Bench trial ends in Couy Griffin removal case, ruling to be delivered at a later date
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Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin was in court Aug. 15 and Aug. 16 for a bench trial which would determine if he is removed from office due to his participation in the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riots.
The bench trial ended Aug. 16 with final arguments to be submitted to New Mexico 1st Judicial District Court by Aug. 29. Judge Francis J. Mathew, who presided over the bench trial, is expected to deliver a ruling within 10 days of receiving the closing arguments.
The suit is a quo warranto complaint to remove Griffin from office filed by Marco White on Santa Fe County, Mark Mitchell of Los Alamos County and Leslie Lakind of Santa Fe County.
Griffin was arrested on Jan. 18, 2021 after being charged with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building relating to his participation in the Capitol riot.
From March 2022:Couy Griffin found guilty, here's what it means to Otero County
On June 17, Griffin was sentenced was sentenced to 14 days' time served and ordered to pay $500 in restitution, a a $3,000 fine and complete community service and one year of supervised release.
Based on his conviction, the lawsuit cites the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment Disqualification Clause which states that an elected official may be removed from their position for acts against the government, including insurrection which some experts have labeled the events of Jan. 6.
The Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department declared the events of Jan. 6, 2021 a riot around 1:43 p.m., according to a National Security Archive timeline.
More than 3,000 protesters rushed the U.S. Capitol Building following a rally by then-President Donald J. Trump earlier that day.
Trump's speech that day included what has become known as The Big Lie, an allegation proved false, that the 2020 Presidential Election was "stolen" when President Joe Biden was declared the winner with 306 Electoral College votes to Trump's 232.
Nicole Maxwell can be contacted by email at nmaxwell@alamogordonews.com, by phone at 575-415-6605 or on Twitter at @nicmaxreporter.
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This article originally appeared on Alamogordo Daily News: Bench trial ends in Couy Griffin removal case
