If we quit we lose. You know, they believe in individual freedoms and individual liberties. Of a reported $5,000 collected, $300 remain in the Committees coffers. 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. 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. They say Griffin skipped commission meetings and used his county office space to solicit contributions to Cowboys for Trump that covered his personal expenses. Cowboys for Trump leader appeals recall bid to New Mexico - KVIA 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. 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. The Committee to Recall Couy Griffin reported that only 1,229 of the 1,574 required signatures were collected from District 2 voters by the Sept. 28 deadline. The Committee to Recall Couy Griffin reported that only 1,229 of the 1,574 required signatures were collected from District 2 votersby theSept. 28 deadline. 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 can be signed only by currently registered District 2 Otero County voters. The effort to recall Otero County District 2 Commissioner Couy Griffin failed by 345 signatures. Any person who makes statements like these does not have any place in Otero County Politics, no less an elected office. Supreme Court allows recall effort against Trump booster Only the March 11 complaint was heard in the April 8. 296. Michelle Lujan Grisham to select an interim replacement. ALAMOGORDO, New Mexico A political committee has begun circulating a petition to recall Cowboys for Trump founder Couy Griffin from public office as a commissioner in Otero County. Removal of Couy Griffin as Otero County Commissioner - Change.org 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. Griffin files appeal in recall case - alamogordonews.com 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). All rights reserved. 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. 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. If allowed, a recall petition against Griffin with a sufficient number of signatures could trigger a special election within months. Petition now being circulated to recall Trump cowboy from Otero - KVIA 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. The vicious Democrat recall against Republican Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin has officially failed, collecting only 1,229 signatures from voters, short of the amount needed to trigger a special 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. Arrieta was assigned to the recall case after all of the 12th Judicial District judges recused themselves. "It is now in their hands.". 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. Cowboys for Trump founder returns to Otero County Commission 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 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. It was unclear how soon the state Supreme Court will decide whether to intervene. Only current Otero County District2 voters can sign the recall petition. 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. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. The allegations could only be determined to be malfeasance,misfeasance, violation of his oath of office or a combination of all three. "Just because the State of New Mexico wants to acknowledge the recall doesn't mean that the good people of Otero County will. Griffin says the group is a for-profit endeavor that is not subject to financial disclosure requirement for political organizations. 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. And Im damn sure no quitter!!". Powell is representing Griffin in that case, now before the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver. 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. CASEY: Alleged Capitol trespasser made blood-curdling video in Star 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 . Contacted Monday, Griffin called the recall initiative frivolous and vowed to stand strong. Griffins term runs through 2022. Why not subscribe? The hearing continued for about an hour after Griffin exited the hearing. In the voters' hands: Couy Griffin recall petition begins circulation Griffin's motion for dismissal was heard in theApril 8 recall hearing and denied. NMPED opens public comment on proposed social studies standard, New push to expand nuclear radiation compensation includes New Mexico sites, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. "The fact that the committees efforts were unsuccessful will be upsetting to some and rewarding to others," a Facebook post by the Committee read. "We look forward to providing the voters of District 2 the opportunity to decide if they wish to keep Commissioner Griffin in office or remove him," Sanchez said. Im glad that I went on that day. 2023 www.alamogordonews.com. 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. ", Get caught up:Otero Commissioners to discuss calls for resignation of Couy Griffin on Thursday. A Democrat last sat on the Otero County Commission in 1994. Nicole Maxwell can be contacted by email at nmaxwell@alamogordonews.com, by phone at 575-415-6605 or on Twitter at @nicmaxreporter. Few people are more partisan than Couy Griffin, the fast-talking, horseback-riding New Mexico politician and founder of Cowboys for Trump. ? The petition has to be validated prior to a recall election taking place. Republican leads recall effort against king of Trump's cowboys Griffin, elected in 2018, says allegations in the petition are frivolous and without merit. "Recall is intended to be difficult and it is intended to be a very serious matter,"Ivey-Soto said. Griffin returned the funds to Otero County, as officials questioned the legality of the voucher and payment. Trump cowboy Couy Griffin seeks second act in politics after Capitol Today, Couy Griffin is divorced, disparaged by family and confronts a political recall drive, a state corruption investigation and federal charges. Click here to subscribe. Also, please use our hashtag #recallcouygriffin in your shares and comments, this is how we spread the word!! 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. 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. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Today, Couy Griffin is divorced, disparaged by family and confronts a political recall drive, a state corruption investigation and federal charges. I myself wear Jan. 6 as a badge of honor, Griffin says in the film, infused with orchestral tones. 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. Once the petition is received by the Otero County Clerk's Office, the recall election has to happen within 90 days. 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. Cowboys for Trump founder appeals recall bid to high 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. A full contingent of signatures. Trump cowboy Couy Griffin seeks political comeback after riot Griffin has not been criminally charged in reference to the September 2019 travel voucher. to stand with my fellow Americans in protest of what will one day be known as the biggest rigged election in American history.. "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. "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. ", 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.". Jessica Onsurez can be reached at jonsurez@gannett.com, @JussGREAT on Twitter at by phone at 575-628-5531. Feb 3, 2021. Visit us at Ballotpedia.org, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Change.org Covid-19 1422. "This is a historic opportunity for the people of District 2 and we look forward to the next step in this process.". 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. These allegations are as they appear on the petition. 