not be what the defendant hoped. He also required to complete community service. . Is the only good Democrat a dead Democrat? He was also pastor at New Heart Church in . Also, Griffin reportedly hasa sonfrom his former relationship with Kourtnie. So, there are details about his age and birthday at the moment. 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. Begging for donations for the trip, for legal fees, for tires, new wipers, food, etc. Couy Griffin Wife, Children Griffin is currently single, he was previously married to his girlfriend Kourtnie A Gates, but they were divorced in 2019. 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. Do any of her businesses contract with the county? 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. Lets not forget that free food from ranchers too. You want to say that was a mob? I mean my goodness why on earth would you leave town with bald tires and faulty windshield wipers? Whether this will ultimately stand up if appealed remains a major question and one that could have far-ranging implications. 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. 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. While Griffin was present at the hearing, he was able to answer to the allegations against him and rebut Committee To Recall CouyGriffin President Paul Sanchez. 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. 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. 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. He is also awaiting trialon charges ofknowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authorityfor his alleged role in the Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol. You know, and if we do, then its going to be a sad day, because theres going to be blood running out of that building. Although Griffin's trip to Washington, D.C. in September 2019 was initially for the proper reason of attending a regional county . Couy Griffin is one of thousands of Trump loyalists in public office charting an uncertain future ahead of the 2022 election cycle. Those pheromones will leave you with lust blinders on and lead you down a bad trail. But when it was operational, it offered options to donate to the organization by direct donation or by purchasing merchandise. Griffin told The Associated Press hes had to make sacrifices for his beliefs and didnt think it was fair that the court will keep his son away from him. 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. Seriously girl, its time to come off your knees and wipe your chin. 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? Couy's ex-wife, Kourtnie, is a 34 years old Iraqi war veteran who was born in the year 1986. 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?. For example, I can be a real asshole in writing. 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. On Monday, federal prosecutors displayed video footage in McFadden's courtroom showing Griffin climbing a makeshift ramp as he approached the Capitol. 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. 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. Couy isAmericanby nationality as he is a native of New Mexico. 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 extent of his criminal activity is the subject of this investigation.. Couy Griffins career background is not sufficiently transparent as his bio cannot be found on Wikipedia. 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. I dont know but I will find out. Griffin's attorney also accused state campaign finance regulators of bias and singling out Cowboys for Trump for enforcement. 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. "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.". Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern, indem Sie auf unseren Websites und Apps auf den Link Datenschutz-Dashboard klicken. Indeed, Griffin has been that talk of the town since the news of his arrest swirled in the media. 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. Search warrants filed by the AGs Office earlier this month show the office is searching GoFundMe accounts associated with Cowboys for Trump, Griffin and Casey Conlee established since Jan. 20, 2019. The Cowboys for Trump website was not operational Feb. 13. After the fall of Roe, the pro-life movement is facing a battle of unprecedented complexity and staggering scope. The office alleged Griffin misused campaign donations associated with Cowboys for Trump to pay child support for his son. Wenn Sie Ihre Auswahl anpassen mchten, klicken Sie auf Datenschutzeinstellungen verwalten. On Sept. 23, 2019, Griffin submitted a travel voucher for $3,237, which included straight per-diem, meaning he did not submit receipts for the trip. 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. 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. Unlike that trial, which featured felony charges, Griffin was accused only of misdemeanor offenses. Jurors deliberated for more than nine hours before delivering the verdict. Griffins marching with the mob all the way to the inaugural stage, knowing the mobs insurrectionary purpose, likewise constitutes an overt act.. Griffin, a county commissioner in New Mexico, is the second accused participant in the Capitol attack to go to trial on January 6-related charges. (Gemunu Amarasinghe / AP), Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. I did nothing violent on that day, I broke nothing, I didnt fight with anybody, Griffin has told the court in a pretrial hearing. 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. Harrowing video has emerged of a racially charged incident that rocked an elementary school in Springfield, Ohio. The hearing was only to establish probable cause, in other words to determine if there wasevidence of truth to the charges alleged. Over the past 170 years, they have been first to inform the world of many of history's most important moments, from the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the bombing of Pearl Harbor to the fall of the Shah of Iran and the death of Pope John Paul. 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 . Most of these cases fizzled quickly, and none have succeeded. Federal judge reverses detention order for N.M. county commissioner facing trial in Jan. 6 riot. How about that? Griffin said in the video. 