Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin survives vicious Democrat recall Recall effort against Cowboys for Trump founder lags | AP News Countless registered voters from the other Otero County districts were turned away from signing since only District 2 signatures counted for the recall effort. Griffin says the money helped him travel to Phoenix last week for a Justice for January 6 rally. Couy Griffin recall, Otero County, New Mexico (2021) He was charged with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, according to the Alamogordo Daily News. Powell has filed a number of baseless lawsuits challenging 2020 election results and helped fund the recent Arizona election audit. They say Griffin. Griffin appealed Arrieta's ruling to the New Mexico Supreme Court which in turn affirmed the ruling. 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. Recall supporters did not collect enough signatures by the deadline on September 28, 2021. Removal of Couy Griffin as Otero County Commissioner - Change.org Effort advances to recall Cowboys for Trump founder Cowboys for Trump founder survives county recall campaign "I want every person to have confidence in my representation," Griffin said. I myself wear Jan. 6 as a badge of honor, Griffin says in the film, infused with orchestral tones. A statement dated Jan. 19 by Otero County, New Mexico, commissioners following the Jan. 17 arrest of fellow commissioner Couy Griffin, 47, following his arrest on . 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. He's also been suspended from Facebook and banished from Native American lands in his district as he contests charges of. Griffin says the group is a for-profit endeavor that is not subject to financial disclosure requirement for political organizations. Those voters in my district are constitutional conservatives. In comparison, we tracked between 72 and 155 efforts by the midpoints of 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. Effort advances to recall Cowboys for Trump founder | AP News 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. 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, . Griffin has been rebuked by some Republicans over his racial invective. "I would rather these allegation brought forward be heard from a group of peers rather than a (former Gov. . (AP Photo/Morgan Lee), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Couy Griffin, Cowboys for Trump Founder, Bashes Trump - Rolling Stone Otero County Commission talks aftermath of Couy Griffin statement. 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. 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. If allowed, a recall petition against Griffin with a sufficient number of signatures could trigger a special election within months. Griffin said he was informed that the recall had fell short on Sept. 28 from a friend. petition to recall Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin, Second Judicial District Court determination that probable cause, banishment from the Mescalero Apache Reservation, Griffin is being investigated by the New Mexico Attorney General's Office, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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). Griffin said he had not decided on whether to seek re-election to his seat on the Commission, saying he was entertaining different options for his political future. It was unclear how soon the state Supreme Court will decide whether to intervene. (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. And I think Im in tune with them.. 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. 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 hearing continued for about an hour after Griffin exited the hearing. Griffin is fighting for his political future amid a recall initiative and state probes into his finances. Griffin, who co-founded political advocacy group Cowboys for Trump in March 2019 to promote the agenda of then-candidate Donald Trump, is alleged to have used his office as county commissioner to further his organization's work. He said he was accused of crimes but not convicted. Nicole Maxwell can be contacted by email at nmaxwell@alamogordonews.com, by phone at 575-415-6605 or on Twitter at @nicmaxreporter. FILE - In this Friday, Jan. 31, 2020 file photo, Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin speaks in Santa Fe, N.M., during a gun rights rally. A full contingent of signatures. Cowboys for Trump Founder, Facing Charges in Capitol Riot, Won't Be 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. Click here to subscribe. Effort to recall Griffin from County Commission falls short https://www.facebook.com/RecallCouy/videos/565453014816238. Time is running out for a petition drive to recall Cowboys for Trump founder Couy Griffin from office as a county commissioner in southern New Mexico. These allegations are as they appear on the petition. A probable cause determination is not a guilty verdict, rather it is a determination that the defendant most likely committed the crimes/issues alleged against him or her. 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. All rights reserved. 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. New Mexico Supreme Court allows recall effort against Otero County Sanchez presented the allegations to Arrieta even after Griffin left the hearing. Griffin has five calendar days to file an appeal to the New Mexico Supreme Court. ", More:New push to expand nuclear radiation compensation includes New Mexico sites, The signatures collected represent "78% of what was required," the Committee post read and "26% of the total votes cast in District Two during the last election.". Contact us at editor@ballotpedia.org. (Griffin) chose not to take it. Bill) Richardson appointed judge in Manuel Arrieta," Griffin said in an email April 7. 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 . Griffin appeared at the hearing telephonically. 