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. 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. Feb 3, 2021. He denies allegations that he knowingly entered barricaded areas with the intent to disrupt government as Congress considered Electoral College results. Contacted Monday, Griffin called the recall initiative frivolous and vowed to stand strong. Griffins term runs through 2022. Recall petition begins against Cowboys for Trump founder - KRQE Im glad that I went on that day. 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 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. Nicole Maxwell can be contacted by email at nmaxwell@alamogordonews.com, by phone at 575-415-6605 or on Twitter at @nicmaxreporter. He sees himself . You know, they believe in individual freedoms and individual liberties. And yet he remains determined. Griffin deniedthe allegations claiming they were"frivolous and devoid of merit," court records state. Griffin says the group is a for-profit endeavor that is not subject to financial disclosure requirement for political organizations. 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. More:Griffin recall to begin collecting signatures on Mescalero Reservation. I mean, how much bigger representation can you bring to Otero County? Griffin said. I make $23,000 a year (as a county commissioner) and I do a lot of traveling and I do a lot of work. 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 . 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. Also, please use our hashtag #recallcouygriffin in your shares and comments, this is how we spread the word!! Cowboys For Trump was founded by Griffin in 2019 as a for-profit entity to promote the political agenda of then-president Donald Trump. 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. Griffin was elected to the three-member commission in 2018, defeating Democratic candidate Christopher S. Jones with 65% of the vote. 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 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 appealed Arrieta's ruling to the New Mexico Supreme Court which in turn affirmed the ruling. 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 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 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. Click here to subscribe. 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. Trump cowboy seeks 2nd act in politics after Capitol breach - WKBN.com ", 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.". Michael E. Vigil, Chief Justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court affirmed, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. If allowed, a recall petition against Griffin with a sufficient number of signatures could trigger a special election within months. 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. Michelle Lujan Grisham would name a replacement. The Committee said its fundraising report would be delivered to the state Oct. 4. It was unclear how soon the state Supreme Court will decide whether to intervene. Griffin said the allegations against him were baseless and politically motivated. The petition can be signed only by currently registered District 2 Otero County voters. 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. Griffin said he planned to fight the recall, though he no longer has the option to do that via the courts. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Probable cause found in Couy Griffin recall case - Alamogordo Daily News Griffin appealed Arrieta's ruling to the New Mexico Supreme Court which in turn affirmed the ruling. Recall supporters did not collect enough signatures by the deadline on September 28, 2021. Griffin was videotaped on the steps of the Capitol but not inside. Today, Couy Griffin is divorced, disparaged by family and confronts a political recall drive, a state corruption investigation and federal charges. Griffin was accused of trespassing onto the west steps of the Capitol Building Jan. 6. 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, Couy Griffin recall petition short signatures as deadline approaches 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. Officials at the Otero County clerks office were unavailable Monday to confirm requirements and deadlines in the recall drive. 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 Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin survives vicious Democrat recall Trump cowboy plots political future after Capitol breach - NBC News "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 was present at the hearing for for about 45 minutesbefore he excused himself and returned to the Otero County Commission meeting. Cowboys for Trump founder appeals recall bid to high court CASEY: Alleged Capitol trespasser made blood-curdling video in Star 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. Of a reported $5,000 collected, $300 remain in the Committees coffers. 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 . 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. Griffin was released from federal prison on Feb. 5. Griffin is under scrutinybased on five allegations that led New Mexico Third Judicial District Judge Manuel Arrieta to find probable cause for a recall. Recall petition begins against Cowboys for Trump founder Michelle Lujan Grisham to select an interim replacement. Abbey Smith is a staff writer at Ballotpedia. The Committee to Recall Couy Griffin, Otero County District 2 Commissioner, NEEDS YOUR HELP!! 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. Powell is representing Griffin in that case, now before the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver. On April 19, Otero County Commission Vice Chairman Couy Griffin filed a stay in the New Mexico District Court recall case against him. These allegations are as they appear on the petition. "I would rather these allegation brought forward be heard from a group of peers rather than a (former Gov. 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. Effort advances to recall Cowboys for Trump founder | AP News 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. 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. 