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. Bill) Richardson appointed judge in Manuel Arrieta," Griffin said in an email April 7. The Associated Press was the first private sector organization in the U.S. to operate on a national scale. Photo credit: @AP on Twitter. 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. Nothing is more foul and disgusting than hero worship. So it becomes a security issue when they [rioters] were surrounding a secure site and potentially taking away options for our routes out, said Hawa, who is a veteran of the force for 23 years and served as the Pence security details liaison for his trip to the Capitol. Also, he could be white by ethnicity. You can learn a lot about someone by the actions they take, not the words they use. 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. See you never really know who is nice and who is not. Cowboys for Trump . 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. (Griffin) chose not to take it. The group said this week seek arbitration in a fight with the New Mexico Secretary of State over fines and required reports. Kourtnie served in the US military and is a war Veteran. I will not be intimidated, I will not be threatened, and I sure as Hell wont back down!! Some have sought to wield that seldom-invoked provision against members of Congress, without success, and even floated using it against Trump. In Greenes case, she was forced to testify, but ultimately was not disqualified. 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. As per the sources, He was married to him for a long time and got divorced in 2019. The dismissed charge against Griffin carried a potential punishment of up to a year in prison and a $1,000 fine. 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. Indeed, in allowing Greene to remain in office, a judge had emphasized there was no evidence to show that Rep. Greene participated in the Invasion itself or communicated with or issued directives to persons who engaged in the Invasion. Griffin was much easier to tie directly to the insurrection, and he has now been found to have directly engaged in it. They have a Son Together was born in 2014. New Mexico and ABQ News, Sports, Business and more, By Nicole Maxwell / Alamogordo Daily News Mr. 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. If we quit we lose. 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. "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. But legal experts say the ruling in New Mexico is significant nonetheless especially if it holds up. Cowboys for Trump cofounder Couy Griffin confronted a trial by jury Tuesday on charges that he failed to register a political organization without filing related public financial disclosures. The Washington Post has reported that at least 163 Republicans who have embraced Trumps false claims are running for statewide positions that would give them authority over the administration of elections. 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. 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 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. 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. Griffin also met with then-President Donald Trump on Sept. 12, 2019. Or is she starstruck, with her boy feeling, how did he put it like a Rockstar? Griffins actions have been selfish and place the minor child at risk, in addition to his ex-wifes unborn child, Rosner said. 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. 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. The list includes 69 candidates for governor in 30 states, as well as 55 candidates for the U.S. Senate, 13 candidates for state attorney general and 18 candidates for secretary of state in places where that person is the states top election official. Professionally, Kourtnie is an Iraqi war veteran. The State Auditor was notified of the voucher and launched an investigation. He is a pastor, a Republican and the son of a former commissioner in Catron County, New Mexico. Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency in more than a dozen counties as the typically warm state digs out from rare snowstorms. I guess one needs to ask whats in this for the Chairman of Otero County GOP? . In closing arguments Wednesday, prosecutors argued that Griffin used Cowboys for Trump to explicitly link political advocacy to appeals for online donations, while flouting registration and financial disclosure requirements for political committees that are designed to ensure transparency and fairness in elections. Griffin deniedthe allegations claiming they were"frivolous and devoid of merit," court records state. He shouldnt be punished for showing his pride in his country, Miller said. Read our editorial standards. So, we are still unknown about his actual net worth and earnings he receives from his job. Photo courtesy Polk County Sheriffs Office. City of Albuquerque goes to court to shut down City says the property puts the community at risk, but owner says it's unfair to blame businesses for Albuquerque crime and homelessness, Albuquerque Police: Man shoots self, unintentionally kills woman. Subscribe now to access decluttered news, chosen by you. 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. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. 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 . Their son was born in 2014. 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. as well as other partner offers and accept our. The motion said Couy Griffin "has publicly. Jurors deliberated for more than nine hours before delivering the verdict. "To mount a meaningful defense Griffin must be allowed to test the veracity of the Government's contention that Vice President Pence was on the Capitol grounds during the relevant period," McFadden ruled. Ahead of the trial, McFadden rejected Griffin's claim that he was politically targeted. He had a son with her, who currently lives with her. 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. Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. But this is also a man who beat a "Mom and Pop business" that has 5 kids out of thousands of dollars. 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. 