Arrieta was assigned to the recall case after all of the 12th Judicial District judges recused themselves. Griffin returned the funds to Otero County, as officials questioned the legality of the voucher and payment. Cowboys for Trump founder survives county recall campaign The recall complaint listed five allegations against Griffin that are also listed on the petition. 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. Only the March 11 complaint was heard in the April 8 recall hearing. They say Griffin used his office to solicit contributions to Cowboys for Trump that covered his personal expenses. If allowed, a recall petition against Griffin with a sufficient number of signatures could trigger a special election within months. "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. Griffin said he was informed that the recall had fell short on Sept. 28 from a friend. 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. 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. 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. Griffin, elected in 2018, says allegations in the petition are frivolous and without merit. If Griffin is recalled from office, Democratic Gov. The recall petition fell shy, with about one-quarter as time ran out on Wednesday. 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. Otero Commissioners to discuss calls for resignation of Couy Griffin on Thursday, banishment from the Mescalero Apache Reservation, approximately $3,500 from a restricted donor, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Abbey Smith is a staff writer at Ballotpedia. 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. . Griffin says the money helped him travel to Phoenix last week for a Justice for January 6 rally. Griffin was videotaped on the steps of the Capitol but not inside. He was charged with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, according to the Alamogordo Daily News. 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. 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. Since we didnt meet the signature threshold, there is no next step, said Fredrick, conceding defeat Tuesday night. 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. "The fight is far from over," Griffin said. Griffin was elected to the three-member commission in 2018, defeating Democratic candidate Christopher S. Jones with 65% of the vote. 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. Bidens victory was certified by officials in each of the swing states he won and by Congress on Jan. 6 after Trumps supporters, fueled by false allegations of widespread election fraud, stormed the House and Senate chambers in a failed attempt to prevent certification of how Americans voted nationwide. 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 . (AP Photo/Morgan Lee, File), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. 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. 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. Once the petition is received by the Otero County Clerk's Office, the recall election has to happen within 90 days. Just a small donation to get the most dangerous County Commissioner we've EVER had removed from office! Griffin has called those allegations frivolous, baseless and politically motivated. For information on the recall petition call the recall hotline 575-629-0908 or call. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 to Recall Couy Griffin said Thursday in a news release that it has begun collecting signatures in efforts to scheduled a recall election . Powell is representing Griffin in that case, now before the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver. Griffin said the allegations against him were baseless and politically motivated. AlamogordoTownNews.com Special Report: Recall Couy Griffin - "It ain't 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. The original civil complaint was filed March 11 with amended complaints filed March 24 and April 5 by the Committee to Recall Couy Griffin. 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. 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 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. Nicole Maxwell can be contacted by email at nmaxwell@alamogordonews.com, by phone at 575-415-6605 or on Twitter at @nicmaxreporter. [1] Recall supporters filed paperwork on March 11, 2021. Visit us at Ballotpedia.org, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter. 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. Their actions should represent the best interest of their constituents and spend tax payer money responsibly," the Committee statement read. In a written order, state Supreme Court justices unanimously rejected an appeal from Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin and upheld a . Couy Griffin, Cowboys for Trump Founder, Bashes Trump - Rolling Stone "On the decision, I am obviously very pleased," Sanchez said. "The committee to recall Couy Griffin is hopeful that this effort has shined a light on local politicians and their actions while in office. Griffin founded the support group for President Trump that held horseback parades across the country. Recall supporters said Griffin had used the office for personal gain. 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. Michelle Lujan Grisham to select an interim replacement. Supreme Court allows recall effort against Cowboys for Trump leader 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. 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. The recall effort has about 30 days inthe 90-day window to gather the required signatures. "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. All rights reserved. Just a small donation to get the most dangerous County Commissioner we've EVER had removed from office! Griffin says the film about him was put together by Trump-allied attorney Sidney Powell and her group, Defending the Republic. All rights reserved. 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. You know, they believe in individual freedoms and individual liberties. Only the March 11 complaint was heard in the April 8. https://www.facebook.com/RecallCouy/videos/565453014816238. 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. 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. Im glad that I went on that day. Effort advances to recall Cowboys for Trump founder | AP News Sanchez presented the allegations to Arrieta even after Griffin left the hearing. "We are disappointed that Commissioner Griffin was not able to be here for the entire process. "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. 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 New Mexico requires a number of signatures equal to one-third of participation in the previous election. Forinformation on the recall petition call the recall hotline 575-629-0908 or call Griffin at575-415-5782. 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.