Speaking to another crowd, he called on men from across our nation to come to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, because it might be a battle.. A Trump-appointed judge disagreed with Griffin's explanation while rejecting a legal argument that he was being "selectively charged" for his political beliefs in July. Prosecutors plan to call a Secret Service inspector and Capitol police inspector later on Monday. After already serving 20 days in jail, Cowboys for Trump founder Couy Griffin avoided additional prison time Friday as he was sentenced for his participation in the pro-Trump mob that attacked the Capitol on January 6, 2021. His trial comes just weeks after a jury in Washington, DC, found Guy Reffitt guilty on five charges, including possession of a firearm on Capitol grounds. In an hourlong hearing, McFadden sentenced Griffin to 14 days in prison but credited him for 20 days the Cowboys for Trump founder had served while awaiting trial. Ahead of the trial, McFadden rejected Griffin's claim that he was politically targeted. He said he would participate in an Otero County commission meeting later Friday by phone to refuse to certify a recent election until the voting machines are inspected. In March, Judge Trevor N. McFadden, presiding at a bench trial in Federal District Court in Washington, found Mr. Griffin guilty of one misdemeanor count of illegally entering a restricted area at the Capitol and acquitted him of another that accused him of disorderly conduct. In Greenes case, she was forced to testify, but ultimately was not disqualified. Some have sought to wield that seldom-invoked provision against members of Congress, without success, and even floated using it against Trump. It was a busy week to be covering government in Otero County, as the years-long saga surrounding County Commissioner Couy . The sheer number of members of Congress who voted both against certifying the election and, later, to convict Donald Trump at his impeachment trial had few if any historical parallels. Federal prosecutors had pointed out that the secretary of state in New Mexico has asked for a criminal investigation into Griffins actions in refusing to certify the primary election there. Two days later, in Bowling Green, Ky., Mr. Griffin told a crowd that a war was underway with the elitist, gross, wicked, vile people, adding, We got to get our country back., In Atlanta, on Jan. 4, the ruling said, Mr. Griffin anticipated that there could be violence when crowds of people descended on Washington for Mr. Trumps speech. I lived a life devoted to the Lord, Griffin said. The day-long trial is also expected to feature video footage of the January 14, 2021 meeting of the Otero County commissioners, where Griffin addressed his involvement in the Capitol attack. What I was a part of was a peaceful protest where I joined shoulder-to-shoulder with like-minded patriots who have concerns about election integrity. The riot: On Jan. 6, 2021, a pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to stop the certification of the 2020 election results. Theyve got to resolve the question of Trumps eligibility as soon as possible. The case against Griffin is unlike most of the Capitol riot prosecutions. If convicted, Griffin faces up to a year in prison on each of the two charges against him: trespassing and disorderly conduct on restricted Capitol grounds. In 2019, Griffin forged a group of rodeo acquaintances into the promotional group called Cowboys for Trump, which staged horseback parades to spread President Donald Trumps conservative message about gun rights, immigration controls and abortion restrictions. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Addressing McFadden on Friday, Griffin said he was "very sorry" for the violence of January 6 and described as "disgraceful" the many assaults on police who were protecting the Capitol. Matt Dahlseid/Santa Fe New Mexican, via Associated Press. Truth is I was 1 for 1 with the US Government. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Colombia said that after the incident, he had posted a video to the Cowboys for Trump Facebook page stating that he "climbed up on the top of the Capitol building and . Smith asked Struck if anybody appeared to be riled up by the prayer that Griffin led. He shouldn't be punished for showing his pride in his country, Miller said. The secretary of states office initially prevailed in a June 2020 arbitration decision that ordered Cowboys for Trump to register as a political committee, file expenditure and contribution reports and pay a fine of $7,800. Griffin elected to have a bench trial, meaning a Trump-appointed judge rather than a jury of 12 will review the evidence and decide his fate. (Berger was later seated after his espionage conviction was overturned.). SANTA FE, N.M. -- Cowboys for Trump cofounder Couy Griffin confronted a trial by jury Tuesday on charges that he failed to register a political organization without filing related public financial disclosures. The report: The Jan. 6 committee released its final report, marking the culmination of an 18-month investigation into the violent insurrection. The Washington Post examined text messages, photos and videos to create a video timeline of what happened on Jan. 6. Couy Griffin serves as District 2 Otero County Commissioner and Otero County Commission Vice Chairman in New Mexico, according to the Alamogordo Daily News. This just went from being theoretical to being something that is legally recognized and legally possible, said Noah Bookbinder, director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a nonpartisan watchdog organization that filed suit against Mr. Griffin on behalf of a group of New Mexico residents. He called it a great day for America and added, The people are showing that they have had enough, prosecutors said. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. In his decision, Judge Francis J. Mathew of the New Mexico District Court said the insurrection on Jan. 6 included not only the mob violence that unfolded that day, but also the surrounding planning, mobilization and incitement that led to it. Reffitt's trial presented a test for the Justice Department as it undertakes an investigation it has called "unprecedented," and the conviction marked a significant victory in the nearly 800 prosecutions related to the January 6 attack. The Justice Department said in charging papers that, following the January 6 insurrection, Griffin recorded a video in which he claimed to have "climbed up on the top of the Capitol building" and stated his intention to return on January 20 the day then-President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration. The two-day trial began Tuesday with jury selection in state District Court at Alamogordo, the New Mexico community where Griffin served as an Otero County commissioner until he was banished from office last year for his role in the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. His lawyer, David Smith, requested two months probation. A January 6-related trial began Monday in the case of "Cowboys for Trump" founder Couy Griffin. Prosecutors have said that Pence remained at the Capitol complex during the relevant period. In court testimony, State Elections Director Mandy Vigil said that state regulators typically negotiate with political groups to encourage registration without seeking sanctions. Thats hugely significant. as well as other partner offers and accept our. The board ultimately certified the election on a 2-1 vote with Griffin still voting no based on a gut feeling., 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. At the outset of the bench trial, McFadden confirmed that Griffin wanted his verdict decided by a judge rather than a jury. And while circumstances might make that difficult to replicate, its nonetheless a historic marker of what transpired 20 months ago. Mazza is the second person to be convicted of carrying a handgun in the Capitol riot, with charges pending against a third. Defense attorney Nicholas Smith asked Hawa if it was Pences decision to remain there for hours. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. Last year, Griffin insisted that "the only good Democrat is a dead Democrat" and called on Trump to "hang" his opponents for their "Treasonous Acts." A New Mexico judge on Tuesday removed Otero County commissioner Couy Griffin by invoking the 14th Amendment's prohibition on those who engaged in insurrection from serving in office. Couy Griffin, a county commissioner in Otero County, New Mexico, speaks on June 17 outside federal court in Washington, D.C., where he was convicted of entering a restricted area during the. "There's nothing illegal about that You feel clearheaded now?" The dismissed charge against Griffin carried a potential punishment of up to a year in prison and a $1,000 fine. News Capitol Riots Donald Trump Republicans. Mark Andrew Mazza, 57, of Shelbyville, Ind., faces up to 20 years in prison for assaulting an officer with a dangerous weapon and up to five years for carrying a pistol without a license. Separately on Friday, an Indiana man pleaded guilty to carrying a loaded handgun and assaulting police with a stolen baton in the Capitol breach. Mr. Griffins attempts to challenge Mr. Trumps defeat in the 2020 election including issuing calls for violence on behalf of the former president preceded the events of Jan. 6, according to the ruling by the judge in New Mexico. COVID report finds suicide calls, overdose deaths and mental illness soared in D.C. Griffin's attorney also accused state campaign finance regulators of bias and singling out Cowboys for Trump for enforcement. The ruling made Couy Griffin, a county commissioner in New Mexico, the first official in more than 100 years to be removed under the Constitution's bar on insurrectionists holding office.. But the judge greenlighted a request from Griffin's defense lawyers to question a Secret Service agent about a lingering question around the events of January 6: the location of then-Vice President Mike Pence. The Associated Press reported the confidential plea agre Hes going to run, and weve got to know whether hes allowed to run or not, Magliocca said. Evans resigned shortly after the insurrection and before he was charged, but he has flirted with an attempted political comeback. Sign up for notifications from Insider! Back in the studio, Drew Griffin said that Cuoy Griffin was "so far off the rails" with his belief in the conspiracy theories, that "I would dare to use the loaded term, he is brain-washed. Judge Trevor McFadden served as a top Justice Department official in the Trump administration before the Senate confirmed him in 2017 to the federal trial court in Washington, DC. 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 6. The judge in the case, District Judge Francis J. Mathew, was unsparing in ruling that Griffin is disqualified from office. The confidential agreement was offered to Griffin during discussions at a Monday court hearing in Washington, D.C., according to the Associated Press. Newsweek has contacted Cuoy Griffin's county commission office for comment. At a stop in The Woodlands, Texas, on Jan. 1, 2021, the ruling said, Mr. Griffin urged a crowd to view the attempts to overturn the election as a last-ditch fight, comparing it to the famous standoff at the Alamo. An online fundraiser for Griffin has also raised nearly $50,000. "Several of the defendant's statements in the recording of the meeting constitute either direct admissions that he was illegally present in a restricted area or evidence of the defendant's state of mind