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. Cowboys For Trump was founded by Griffin in 2019 as a for-profit entity to promote the political agenda of then-president Donald Trump. Recall effort against Cowboys for Trump founder lags | AP News Griffin was accused of trespassing onto. 2023 www.alamogordonews.com. 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. All rights reserved. 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 described the charges as frivolous and blamed county staff for providing bad guidance on travel reimbursements. New Mexico allows recalls at the county level for malfeasance or misfeasance in office or violation of the oath of office by the official concerned. Those actions must have occurred during the officials current term of office in order for a recall effort to be approved to circulate petitions. In a written order, state Supreme Court justices unanimously rejected an appeal from Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin and upheld a . 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. 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.". Oliver, the Alamogordo Chamber of commerce Executive Director, were the basis of an investigation. Nicole Maxwell can be contacted by email at nmaxwell@alamogordonews.com, by phone at 575-415-6605 or on Twitter at @nicmaxreporter. I will not be intimidated, I will not be threatened, and I sure as Hell wont back down!! 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. 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. 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. 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. Griffin founded the support group for President Trump that held horseback parades across the country. 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, . Officials at the Otero County clerks office were unavailable Monday to confirm requirements and deadlines in the recall drive. 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. "The Committee to Recall Couy Griffin has received the official petition to Recall Otero County District . Nicole Maxwell can be contacted by email at nmaxwell@alamogordonews.com, by phone at 575-415-6605 or on Twitter at @nicmaxreporter. They say Griffin used his office to solicit contributions to Cowboys for Trump that covered his personal expenses. Probable cause found in Couy Griffin recall case - Alamogordo Daily News 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. 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. Dan Casey. Griffin is reviled and revered in politically conservative Otero County as he confronts criminal charges for joining protests on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. 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. I believe the people in my district still believe in Conservative values and individual rights and freedoms and I believe that if this recall comes to vote, thatpoint will be proved.". The Otero County Commission discussed the aftermath of Couy Griffin's statement. A successful petition with enough signatures would trigger a special election vote on whether Griffin can finish his four-year term in office. Griffin says the film about him was put together by Trump-allied attorney Sidney Powell and her group, Defending the Republic. Calls mount for Griffin's removal During his incarceration, Griffin's fellow Otero County Commissioners, New Mexico Attorney General Hector. The. Commissioner Griffin's rhetoric is only getting worse. He was charged with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, according to the Alamogordo Daily News. If you agree that he needs to go, please like the @RecallCouyGriffin FB page. Griffin is fighting for his political future amid a recall initiative and state probes into his finances. 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. All rights reserved. Abbey Smith is a staff writer at Ballotpedia. Couy Griffin, Cowboys for Trump Founder, Bashes Trump - Rolling Stone Countless registered voters from the other Otero County districts were turned away from signing since only District 2 signatures counted for the recall effort. 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. New Mexico Supreme Court upholds Couy Griffin recall decision I still have a lot of confidence in the people in my district, Griffin said. The recall is one of several legal battles which Griffin finds himself in, including a federal trespassing chargefor which he was arrested on Jan. 18. Change.org Covid-19 . Today, Couy Griffin is divorced, disparaged by family and confronts a political recall drive, a state corruption investigation and federal charges. Griffin has five calendar days to file an appeal to the New Mexico Supreme Court. The original civil complaint was filed March 11 with amended complaints filed March 24 and April 5 by the Committee to Recall Couy Griffin. 1 of 2. ", 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.". "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. 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. 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. Im really financially strained all the time. Their actions should represent the best interest of their constituents and spend tax payer money responsibly," the Committee statement read. 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. Bill) Richardson appointed judge in Manuel Arrieta," Griffin said in an email April 7. 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. Griffin was released from federal prison on Feb. 5. He said he was accused of crimes but not convicted. More:Griffin recall to begin collecting signatures on Mescalero Reservation. If Griffin is recalled from office, Democratic Gov. As of Aug. 24, the petition to recall Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin has collected 853 of the required 1,574 signatures. So its been a blessing.. Griffin said he planned to fight the recall, though he no longer has the option to do that via the courts. 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 . 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. 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. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee, File), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. The Committee said its fundraising report would be delivered to the state Oct. 4. 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. 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. On Monday, June 28, the New Mexico Supreme Court affirmedthe Second Judicial District Court determination that probable cause existed in the case to recall Griffin. 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. Cowboys for Trump Founder, Facing Charges in Capitol Riot, Won't Be Griffin was videotaped on the steps of the Capitol but not inside. Effort advances to recall Cowboys for Trump founder | AP News He's also been suspended from Facebook and banished from Native American lands in his district as he contests charges of. 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. Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin presides at a public meeting in Alamogordo, N.M., on Thursday, May 13, 2021, in a shirt with a "C4T" logo that stands for Cowboys for Trump. Recall supporters said Griffin had used the office for personal gain. The petition needs 1,574 signatures from current Otero County District 2 voters in order to trigger a recall election. The hearing was only to establish probable cause, in other words to determine if there wasevidence of truth to the charges alleged. Griffin says that Cowboys for Trump is a for-profit endeavor that is not subject to financial disclosure requirements for political organizations. A full contingent of signatures would have allowed the recall question to be placed a special election ballot. Cowboys for Trump . 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.