Any person who makes statements like these does not have any place in Otero County Politics, no less an elected office. Separately, Griffin is confronting federal charges in connection with the U.S. Capitol siege on Jan. 6, where he appeared on an outdoor terrace and attempted to lead a prayer. Oliver, the Alamogordo Chamber of commerce Executive Director, were the basis of an investigation. Michael E. Vigil, Chief Justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court affirmed, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Griffin filed a notice of appeal Monday with the high court that contends he was deprived of due process rights and raises other jurisdictional objections. A successful petition with enough signatures would trigger a special election vote on whether Griffin can finish his four-year term in office. 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. At the time, Sanchez thought that Second Judicial District Judge Manuel Arrieta had to sign off on the petition, when the petition only needed a stamp from the court clerk's office. The hearing was only to establish probable cause, in other words to determine if there wasevidence of truth to the charges alleged. Griffin, 47, once led his Republican posse on a ride from . Once the recall petitions are signed by the lower court justice who initially approved them, recall supporters will be given 90 days to collect 1,574 signatures to get the recall on the ballot. "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.". Since we didnt meet the signature threshold, there is no next step, said Fredrick, conceding defeat Tuesday night. "It is now in their hands.". Today, Couy Griffin is divorced, disparaged by family and confronts a political recall drive, a state corruption investigation and federal charges. The petition alleges that Griffin neglected and misused his position as a county commissioner while skipping public meetings and promoting a support group for President Donald Trump that Griffin treated as a for-profit business. Recall committee spokesman Scott Fredrick said a petition drive collected 1,229 signatures from registered voters in Griffins Otero County district, short of what they needed to trigger a special election. He's also been suspended from Facebook and banished from Native American lands in his district as he contests charges of. Recall supporters did not collect enough signatures by the deadline on September 28, 2021. Griffin founded the support group for President Trump that held horseback parades across the country. SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) Cowboys for Trump founder Couy Griffin has prevailed against efforts to recall him from office as a county commissioner in southern New Mexico. The recall effort has about 30 days inthe 90-day window to gather the required signatures. New Mexico Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael Vigil on June 28 affirmed a lower courts ruling to allow an effort to recall Couy Griffin (R) from his position as the District 2 representative on the Otero County Commission to move forward. Among the listed causes for recall were Griffin's attendance of Otero County Commission meetings by phone rather than in person,his banishment from the Mescalero Apache Reservation andthe alleged use of Otero County Commissioneroffices for personal business. Griffin formed Cowboys for Trump in 2019 with a group of rodeo acquaintances to hold horseback-riding parades across the country in support of then-President Donald Trump, and has ascribed to unsubstantiated claims of massive 2020 election fraud. The recall committee is seeking final approval of its petition before it can be circulated for signatures. The failed recall petition accused Griffin of failing to attend commission meetings, using his elected position for personal gain in promoting a support group for former President Donald Trump, improper travel vouchers and violating state restrictions on gifts to public officials. SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) A political committee has begun circulating a petition to recall Cowboys or Trump founder Couy Griffin from public office as a commissioner in Otero County. Griffin was arrested in Washington after vowing to take his guns to the inauguration of President Joe Biden, and has pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor criminal charges in connection with the siege on the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, where he appeared on an outdoor terrace and attempted to lead the crowd in prayer. Griffin appealed Arrieta's the decision in favor of the Committee to Recall Couy Griffin to the New Mexico Supreme Court on April 19. "I would rather these allegation brought forward be heard from a group of peers rather than a (former Gov. He was charged with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, according to the Alamogordo Daily News. Griffin described Cowboys for Trump as a name brand he proudly created and still wears on shirts in public, but says his visit with Trump in the Oval Office at the White House in September 2019 was an opportunity to raise concerns about the management of federal lands in Otero County. In a written order, state Supreme Court justices unanimously rejected an appeal from Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin and upheld a lower court ruling that found adequate reasons for voters to circulate a recall petition. Griffin, who founded the organization Cowboys for Trump, was arrested in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 17, for his alleged role in the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. The allegations could only be determined to be malfeasance,misfeasance, violation of his oath of office or a combination of all three. And I think Im in tune with them.. Retired military veteran Paul Sanchez and other members of the Committee to Recall Couy Griffin are accusing Griffin of using his elected county position for . All rights reserved. 