during and after January 6, 2021," prosecutors said. Regardless, they said the law only requires that Pence was at the complex or "would be" returning to prove that Griffin unlawfully entered a Secret Service-protected area. More: Cowboys for Trump founder Couy Griffin questions Capitol . Struck has an immunity deal with prosecutors for his testimony. "I'm not even so sure that Officer Sicknick's even dead," Cuoy Griffin said, stunning the CNN correspondent. Anyone can read what you share. Success in the latter scenario remains unlikely, especially in the absence of a criminal conviction. But McFadden noted that Griffin had not entered the Capitol building itself but only trespassed on the grounds outside the building, putting him at what the judge called the "minimal end of criminality.". Heres what the criminal referrals mean. Magliocca said the issue could arise in a number of ways moving forward and is ripe for the Supreme Court to litigate before Trump might run for and potentially win the presidency in 2024. Babbitt was shot and killed by police as she tried to force her way past a barricaded doorway. Even after his criminal conviction, Mr. Griffin, a bombastic man who briefly considered riding a horse to his sentencing at the courthouse in Washington, continued to publicly disparage the case and insult the judge who heard it. Miller, a public defender, said Griffin's intention was to speak boldly and openly about common sense convictions and national pride without yielding to government control through the regulation of nonprofit groups. Mr. Griffin was sentenced in June to 14 days in prison. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. He is among only three riot defendants who have asked for a bench trial, which means a judge will decide his case without a jury. A New Mexico judge has ordered Otero County commissioner and "Cowboys for Trump" founder Couy Griffin to leave public office immediately for his participation in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. If this ruling stands up on appeal, it sets a significant precedent for the next election cycle, said Gerard Magliocca, a constitutional scholar at Indiana University who has studied Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. Effort to bar Jan. 6 figures from office notches historic win. Griffin's lawyers say that unlike the other protesters, he did not enter the Capitol, but instead stood on the steps of the building urging on others with a bullhorn, Buzzfeed News reported. Griffins attorneys said in a court filing that Pence had already departed the restricted area before the earliest that Griffin could have entered it, but Secret Service inspector Lanelle Hawa testified that Pence never left the restricted area during the riot. He also took part in a multicity bus tour arranged by the pro-Trump group Women for America First designed to recruit protesters to go to Washington for Mr. Trumps speech on Jan. 6, in which the president called on his supporters to fight like hell against his election loss and urged them to march to the Capitol while Congress was meeting to confirm it. and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.). At his sentencing, Griffin told the judge, I have huge respect for law enforcement and I am a respecter of the system. He said he had been a pastor before entering politics in Otero County. Jurors also convicted him of obstructing Congress from certifying the Electoral College vote on Jan. 6, of interfering with police officers who were guarding the Capitol and of threatening his two teenage children if they reported him to law enforcement. McFadden told Griffin that as an elected state official, he had taken an oath to uphold the Constitution. WASHINGTON An elected official from New Mexico went to trial with a judge not a jury set to decide if he is guilty of charges that he illegally entered the U.S. Capitol grounds on the daya pro-Trump mobdisrupted the certification of Joe Bidens presidential election victory. agent who had instigated the mob that day. The dismissed charge against Griffin carried a potential punishment of up to a year in prison and a $1,000 fine. After his arrest, Griffin was initially ordered held without bond, in part because he said on a video he would return to Washington for the inauguration of Joe Biden and theres going to be blood running out of that building. He was released 20 days later, in part because he might be awaiting trial longer than the maximum six-month misdemeanor sentence he faced. ", "Others like himI don't believe Cuoy would be dangerousbut others like him can and will be dangerous.". Cowboys for Trump cofounder Couy Griffin has been found not guilty of a misdemeanor charge of failing to register a political group and provide financial disclosures at a trial in southern New Mexico. Since Jan. 6, activists have sought to disqualify several members of Congress who supported questioning or overturning the 2020 election results, including Reps. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.) Griffin was previously convicted in federal court of a misdemeanor for entering restricted U.S. Capitol grounds on Jan. 6, without going inside the building. He had vowed to arrive at the courthouse on horseback. Griffin already served 20 days in jail upon his arrest last year, so he was released Friday. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? McFadden is so far the only judge on the Washington, DC, federal trial court who has acquitted a January 6 defendant on all charges. In several high-profile races, those who didnt storm the Capitol but were otherwise involved in the Jan. 6 proceedings have won their partys nomination. the judge asked. He is one of the few riot defendants who isnt accused of entering the Capitol or engaging in any violent or destructive behavior.