In my next musing I will explore Couys court records more thoroughly. U.S. Donald Trump Qanon Las vegas Capitol Riots. Advocates for that approach now have a victory under their belts, though. For example, I can be a real asshole in writing. Oh, the furs and clothing, nope sorry Couy dont pay for clothing either, my bad. What the hell are the donations for exactly? 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. Or is she starstruck, with her boy feeling, how did he put it like a Rockstar? Professionally, Kourtnie is an Iraqi war veteran. 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. "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. 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. Seriously girl, its time to come off your knees and wipe your chin. The office alleged Griffin misused campaign donations associated with Cowboys for Trump to pay child support for his son. Mr. 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. Defense attorney Jonathan Miller said Griffin was just a guy who rides a horse and tried to do the right thing by registering Cowboys for Trump as a for-profit corporation and notifying donors that they cannot deduct donations from taxes. In a pretrial order Friday, McFadden rejected the first argument, saying many others drawn to the Capitol have been charged and that Griffins leadership role and more blatant conduct at the scene might rationally merit different handling by prosecutors. Prosecutors called Matthew Struck, who traveled with Griffin to Washington, DC, and recorded videos of him on January 6. Arrieta was assigned to the recall case after all of the 12th Judicial District judges recused themselves. Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin, the founder of Cowboys for Trump, takes in the view from his ranch in Tularosa, N.M., on Wednesday, May 12, 2021. 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. Otero Countys financial director told AG investigators that, following a records request for the vouchers and several complaints from citizens, Griffin voluntarily opted to pay the entire $3,237.48 back to Otero County, court records state. 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. You are embarrassing yourself. Couy Griffin Wife- Is He Married? 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. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. But this is also a man who beat a "Mom and Pop business" that has 5 kids out of thousands of dollars. Although Griffin's trip to Washington, D.C. in September 2019 was initially for the proper reason of attending a regional county . You also agree to our, The Associated Press is an independent, not-for-profit news cooperative headquartered in New York City. It states his conduct resultedin his banishment from the Mescalero Apache Reservation, that he used county resources for non-commission reasons namely forGriffin's political advocacy companyCowboys for Trump, filing an improper travel voucher and violating the Gift Act when he received approximately $3,500 from a restricted donor to pay back the travel reimbursement from the travel voucher. In July 2020, a check from a bank account for Cowboys for Trump was sent to Griffin's ex-wife for child support. 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. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider Published: Monday, February 15th, 2021 at 10:05PMUpdated: Monday, February 15th, 2021 at 10:13PM. FILE - Otero County, New Mexico Commissioner Couy Griffin speaks to reporters as he arrives at federal court in Washington, June 17, 2022. 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. Struck received immunity for his testimony. Couy's ex-wife, Kourtnie, is a 34 years old Iraqi war veteran who was born in the year 1986. 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. A jury will consider this week whether the support group . Sign up for our free Daily Headlines newsletter Your . 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. They want to talk about playing a Black national anthem before football games? Photo courtesy Polk County Sheriffs Office. Griffin also met with then-President Donald Trump on Sept. 12, 2019. FILE - Otero County, New Mexico Commissioner Couy Griffin speaks to reporters as he arrives at federal court in Washington, June 17, 2022. Who is Couy Griffin? Griffin returned the funds to Otero County, as officials questioned the legality of the voucher and payment. 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. No we could have a 2nd Amendment rally on those same steps that we had that rally yesterday. 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. The testimony resolves a mystery over Pences precise location during the attack, which defense attorneys for Griffin had sought to exploit and won permission from a federal judge in Washington to probe with a live Secret Service witness over the Justice Departments objections. The Otero County commissioner is facing charges for his alleged role in the January insurrection at the. 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. 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. So, there are details about his age and birthday at the moment. Griffin's motion for dismissal was heard in theApril 8 recall hearing and denied. So, we are still unknown about his actual net worth and earnings he receives from his job. 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,. Do any of her businesses contract with the county? 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. (Gemunu Amarasinghe / AP), Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. 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 . 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 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. But legal experts say the ruling in New Mexico is significant nonetheless especially if it holds up. Prosecutors plan to call a Secret Service inspector and Capitol police inspector later on Monday. He also said that, if appealed, it could give the Supreme Court an opportunity to weigh in on this question without directly deciding on a case involving Trump. 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, a county commissioner in New Mexico, is the second accused participant in the Capitol attack to go to trial on January 6-related charges. The motion said Couy Griffin "has publicly. Couy Griffin Wife, Children Griffin is currently single, he was previously married to his girlfriend Kourtnie A Gates, but they were divorced in 2019. If you dont believe me, ask all those who thought Dennis Rader was such a nice guy. Why on earth would someone put their reputation on the line for a person who is being exposed as a fraud and financial scammer? In 2019, he forged a group of rodeo acquaintances into the promotional group Cowboys for Trump, which staged horseback parades to spread then-President Donald Trumps conservative message on issues such as gun rights and illegal immigration. When two thugs tried to attack an elderly man, he pulled out his own weapon and fired back, scaring them away. Here you have Couy Griffin as Cowboys For Trump not only hiding assets from his ex-wife and son. Couy Griffin has been barred from in-person visits with his son due to social media posts that have produced threats and for refusing to comply with the requirements of the COVID-19 mask. Griffin deniedthe allegations claiming they were"frivolous and devoid of merit," court records state. 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. He was also pastor at New Heart Church in . "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.". 