Supreme Court allows recall effort against Cowboys for Trump leader "On the decision, I am obviously very pleased," Sanchez said. 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. 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. This story has been updated with a statement from Couy Griffin and more information about the recall process. Commissioner Griffin's rhetoric is only getting worse. 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. He said he was accused of crimes but not convicted. I mean, how much bigger representation can you bring to Otero County? Griffin said. 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. 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. A full contingent of signatures. 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. I will not be intimidated, I will not be threatened, and I sure as Hell wont back down!! In 2021, a committee began circulating a petition to recall Griffin from office, accusing him of missing numerous county meetings, . A full contingent of signatures would have allowed the recall question to be placed a special election 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. 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. 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. A Democrat last sat on the Otero County Commission in 1994. Those voters in my district are constitutional conservatives. Griffin's motion for dismissal was heard in theApril 8 recall hearing and denied. "Recall is intended to be difficult and it is intended to be a very serious matter,"Ivey-Soto said. 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. He is fighting for his political future amid a recall initiative and state probes into his finances. 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. Several of the allegations listed in the recall petition are among the things for which Griffin is being investigated by the New Mexico Attorney General's Office. Griffin appealed Arrieta's ruling to the New Mexico Supreme Court which in turn affirmed the ruling. Republican leads recall effort against king of Trump's cowboys Griffin was released from federal prison on Feb. 5. 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. The hearing was only to establish probable cause, in other words to determine if there wasevidence of truth to the charges alleged. Officials at the Otero County clerks office were unavailable Monday to confirm requirements and deadlines in the recall drive. Michelle Lujan Grisham would name a replacement. 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. Recall effort against Cowboys for Trump founder lags | AP News "The fight is far from over," Griffin said. 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. 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. Just a small donation to get the most dangerous County Commissioner we've EVER had removed from office! 2023 www.alamogordonews.com. 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. Only current Otero County District2 voters can sign the recall petition. So its been a blessing.. The allegations could only be determined to be malfeasance,misfeasance, violation of his oath of office or a combination of all three. "It is now in their hands.". The Otero County Commission discussed the aftermath of Couy Griffin's statement. Otero County Clerk Robyn Holmes says a successful petition would put the question on the November general election ballot for local, nonpartisan races. Griffin has five calendar days to file an appeal to the New Mexico Supreme Court. 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. Recall petition begins against Cowboys for Trump founder - KRQE Cowboys for Trump founder Couy Griffin, charged in the January 6 Capitol riot, will not be recalled from office as a county commissioner in New Mexico because the recall petition did not. Griffin said he planned to fight the recall, though he no longer has the option to do that via the courts. Griffin says the money helped him travel to Phoenix last week for a Justice for January 6 rally. 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. AlamogordoTownNews.com Special Report: Recall Couy Griffin - "It ain't Today, Couy Griffin is divorced, disparaged by family and confronts a political recall drive, a state corruption investigation and federal charges. Trump cowboy plots political future after Capitol breach - NBC News Griffin is fighting for his political future amid a recall initiative and state probes into his finances. Griffin files appeal in recall case - alamogordonews.com 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. Nicole Maxwell can be contacted by email at nmaxwell@alamogordonews.com, by phone at 575-415-6605 or on Twitter at @nicmaxreporter. 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.". Cowboys for Trump Founder Offered Plea Deal in Capitol Riot Case - Newsweek 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. "I want every person to have confidence in my representation," Griffin said. Effort advances to recall Cowboys for Trump founder New Mexico Supreme Court upholds Couy Griffin recall decision 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. Contact us at editor@ballotpedia.org. 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. Recall supporters did not collect enough signatures by the deadline on September 28, 2021. The. 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. Their actions should represent the best interest of their constituents and spend tax payer money responsibly," the Committee statement read. Couy Griffin - Wikipedia All rights reserved. More:Griffin recall to begin collecting signatures on Mescalero Reservation. 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. "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. 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. I make $23,000 a year (as a county commissioner) and I do a lot of traveling and I do a lot of work. Griffin appealed Arrieta's ruling to the New Mexico Supreme Court which in turn affirmed the ruling. Of a reported $5,000 collected, $300 remain in the Committees coffers. 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. . Any person who makes statements like these does not have any place in Otero County Politics, no less an elected office. 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. On April 19, Otero County Commission Vice Chairman Couy Griffin filed a stay in the New Mexico District Court recall case against him. 2023 www.alamogordonews.com. 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. Griffin has been rebuked by some Republicans over his racial invective. In a written order, state Supreme Court justices unanimously rejected an appeal from Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin and upheld a . Cowboys for Trump founder returns to Otero County Commission 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. A successful recall election would have allowed Democratic Gov. (Griffin) chose not to take it. Griffin says the group is a for-profit endeavor that is not subject to financial disclosure requirement for political organizations. Cowboys for Trump founder survives county recall campaign (AP Photo/Morgan Lee), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. 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 effort to recall Otero County District 2 Commissioner Couy Griffin failed by 345 signatures. Forinformation on the recall petition call the recall hotline 575-629-0908 or call Griffin at575-415-5782. ? 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. They say Griffin used his office to solicit contributions to Cowboys for Trump that covered his personal expenses. Michael E. Vigil, Chief Justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court affirmed, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. 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. Its just to help with the financial burdens of not only the legal defense, which that is part of it, but also just to survive, Griffin said of the donations. 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. 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. 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. "We are slightly behind the pace of signatures required to meet our goal and we are expanding our advertising and collection methods.". He was charged with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, according to the Alamogordo Daily News. Today, Couy Griffin is divorced, disparaged by family and confronts a political recall drive, a state corruption investigation and federal charges. 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. 1 of 2. 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. "Just because the State of New Mexico wants to acknowledge the recall doesn't mean that the good people of Otero County will. 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. Trump cowboy Couy Griffin seeks second act in politics after Capitol "We can always do better, and I hope to do better moving forward.

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