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. The allegations could only be determined to be malfeasance,misfeasance, violation of his oath of office or a combination of all three. Griffin was accused of trespassing onto the west steps of the Capitol Building Jan. 6. 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. 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. 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 accusations of using the office for personal gain. Griffin can run for reelection in 2022, but told The Associated Press last week that hes more interested in running for sheriff in his native Catron County or governor of New Mexico some day. You know, they believe in individual freedoms and individual liberties. Contacted Monday, Griffin called the recall initiative frivolous and vowed to stand strong. Griffins term runs through 2022. Griffin was elected to the three-member commission in 2018, defeating Democratic candidate Christopher S. Jones with 65% of the vote. Griffin has not been criminally charged in reference to the September 2019 travel voucher. Griffin, elected in 2018, says allegations in the petition are frivolous and without merit. Couy Griffin - Wikipedia Otherwise, Griffin is up for possible re-election in 2022 for a second, four-year term. He denies allegations that he knowingly entered barricaded areas with the intent to disrupt government as Congress considered Electoral College results. 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. The. "The fight is far from over," Griffin said. Griffin was present at the hearing for for about 45 minutesbefore he excused himself and returned to the Otero County Commission meeting. Republican leads recall effort against king of Trump's cowboys 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. A Democrat last sat on the Otero County Commission in 1994. 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 also under investigation by the New Mexico Attorney General's Office for potential criminal charges relating to the September 2019 travel voucher issue. Im really financially strained all the time. Prior to Griffin's leaving the hearing, Arrieta told him that the Otero County Commission would have a quorum present without Griffin and that this hearing may be more important at this time. Separately, Griffin is defending himself against criminal charges in connection with the siege on the U.S. Capitol in Washington. A successful petition with enough signatures would trigger a special election vote on whether Griffin can finish his four-year term in office. 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. "We can always do better, and I hope to do better moving forward. 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. Trump cowboy plots political future after Capitol breach - NBC News Michelle Lujan Grisham to select an interim replacement. 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. 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. Trump cowboy Couy Griffin seeks political comeback after riot July 1, 2021. "We are still striving to get the signatures by Sept. 8in order to get the recall initiative on the November ballot instead of a special election," a press release from to recall effort states. The Committee to Recall Couy Griffin said Thursday in a news release that it has begun collecting signatures in efforts to scheduled a recall election. The Committee said its fundraising report would be delivered to the state Oct. 4. petition to recall Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin, Griffin recall to begin collecting signatures on Mescalero Reservation, banishment from the Mescalero Apache Reservation, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. "On a personal level I feel that I can always do better, but generally speaking Iam pleased to know that Otero County and my district (in) particular still have a strong conservative fabric. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Officials at the Otero County clerks office were unavailable Monday to confirm requirements and deadlines in the recall drive. All rights reserved. A state district court judge this month found good cause for a recall petition, but Griffin says the hearing took place unjustly at the same time as an Otero County commission meeting where he was being pressured to resign. Griffin files appeal in recall case - alamogordonews.com 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 ruling to the New Mexico Supreme Court which in turn affirmed the ruling. Any person who makes statements like these does not have any place in Otero County Politics, no less an elected office. 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. They say Griffin skipped commission meetings and used his county office space to solicit contributions to Cowboys for Trump that covered his personal expenses. 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. Recall petition begins against Cowboys for Trump founder - KRQE Cowboys for Trump has held horseback-riding parades across the country in support of President Donald Trump. Once the recall is allowed to begin, the recall petition is taken to Otero County District 2 voters and if 1,661 verified signatures are gathered, then a recall election takes place. and if we do, it's gonna be a sad day because there's gonna be blood running out of that building". Griffin says that Cowboys for Trump is a for-profit endeavor that is not subject to financial disclosure requirements for political organizations. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. 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 petition, filed by the Committee to Recall Couy Griffin, alleged he failed to perform his duties as an elected official by missing scheduled county meetings, failed to "exercise proper fiduciary responsibility" when he filed an improper travel voucher,violated the New Mexico Gift Act, acted in a way which resulted in a ban from the Mescalero Apache Reservation and improperly used County resources to further his work for Cowboys For Trump. If we quit we lose. 