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. Few people are more partisan than Couy Griffin, the fast-talking, horseback-riding New Mexico politician and founder of Cowboys for Trump. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee, File), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. The Otero County Commission discussed the aftermath of Couy Griffin's statement. Griffin was present at the hearing for for about 45 minutesbefore he excused himself and returned to the Otero County Commission meeting. The Committee was given a 90-day window to collect the required statutory 33.3% of signatures by New Mexico Third Judicial District Judge Manuel Arrieta, after Griffin's appeal to the New Mexico Supreme Court failed. Griffin is fighting for his political future amid a recall initiative and state probes into his finances. New Mexico requires a number of signatures equal to one-third of participation in the previous election. 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. "He had as much right to due process as we do and the judge very much made it clear and afforded him that right. Griffin appealed Arrieta's ruling to the New Mexico Supreme Court which in turn affirmed the ruling. I make $23,000 a year (as a county commissioner) and I do a lot of traveling and I do a lot of work. Retired military veteran Paul Sanchez and other members of the Committee to Recall Couy Griffin are accusing Griffin of using his elected county position for personal gain. Otero County Clerk Robyn Holmes says a successful petition would put the question on the November general election ballot for local, nonpartisan races. The original civil complaint was filed March 11 with amended complaints filed March 24 and April 5 by the Committee to Recall Couy Griffin. For information on the recall petition call the recall hotline 575-629-0908 or call. "We can always do better, and I hope to do better moving forward. The recall petition fell shy, with about one-quarter as time ran out on Wednesday. FILE - In this May 13, 2021, file photo, Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin presides at a public meeting in Alamogordo, N.M., in a shirt with a "C4T" logo that stands for Cowboys for Trump. Recall supporters said Griffin had used the office for personal gain. Jessica Onsurez can be reached at jonsurez@gannett.com, @JussGREAT on Twitter at by phone at 575-628-5531. Ballotpedia is the digital encyclopedia of American politics and elections. A full contingent of signatures. A public fundraising effort to benefit Griffin is underway through the online crowdsource platform GiveSendGo that has raised at least $41,500 including a $10,000 anonymous donation and gifts as small as $5. . District Court Judge Manuel Arrieta on Thursday, April 8, 2021, ruled in favor of a group of recall petitioners who say that Griffin had repeatedly abused his authority and should be subject to a recall election this year. In a 50-minute online documentary and political origin story released in August, Griffin recounts his own travails inside a Washington, D.C., jail for nearly three weeks after his arrest in the run-up to President Joe Bidens inauguration. Griffin says the film about him was put together by Trump-allied attorney Sidney Powell and her group, Defending the Republic. In comparison, we tracked between 72 and 155 efforts by the midpoints of 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. Dan Casey. ", More:NMPED opens public comment on proposed social studies standard, Griffin said he would proceed with his Commission duties, and represent a constituency he said value "individual freedoms and liberties.". 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. "We are disappointed that Commissioner Griffin was not able to be here for the entire process. All rights reserved. He denies allegations that he knowingly entered barricaded areas with the intent to disrupt government as Congress considered Electoral College results. Griffin appeared at the hearing telephonically. Sanchez presented the allegations to Arrieta even after Griffin left the hearing. I mean, how much bigger representation can you bring to Otero County? Griffin said. SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) Cowboys for Trump founder Couy Griffin has filed an appeal with the state Supreme Court as he seeks to fend off an effort to recall him from office as a county commissioner in southern New Mexico. Griffin described the charges as frivolous and blamed county staff for providing bad guidance on travel reimbursements. The recall is one of several legal battles which Griffin finds himself in, including a federal trespassing charge for which he was arrested on Jan. 18. We are grateful for this opportunity to provide the registered voters of Otero County the chance to decide if Commissioner Griffin is still the person they want to continue to represent them on the county commission, as well as nationwide, the Committee to Recall Couy Griffin said in a statement. An effort to recall Couy Griffin (R) from his position as the District 2 representative on the Otero County Commission in New Mexico did not go to a vote in 2021. The recall committee needs to collect about 1,540 signatures from registered voters in Griffins district to trigger a vote on whether Griffin stays in office through 2022. The allegations in the recall effort arethat Griffinfailed to attend Otero County Commission meetings properly by attending them telephonically when he was doing work for Cowboys for Trump; conduct resulting inGriffin'sbanishment from the Mescalero Apache Reservation;usingOtero County resourcesfor Cowboys for Trump business;filing animproper travel voucherand failing to "exercise proper fiduciary responsibility; andviolating the Gift Actwhen he asked for and received $3,500 from a restricted donor, the petition states. So its been a blessing.. Scott Fredrick, a member of a political committee to recall Griffin, said Thursday that the effort was still about 400 registered voters shy of the 1,574 signatures needed to force an election after extensive canvassing. Retired military veteran Paul Sanchez and other members of the Committee to