Supreme Court rejects appeal by former New Mexico county commissioner banned for Jan. 6 insurrection
By MORGAN LEE, NICHOLAS RICCARDI and MARK SHERMAN, Associated Press
Published: March 18, 2024, 7:56am
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FILE - Otero County, New Mexico Commissioner Couy Griffin speaks to reporters at federal court in Washington, June. 17, 2022. The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by a former New Mexico county commissioner banished from public office for participating in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. The court’s order Monday means former Otero County commissioner Couy Griffin remains disqualified from public office under a constitutional provision designed to prevent ex-Confederates from serving in government after the Civil War. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal from a former New Mexico county commissioner who was kicked out of office over his participation in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
Former Otero County commissioner Couy Griffin, a cowboy pastor who rode to national political fame by embracing then-President Donald Trump with a series of horseback caravans, is the only elected official thus far to be banned from office in connection with the Capitol attack, which disrupted Congress as it was trying to certify Joe Biden’s 2020 electoral victory over Trump.
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