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. It is unclear when McFadden will hand down his verdict. 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. Otero County Commission member and Cowboys for Trump co-founder Couy Griffin rides his horse on 5th avenue on May 1, 2020 in New York City. Griffin rejected prosecutors offer to plead to a lesser charge and serve probation. When two thugs tried to attack an elderly man, he pulled out his own weapon and fired back, scaring them away. Dewey is from Windom, Minnesota . A grain-mill fire broke out in New Zealand on Thursday, with a fire official saying the plant was being "treated as a crime scene.". Greta Thunberg gets detained in Sweden in her typical theatrical flare carried by two female police officers. Prosecutors rested their case after Hawas testimony, but McFadden called her to return Tuesday morning. and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.). 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. They provide content and services to help engage audiences worldwide, working with companies of all types, from broadcasters to brands. Defense lawyers plan to grill the Secret Service about ex-Vice President Mike Pence's whereabouts. He began his career in Wild West shows and worked in Paris from 2000 to 2005. In August 2019, Griffin went to Washington, D.C., for a conference. Praying for 12 jurors to say in unison "NOT GUILTY"!!. Plenty of history very bad history was made on Jan. 6, 2021. 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. "Recall is intended to be difficult and it is intended to be a very serious matter,"Ivey-Soto said. Whether youre a lifelong resident of D.C. or you just moved here, weve got you covered. No sir. . 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. SANTA FE, N.M., Otero County, New Mexico Commissioner Couy Griffin must be removed from office and disqualified from holding future public office under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution based on his participation in the January 6, 2021 insurrection, according to a lawsuit filed today by a group of New Mexico residents. But the jury wasn't persuaded. In a reversal, Biden said he would sign a resolution blocking a D.C. effort to reduce penalties for violent crimes. It is their calling by God that established this ministry. The Otero County commissioner is facing charges for his alleged role in the January insurrection at the. New Mexico Supreme Court: Juveniles who plead can appeal adult sentences, Colorado State slices up Lobos; UNM is a 6 seed in league tourney, If it MUST be the NIT, UNM basketball has a plan, After bill was vetoed last year, lawmakers try again to boost pay of NM judges, Gun safe storage bill inches closer to governor's desk after winning Senate approval. 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. "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. In closing arguments Wednesday, prosecutors argued that Griffin used Cowboys for Trump to explicitly link political advocacy to appeals for online donations while flouting registration and financial disclosure requirements for political committees. Effort to bar Jan. 6 figures from office notches historic win. For that official to attack a private citizen who is upset that the County Commissioner for his district is engaging in Fraud is troubling to say the least. Sanchez presented the allegations to Arrieta even after Griffin left the hearing. Prior arrests for drunk driving and more on the Backwoods Tees case. 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.) 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. 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. The judge said Griffins many defenses were not credible, and nor was his summary of his role on Jan. 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. 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 . Arrieta was assigned to the recall case after all of the 12th Judicial District judges recused themselves. Susana Martinez. and signed a child-support check to his ex-wife from his . The extra trip to New York City exceeds the scope of the authorized travel, court records state. 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. 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. It doesnt bother local leadership that Couy has made this EXACT same trip time and time again, through donations for whatever cause will pay. I would have wanted him to have the opportunity to argue his points here," Sanchez said. Griffin has five calendar days to file an appeal to the New Mexico Supreme Court. Griffin has demonstrably taken official acts for personal financial interest, submitted a false public voucher and, on one known occasion, has used funds from a C4T bank account to pay for personal expenses, including his child support obligations, according to court filings. This is America, we play the National Anthem in America today.. What now? The hearing continued for about an hour after Griffin exited the hearing. At the same time, Griffins conviction was for misdemeanor trespassing, for which he was sentenced to 14 days and a $3,000 fine. All Rights Reserved. Griffin left Sept. 7, 2019, and stopped off in New York City on Sept. 11, 2019, where he rode horseback while at Times Square, court records state. 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. 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. The C4T GoFundMe page states that all monies given will be a direct donation to founder Couy Griffin and will be used as Couy sees fit to move the organization forward, according to records. Griffin appeared at the hearing telephonically. 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. Still, New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas reportedly had issued the statement demanding Griffins resignation from his current post as Mexico County Commissioner. Arrietaexplained that this case does not warrant a jury trial since the April 8 hearing was most likely to be the only hearing in the case and that a verdict was not to be administered and if a recall petition is successful and a recall election imminent, then the voters of Otero County's District 2 would be the jury. 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.".