Recall Couy Griffin are accusing Griffin of using his elected county position for personal gain. The fund drive highlights a photograph from the White House Oval Office of President Donald Trump posing with Griffin, who wears a shirt with the Cowboys for Trump insignia. "The Committee to Recall Couy Griffin has received the official petition to Recall Otero County District 2 CommissionerCouy Griffin today (July 1)," Committee to Recall Couy Griffin today,"spokesman Paul Sanchez said. Griffin has resumed traveled to political speaking engagements in Texas, Montana and Arizona while burnishing his image in a new video documentary as a God-fearing peaceful patriot who stands in solidarity with about 70 defendants jailed on charges related to the Jan. 6 siege on the U.S. Capitol. ", Get caught up:Otero Commissioners to discuss calls for resignation of Couy Griffin on Thursday. Otherwise, Griffin is up for possible re-election in 2022 for a second, four-year term. Griffin says the group is a for-profit endeavor that is not subject to financial disclosure requirement for political organizations. In April, Arrieta foundthere was probablecause to proceed with the recall petition. Griffin insists Cowboys for Trump is exempt as a for-profit group and wants a 2019 state law concerning independent political expenditure groups to be declared unconstitutional. If you agree that he needs to go, please like the @RecallCouyGriffin FB page. The. Griffin formed Cowboys for Trump in 2019 with a group of rodeo acquaintances, vowing to hold horseback-riding parades nationwide in support of Trump. SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - A state district court judge says an effort can move ahead to try and recall Cowboys for Trump founder Couy Griffin from his seat as an Otero County commissioner on . Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin, the founder of Cowboys for Trump, discussed his past and future in politics from the porch of a tidy double-wide trailer in Tularosa, N.M., on Wednesday, May 12, 2021. SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) An effort to recall the founder of Cowboys for Trump from his public office as a county commissioner can move forward, under an order Monday of the New Mexico state Supreme Court. Backers of the petition drive in Otero County say they still need to collect several hundred additional signatures by next Wednesday to trigger a special recall election against Griffin. More:Griffin recall to begin collecting signatures on Mescalero Reservation. Also, please use our hashtag #recallcouygriffin in your shares and comments, this is how we spread the word!! Separately, Griffin is defending himself against criminal charges in connection with the siege on the U.S. Capitol in Washington. The petition can be signed only by currently registered District 2 Otero County voters. 1 of 2. He said he was accused of crimes but not convicted. [2] https://www.facebook.com/RecallCouy/videos/565453014816238. On the 7th of January, after being part of the crowd that attacked the US Capitol grounds on 6 January (and live streaming from it), he made a vide (Griffin) chose not to take it. 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. 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. Griffin is also under investigation by the New Mexico Attorney General's Office for potential criminal charges relating to the September 2019 travel voucher issue. Otero County Clerk Robyn Holmes said the petition is due by 5 p.m. Wednesday. I believe I still have much support in my district. That travel voucher was approved and a check was cut to Griffin in the amount of$3,237.48. The Committee to Recall Couy Griffin, Otero County District 2 Commissioner, NEEDS YOUR HELP!! We proceeded and the judge found for us.". to stand with my fellow Americans in protest of what will one day be known as the biggest rigged election in American history.. 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. Griffin denies allegations that he knowingly entering barricaded areas of the Capitol grounds with the intent of disrupting government as Congress considered the 2020 Electoral College results, though he openly ascribes to unsubstantiated claims of fraud in the 2020 election. 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. A state district court judge says an effort can move ahead to try and recall Griffin, the Cowboys for Trump founder from his seat as an Otero County commissioner on accusations of using his public office for personal gain. After Griffin was arrested, District 1 Commissioner Gerald Matherly (R) and District 3 Commissioner Vickie Marquardt (R) called for his resignation, as did New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas (D). I still have a lot of confidence in the people in my district, Griffin said. "The remaining balance will be donated to a local non-partisan, non-profit in accordance with what the committee decided prior to fundraising," a news release from the Committee read. Why not subscribe? I myself wear Jan. 6 as a badge of honor, Griffin says in the film, infused with orchestral tones. He sees himself . "The committee to recall Couy Griffin is hopeful that this effort has shined a light on local politicians and their actions while in office. Griffin has not been charged with any crime by the New Mexico Attorney General's Office as of July 1, 2021 and the investigation of him is ongoing as of that date. Griffin is revered and reviled in politically conservative Otero County as he confronts criminal charges for joining protests on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) A political committee has begun circulating a petition to recall Cowboys or Trump founder Couy Griffin from public office as a commissioner in Otero County. In a written order, state Supreme Court justices unanimously rejected an appeal from Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin and upheld a . Couy Dale Griffin (born 1973) is a former politician who served from 2019 to 2022 as a county commissioner for District 2 of Otero County, . Today, Couy