Maggie Toulouse Oliver v Couy Griffin Campaign Finance Violations Trial Day One Recap

Tuesday 2-28-23 marked the first day and jury selection for the case involving the State of New Mexico v Cowboys for Trump on charges that he failed to register a political organization without filing related public financial disclosures.

Monday night, Griffin supporters hosted a prayer vigil on the steps of the Otero County, New Mexico Courthouse with a revival like feel praying for guidance from above to aid his attorney, Johnathon C Miller and the wisdom of the court which convened Tuesday morning. When interviewed by Alamogordo Town News Couy Griffin said that this trial and experience “is more spiritual than political right now and it feels like our world is torn between good and evil.”

The two-day trial began Tuesday with jury selection in state District Court from 3 pools of candidates.

Couy Griffin joined on on-air for an interview with Alamogordo Town News on air personality, Anthony Lucero, on KALHRadio.org 95.1 FM and said of the jury selection; “of course a lot of the jurors we favored that sounded like they would follow the law they voted them down…”he went on that the “jury was pretty diverse in age and culture and I’m glad to have a jury of my peers.”

He then continued that the trial began, “the initial testimony was all state officials and work directly for the Secretary of State…Tomorrow I will get on the stand and tell my side, then the jury will decide.”

Previous cases against Griffin have been battled in courtrooms in Northern New Mexico and in Washington DC. This case is hosted in Alamogordo, the New Mexico community where Griffin served as an Otero County commissioner until he was removed from office last year for his role in the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.
In 2019, Griffin forms a group of rodeo acquaintances into the promotional group called Cowboys for Trump, which staged horseback parades to spread President Donald Trump’s conservative message about gun rights, immigration controls and abortion restrictions.

Griffin has resisted pressure to register the group as a political committee, including filing an unsuccessful petition to the 10th District Court of Appeals.

The secretary of state’s office prevailed in a June 2020 arbitration decision that ordered Cowboys for Trump to register as a political committee, file expenditure and contribution reports and pay a fine of $7,800.

State prosecutors accuse Griffin of a misdemeanor violation of failing to register as a political group, which is punishable by up to a year in prison and an additional $1,000 fine.

Couy Griffin remains committed to his concern that registering Cowboys for Trump as a political group could lead to reprisals against donors and their free speech.

He invoked free speech protections and said Cowboys for Trump used donations to travel and espouse support for conservative ideals, without raising money for a political candidate.

The decision really comes down to tracking of money in politics and what constituents advocating for or advertising for a candidate.

Did Cowboys for Trump purchase ads? In the business world that would be considered a direct media buy. The answer to that is NO!
However the question is what constitutes a media buy? He raised money and staged visible events waving the Trump banner on horseback. In the business world, when a business hosts an event and the press picks up the event or people participate in the event and build awareness of your brand, that is considered a “soft media buy.”

You didn’t buy an ad but you raised awareness of the brand.

In the case of Cowboys for Trump the brand is Donald Trump. If Cowboys for Trump raised brand awareness then via banners and horseback, yielding news coverage and followers then in business that would be considered a successful soft media purchase.

In politics it will be interesting to see what the courts decide and rather appeals are filed. 

As precedent could be set with the outcome of the case.

“I don’t want the state of New Mexico to know who has supported Cowboys for Trump. It’s about protecting donors,” said Griffin.

To the New Mexico Secretary of State, Maggie Toulouse Oliver, via previous inferences it’s about “tracking campaign expenditures and income or campaign transparency.”

In consideration of both of their statements above, it’s about the money, and this week in Otero County, New Mexico a jury will decide.

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• Nick Paul, Rhonda Romack and Lynn Crawford Primary Battle for NM Senate District 33 State election candidate recap.
• Otero County, New Mexico Courthouse Move: History and 20 Year Discussion Finally Concludes Since 2012 Otero County has been trying to resolve Courthouse issues and concerns.