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. The district court stay was denied by Third Judicial District . In 2021, a committee began circulating a petition to recall Griffin from office, accusing him of missing numerous county meetings, . The Committee to Recall Couy Griffin, Otero County District 2 Commissioner, NEEDS YOUR HELP!! "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.". Griffin deniedthe allegations claiming they were"frivolous and devoid of merit," court records state. 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. And Im damn sure no quitter!!". Griffin was videotaped on the steps of the Capitol but not inside. Otero County Clerk Robyn Holmes said the petition is due by 5 p.m. Wednesday. The petition needs 1,574 signatures from current Otero County District 2 voters in order to trigger a recall election. Today, Couy Griffin is divorced, disparaged by family and confronts a political recall drive, a state corruption investigation and federal charges. Otero County Clerk Robyn Holmes says a successful petition would put the question on the November general election ballot for local, nonpartisan races. 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. Their actions should represent the best interest of their constituents and spend tax payer money responsibly," the Committee statement read. The Committee to Recall Couy Griffin, Otero County District 2 Commissioner, NEEDS YOUR HELP!! The petition can be signed only by currently registered District 2 Otero County voters. Griffin said he would not resign. 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 video where he states "We could have a 2nd Amendment rally on those same steps where we had that rally yesterday. 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. If Griffin is recalled from office, Democratic Gov. I believe I still have much support in my district. 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. Cowboys for Trump Founder Offered Plea Deal in Capitol Riot Case - Newsweek 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.". 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. Nicole Maxwell can be contacted by email at nmaxwell@alamogordonews.com, by phone at 575-415-6605 or on Twitter at @nicmaxreporter. Cowboys for Trump leader appeals recall bid to New Mexico - KVIA The petition has to be validated prior to a recall election taking place. Oliver, the Alamogordo Chamber of commerce Executive Director, were the basis of an investigation. FILE - In this Friday, Jan. 31, 2020 file photo, Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin speaks in Santa Fe, N.M., during a gun rights rally. 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. More:Griffin recall to begin collecting signatures on Mescalero Reservation. "The fact that the committees efforts were unsuccessful will be upsetting to some and rewarding to others," a Facebook post by the Committee read. 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. Of a reported $5,000 collected, $300 remain in the Committees coffers. New Mexico Supreme Court upholds Couy Griffin recall decision FILE - In this Friday, Jan. 31, 2020 file photo, Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin speaks in Santa Fe, N.M., during a gun rights rally. 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. Griffin says the film about him was put together by Trump-allied attorney Sidney Powell and her group, Defending the Republic. Probable cause found in Couy Griffin recall case - Alamogordo Daily News Effort advances to recall Cowboys for Trump founder Griffin founded the support group for President Trump that held horseback parades across the country. "He had as much right to due process as we do and the judge very much made it clear and afforded him that right. "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. I just want those that have already come to the conclusion that Im guilty, I just again ask you to put the brakes on a little bit and let the legal process take place, Griffin said. I mean, how much bigger representation can you bring to Otero County? Griffin said. The hearing was only to establish probable cause, in other words to determine if there wasevidence of truth to the charges alleged. Griffin returned the funds to Otero County, as officials questioned the legality of the voucher and payment. The recall effort has about 30 days inthe 90-day window to gather the required signatures. "We are slightly behind the pace of signatures required to meet our goal and we are expanding our advertising and collection methods.". 2023 www.alamogordonews.com. The original civil complaintwas filed March 11 with amended complaints filed March 24 and April 5 by the Committee to Recall Couy Griffin. All rights reserved. Griffin's motion for dismissal was heard in theApril 8 recall hearing and denied. Today, Couy Griffin is divorced, disparaged by family and confronts a political recall drive, a state corruption investigation and federal charges. ", 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.". Trump cowboy seeks 2nd act in politics after Capitol breach - WKBN.com Arrieta was assigned to the recall case after all of the 12th Judicial District judges recused themselves. A publicly appointed defense attorney is representing Griffin in the Jan. 6 case, and Griffin says he is represented by Powell free of charge in his lawsuit against the New Mexico secretary of state. Griffin also is challenging directives by state election regulators to register Cowboys for Trump as a political committee, arguing that financial disclosures would subject contributors to harassment. Griffin said the allegations against him were baseless and politically motivated.
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