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. All Rights Reserved. Last year, he became the first elected official to be banished from elected office in connection with the Capitol incursion. Greta Thunberg gets detained in Sweden in her typical theatrical flare carried by two female police officers. A January 6-related trial began Monday in the case of "Cowboys for Trump" founder Couy Griffin. As a reminder, Chair of the Otero County GOP is an Official office within the party. FILE - In this March 12, 2019, file photo, Otero County Commissioner and Cowboys for Trump founder Coy Griffin denounces gun control and pro-abortion rights bills in the New Mexico State Legislature at a protest outside the Statehouse in Santa Fe, N.M. You want to say that was violence? One person is dead and another has been hospitalized after a shooting on Central Avenue near Moon Street, police said Thursday morning. The secretary of states office initially prevailed in a June 2020 arbitration decision that ordered Cowboys for Trump to register as a political committee, file expenditure and contribution reports and pay a fine of $7,800. Griffin elected to have a bench trial, meaning a Trump-appointed judge rather than a jury of 12 will review the evidence and decide his fate. He shouldnt be punished for showing his pride in his country, Miller said. It is unclear when McFadden will hand down his verdict. See you never really know who is nice and who is not. "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. No Maam, Griffin said in a video recorded Jan. 7 cited in government filings. For the first time since the War of 1812, the U.S. Capitol was breached. Griffins case differs from the others in one crucial way: He was actually part of the crowd that stormed the Capitol and was later convicted of his role. However, New Mexico State Auditor Brian Colon said the funds, donated to Griffin by G.B. 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. Otero County Commissioner and Cowboys for Trump founder Couy Griffin is being investigated by the New Mexico Attorney General's Office on grounds he violated the Campaign Reporting Act and the. 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 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. Success in the latter scenario remains unlikely, especially in the absence of a criminal conviction. 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. But the judge greenlighted a request from Griffin's defense lawyers to question a Secret Service agent about a lingering question around the events of January 6: the location of then-Vice President Mike Pence. the judge asked. Couy Griffin, the founder of the Cowboys for Trump group, appeared to turn on the former president . Sanchez presented the allegations to Arrieta even after Griffin left the hearing. It doesnt bother local leadership that Couy has made this EXACT same trip time and time again, through donations for whatever cause will pay. The disqualification of Berger, for instance, was later widely regarded as overreach. The group said this week seek arbitration in a fight with the New Mexico Secretary of State over fines and required reports. All rights reserved. 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. The hearing continued for about an hour after Griffin exited the hearing. Representatives from the Otero County Clerk's Office were at the hearing, including attorney Daniel Ivey-Soto who was appearing on behalf of the County Clerk' Office. Here are 13 more things about Couy: After all, these family businesses are struggling and Couy has his hand out for discounts or free. 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. Dewey is from Windom, Minnesota . 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? 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. 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. Also, Griffin reportedly hasa sonfrom his former relationship with Kourtnie. Lets not forget that free food from ranchers too. 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.". 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. We had unknown individuals who were breaking through a security barrier, a site where we had protectees. As per the United States District Courts affidavit for the District, he was arrested for violating the law, entering the restricted building without lawful authority. 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. District Judge Mary Rosner ruled July 14 that Couy Griffin can only see his son on Facetime calls after he ignored orders to remove social media photos of his son at Cowboys for Trump events. 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. 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. Griffin also offered to give people of color what he called a 101 lesson on racial identity and said anyone who does not identify as American first or opposes the Second Amendment right to bear arms should leave the U.S. or go home. Statements like go back to where you came from is a racist insult aimed for decades at immigrants and African Americans in the United States. Mr. It would be helpful if they would take this opportunity to rule really for the first time what Section 3 means.. 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. . 2023 www.alamogordonews.com. Hes going to run, and weve got to know whether hes allowed to run or not, Magliocca said. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd called the suspect a bad rapper and also compared him to a "baby" at a news conference. Susana Martinez. More:Griffin gets guns back, but only at home, Although Griffin's trip to Washington, D.C. in September 2019 was initially for the proper reason of attending a regional county commissioners conference, the reason stated on a travel voucher submitted by Griffin was "meeting with President.". (Griffin) chose not to take it. The Cowboys for Trump website was not operational Feb. 13. 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. 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. I did nothing violent on that day, I broke nothing, I didnt fight with anybody, Griffin has told the court in a pretrial hearing. By Jack Davis March 3, 2023 . 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 Associated Press was the first private sector organization in the U.S. to operate on a national scale. Also, he could be white by ethnicity. But U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden ruled late last week that the defense had a bedrock right to challenge the governments evidence establishing that Griffin violated restricted grounds. 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.). Couy is the professional Otero County Commissioner who made headlines in the news after FBI agents arrested him on Sunday on 17 January 2021. In July 2020, a check from a bank account for Cowboys for Trump was sent to Griffins ex-wife for child support. After the fall of Roe, the pro-life movement is facing a battle of unprecedented complexity and staggering scope. A Donald Trump supporter, Griffin founded Cowboys for Trump and listed his sister Kay Griffin as its organizer. (Griffin did not immediately respond to a request for comment. . 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 verdict gave the Department of Justice a second win . 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. Here you have Couy Griffin as Cowboys For Trump not only hiding assets from his ex-wife and son. "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. Prosecutors rested their case after Hawas testimony, but McFadden called her to return Tuesday morning. Magliocca said the New Mexico decision could reverberate, not just for people like Mastriano, but if Democrats retain control of Congress and want to challenge the seating of certain Republicans tied to Jan. 6. But only certain parts of the Constitution and only some of the time. In Greenes case, she was forced to testify, but ultimately was not disqualified. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee, File), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. But when it was operational, it offered options to donate to the organization by direct donation or by purchasing merchandise. Subscribe now to access decluttered news, chosen by you. If you find yourself getting wet over an elected official you are no longer using your mind or good senses. bob sullivan grand rapids obituary, midnight velvet catalog clearance,