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. Griffin says the money helped him travel to Phoenix last week for a Justice for January 6 rally. This story has been updated with a statement from Couy Griffin and more information about the recall process. 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. The allegations could only be determined to be malfeasance,misfeasance, violation of his oath of office or a combination of all three. "We are disappointed that Commissioner Griffin was not able to be here for the entire process. Effort to recall Griffin from County Commission falls short Griffin appealed Arrieta's the decision in favor of the Committee to Recall Couy Griffin to the New Mexico Supreme Court on April 19. 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 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. Only the March 11 complaint was heard in the April 8. 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. July 1, 2021. A Democrat last sat on the Otero County Commission in 1994. 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. "Just because the State of New Mexico wants to acknowledge the recall doesn't mean that the good people of Otero County will. The Committee to Recall Couy Griffin, Otero County District 2 Commissioner, NEEDS YOUR HELP!! "We can always do better, and I hope to do better moving forward. Change.org Covid-19 . Republican leads recall effort against king of Trump's cowboys He's also been suspended from Facebook and banished from Native American lands in his district as he contests charges of. 2023 www.alamogordonews.com. 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. 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. Supreme Court allows recall effort against Cowboys for Trump leader They say Griffin skipped commission meetings and used his county office space to solicit contributions to Cowboys for Trump that covered his personal expenses. And I think Im in tune with them.. 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. "On the decision, I am obviously very pleased," Sanchez said. That travel voucher was approved and a check was cut to Griffin in the amount of$3,237.48. 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. Otero County Commission talks aftermath of Couy Griffin statement. The petition needs 1,574 signatures from current Otero County District 2 voters in order to trigger a recall election. Since we didnt meet the signature threshold, there is no next step, said Fredrick, conceding defeat Tuesday night. If Griffin is recalled from office, Democratic Gov. 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. Nicole Maxwell can be contacted by email at nmaxwell@alamogordonews.com, by phone at 575-415-6605 or on Twitter at @nicmaxreporter. "The fight is far from over," Griffin said. Griffin appeared at the hearing telephonically. 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. Griffin says the film about him was put together by Trump-allied attorney Sidney Powell and her group, Defending the Republic. . to stand with my fellow Americans in protest of what will one day be known as the biggest rigged election in American history.. Those voters in my district are constitutional conservatives. Griffin has not been criminally charged in reference to the September 2019 travel voucher. 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. "I want every person to have confidence in my representation," Griffin said. So its been a blessing.. Ballotpedia is the digital encyclopedia of American politics and elections. Cowboys for Trump . "The fact that the committees efforts were unsuccessful will be upsetting to some and rewarding to others," a Facebook post by the Committee read. A successful petition with enough signatures would trigger a special election vote on whether Griffin can finish his four-year term in office. 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. 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. Just a small donation to get the most dangerous County Commissioner we've EVER had removed from office! All rights reserved. Today, Couy Griffin is divorced, disparaged by family and confronts a political recall drive, a state corruption investigation and federal charges. These allegations are that Griffin failed to attend Otero County Commission meetings properly when he attended them telephonically while he was on his political group, Cowboys for Trump, business outsidethe county; conduct resulting in Griffin's banishment from the Mescalero Apache Reservation; using Otero County resources for Cowboys for Trump business; filing an improper travel voucher and failing to "exercise proper fiduciary responsibility; and violating the Gift Act when he asked for and received $3,500 from a restricted donor, the petition states. 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 filed a notice of appeal Monday with the high court that contends he was deprived of due process rights and raises other jurisdictional objections. Jessica Onsurez can be reached at jonsurez@gannett.com, @JussGREAT on Twitter at by phone at 575-628-5531. 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.". Enjoying our stories? 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. Im really financially strained all the time. 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. 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. 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. 2023 www.alamogordonews.com. Griffin has called those allegations frivolous, baseless and politically motivated. The hearing continued for about an hour after Griffin exited the hearing. (Griffin) chose not to take it. If you agree that he needs to go, please like the @RecallCouyGriffin FB page. The recall committee is seeking final approval of its petition before it can be circulated for signatures. Trump cowboy Couy Griffin seeks second act in politics after Capitol In 2021, a committee began circulating a petition to recall Griffin from office, accusing him of missing numerous county meetings, . In comparison, we tracked between 72 and 155 efforts by the midpoints of 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. The hearing was only to establish probable cause, in other words to determine if there wasevidence of truth to the charges alleged. "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. 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. 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.