2-24-2023 9:58pm

Jury Selection Begins Monday at the Otero County Courthouse of State of New Mexico v Couy Griffin and Cowboys for Trump

Chris Edwards Editor

What is sure to be a media circus for Alamogordo next week, Jury selection will begin Monday at the Otero County New Mexico Courthouse in the trial of the state of New Mexico v Couy Griffin, leader of Cowboys for Trump. The New Mexico attorney general investigated embattled former Otero County Commissioner and Cowboys For Trump founder Couy Griffin for using C4T funds for personal use and taking official acts as commissioner for his personal gain.

Griffin is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The trial itself is expected to commence on Tuesday February 28th, 2023 with national media attention.

Mr Griffin appears to be setting the stage of this court case with home court advantage. He has sent out a public plea in an attempt to win in the court of public opinion, by garnering a large showing of supporters, shoulder to shoulder to appear at the Otero County Courthouse. Mr. Griffin has opted to be defended by a public defender for this case with home court advantage.

The criminal complaint which is basis for the lawsuit states that "on or between January 15, 2020 and March 18, 2022, Couy Griffin did willfully and knowingly violate and provision of the Campaign Reporting Act... by failing to register Cowboys for Trump as a political committee with the Secretary of State, by failing to file all required finance reports and... by failing to pay statutory fines for failure to file; after receiving a lawful order to do so, a misdemeanor offense."

Should Griffin be found guilty of the charge, he could be punished by a fine of up to $1,000 or by up to a year imprisonment, court records state.

However he is on probation from the guilty verdict related to the participant and in the capital events of January 6th thus the stakes are now significantly higher.

Mr Griffin participated in a phone interview with Anthony Lucero on Alamogordo Town News radio edition on KALHRADIO.org 95.1 FM he explained the upcoming trail from his standpoint per a link at the end of this story.

In addition Mr. Griffin sent an email to his supporters which said,” If convicted of this charge I could be sentenced to a year in state prison. I could also be in jeopardy of having my pretrial release affected from January 6th that could result in me being transferred back to the DC Gulag in Washington DC. Both are extremely concerning and truly terrifying to say the least.”

He continued per the sent email; “ I believe another motivation for this charge is that by forcing me to register as a c-corp or non-profit it will force me to disclose all financials to the state and by doing that they will be able to unmask any past supporters of Cowboys for Trump to only destroy them with the same vindictiveness that they have come at me with. I have done my best to shield and protect anyone who has supported me from the same attacks that I daily come under.

Where I need peoples support is to show up and stand shoulder to shoulder in Alamogordo for this trial. I am already bracing for a media frenzy during this time because there is so much on the line. This could either be the final nail in my coffin or this could be a true day of reckoning. But much of that I believe will depend on how much support we can build during this time and nothing can replace individual Americans showing up physically and standing alongside one another.”

He further stated in his plea for public support; “this fight is much greater than the person of Couy Griffin. No matter what anyones opinion is of me, personally, that is irrelevant. What is relevant is what our state government is doing to anyone who still believes in basic rights as a free American. That is what our motive and our focus has to be. Because what they get away to doing to me will be what they inevitably do to you.

Thank you so much for your time and consideration. And I pray to see you on February 28th at the Otero County Courthouse in Alamogordo N.M.
Much love in Christ,Couy”

According to case documents “Griffin launched a GoFundMe account for Cowboys For Trump but used the funds for personal expenses, including court-ordered child support, used public funds to advance C4T and “has taken official acts for personal gain.”

Investigators said the investigation was launched after Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver referred her investigation into Griffin’s refusal to register C4T as a political committee and disclose donors and expenses. The attorney general also received “numerous” citizen complaints about Griffin.

Griffin had previously sued Toulouse Oliver claiming he was not required to register or file as a political committee. Griffin lost that case but still appears to have failed to follow the court order.

In the search warrant documents filed with the court investigators detail that a Griffin supporter, Casey Conlee, created a Cowboys For Trump GoFundMe account to raise funds under the group’s name. However, the page included a disclaimer that “[a]ll monies will be a direct donation to founder Couy Griffin” and will be used “as Couy sees fit to move this organization forward.”

In at least one case detailed in the affidavit, Griffin paid his ex-wife $350.00 from “Cowboys for Trump LLC” to cover his child support obligations.

Cowboys for Trump, or C4T as it is known colloquially, was ordered by the New Mexico Secretary of State's Office to file as a political action committee and file all campaign finance reports or face fines.

Griffin and Cowboys for Trump refused to do so and the case went to arbitration.

The arbitrator, who was chosen by Griffin and Cowboys for Trump, found for the Secretary of State's Office.

The case went to federal district court where a judge dismissed Griffin's case where he tried to have the New Mexico Campaign Reporting Act declared unconstitutional.

That case was appealed to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals which declined to reverse the federal district court decision

After an appeal to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals declined to reverse the decision made by U.S. District Court's dismissal of a case where Cowboys for Trump tried to have the

Cowboys for Trump still owes the New Mexico Secretary of State's Office $7,800 in fines. C4T still also has not filed as a political action committee. Thus the State Attorney General filed the lawsuit and a trail by jury was ordered. The trail will begin Tuesday on New York Avenue Alamogordo after jury selection expected to be completed on Monday.

Expect tightened security in the area of New York Avenue and an influx of press in the area on Tuesday. Regardless of the outcome of this trial an appeal is expected. Stay turned to KALHRadio.org and the Alamogordo Town News and AlamogordoConservativeDaily.org for daily updates.

The Couy Griffin Interview concerning the trial can be heard following the advertisement in the KALH Radio AlamogordoTownNews.com archives as the lead story following the weather report.