Former NM county commissioner banned for Jan. 6 uprising loses appeal to Supreme Court. (Part-2)  

Florida-based defense attorney Peter Ticktin argued on behalf of Griffin in court filings that “if the decision... is to stand, at least in New Mexico, it is now the crime of insurrection to gather people to pray together for the United States of America on the unmarked restricted grounds of the Capitol

At trial, Mathew, the judge, called Griffin's free-speech arguments self-serving and unconvincing, noting that the then-commissioner spread lies about Trump stealing the 2020 election in a series of rallies from New Mexico to Washington on Jan. 6, calling on crowds to join the “war” over the presidential election results.

Mathew claimed that Griffin "incited the mob, even after seeing members of the mob a short distance away attack police officers and violently try to break into the Capitol building" in a video taken by a videographer outside the Capitol.

Griffin missed deadlines, thus the New Mexico Supreme Court declined to consider the case. Griffin said Monday that the Supreme Court chose “the coward’s way out” by dismissing his appeal without comment, “the greatest attack on our democracy to date.”

When civil courtrooms can remove elected officials, it sets a dangerous precedent,” Griffin warned. I'm upset and worried about our political system's future. Griffin addressed a county Republican Party meeting in Gillette, Wyoming, on the third anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack, portraying himself as a political victim.

“God is really allowing me to experience some amazing days,” Griffin added. “January 6 was unique. It was a day of unprecedented patriotism, and I was pleased to be there.” Griffin and several rodeo friends formed Cowboys for Trump in 2019, which held horseback parades to promote Trump's conservative views on gun rights, immigration, and abortion.

Griffin and other Republican county commissioners refused to certify the June 2022 primary election results due to skepticism of the voting technologies, even though the county's election supervisor indicated there were no issues. The board certified the election 2-1, with Griffin voting no on a “gut feeling.”

Griffin survived a 2021 recall petition. Griffin was acquitted by a jury in his home county in March 2023 of failing to register and declare contributors to Cowboys for Trump after his disqualification.

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