Griffin is divorced, disparaged by family and confronts a political recall drive, a state corruption investigation and federal charges. This story has been updated with a statement from Couy Griffin and more information about the recall process. Cowboys for Trump has held horseback-riding parades across the country in support of President Donald Trump. The recall would be voted on by Otero County District 2 voters - 1,574verified signatures would need to be gathered for a recall election to proceed. Griffin is under scrutinybased on five allegations that led New Mexico Third Judicial District Judge Manuel Arrieta to find probable cause for a recall. The case cannot be reheard and the "order serves as the Court's mandate returning jurisdiction to the district court,"New Mexico Administrative Office of the Courts spokesman Barry Massey said. Enjoying our stories? Griffin was videotaped on the steps of the Capitol but not inside. Bill) Richardson appointed judge in Manuel Arrieta," Griffin said in an email April 7. Those voters in my district are constitutional conservatives. Powell has filed a number of baseless lawsuits challenging 2020 election results and helped fund the recent Arizona election audit. Michelle Lujan Grisham would name a replacement. And they have criticizing Griffins pursuit of travel reimbursements from taxpayers in Otero County for a cross-country trip in 2019 that culminated in a visit with Trump at the White House. Commissioner Griffin's rhetoric is only getting worse. Nicole Maxwell can be contacted by email at nmaxwell@alamogordonews.com, by phone at 575-415-6605 or on Twitter at @nicmaxreporter. Im really financially strained all the time. The Committee to Recall Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffinreminded residentsthat the change.orgpetitioncirculating is not a legal document and cannot be used to trigger a recall election. A state district court judge says an effort can move ahead to try and recall Griffin, the Cowboys for Trump founder from his seat as an Otero County commissioner on accusations of using his public office for personal gain. The petition to recall Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin began circulation on July 1. "I want every person to have confidence in my representation," Griffin said. You know, they believe in individual freedoms and individual liberties. Countless registered voters from the other Otero County districts were turned away from signing since only District 2 signatures counted for the recall effort. As of Aug. 24, the petition to recall Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin has collected 853 of the required 1,574 signatures. Those grounds arethat Griffin violated the Campaign Reporting Act, Governmental Conduct Act and that he allegedly committed embezzlement, racketeering, money laundering and making or permitting a false voucher for public funds. Supreme Court allows recall effort against Trump booster The petition alleges that Griffin neglected and misused his position as a county commissioner while skipping public meetings and. Griffin was elected to the three-member commission in 2018, defeating Democratic candidate Christopher S. Jones with 65% of the vote. "We are grateful for this opportunity to provide the registered votersof Otero County District 2 the chance to decide if Commissioner Griffin is still the person they want to continue to represent them on the county commission as well as nationwide," Committee to Recall Couy Griffin spokesman Paul Sanchez said. July 1, 2021. Griffin says he didnt directly witness violence at the Capitol on Jan. 6 but believes it was perpetrated by militant leftists and not Trump supporters, contrary to extensive evidence. and if we do, it's gonna be a sad day because there's gonna be blood running out of that building". And Im damn sure no quitter!!". The filing also noted that Griffin inappropriately filed a travel voucher for a trip to Washington, D.C. and for allegedly violating the Gift Act when he accepted a $3,500 donation from a restricted donor to pay back the travel voucher. And yet he remains determined. Change.org Covid-19 1422. Griffin was accused of trespassing onto the west steps of the Capitol Building Jan. 6. On June 28, JusticeMichael E. Vigil, Chief Justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court affirmeda lesser court's opinion that there was probable cause to recall District 2 Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin. For the recall to proceed, Arrieta must sign the petition to recall, triggering a 90 day deadline for the Recall Committee to get the required signatures. The regular Otero County Commission meeting that had begun at 9 a.m. and was still underway into the afternoon had recessed to allow him to attend the hearing. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee, File), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Retired military veteran Paul Sanchez and other members of the Committee to Recall Couy Griffin are accusing Griffin of using his elected county position for personal gain. "Recall is intended to be difficult and it is intended to be a very serious matter,"Ivey-Soto said. An effort to recall Couy Griffin (R) from his position as the District 2 representative on the Otero County Commission in New Mexico filed paperwork on March 11, 2021 District Court Judge Manuel Arrieta ruled on April 8, 2021, that the recall effort could move forward Griffin appealed that decision to the New Mexico Supreme Court on April 19, The original civil complaintwas filed March 11 with amended complaints filed March 24 and April 5 by the Committee to Recall Couy Griffin. The Committee to Recall Couy Griffin, Otero County District 2 Commissioner, NEEDS YOUR HELP!! The Committee said its fundraising report would be delivered to the state Oct. 4. 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.
Craigslist Room For Rent Davis, Ca,
Difference Between Elves And Dwarves Behavior In The Hobbit,
Type 'string' Is Not Assignable To Type 'never' Keyof,
Which Zodiac Sign Makes The Best Parents,
Articles R