New Mexico judge removes official over Jan. 6 riot participation

FILE - Otero County, New Mexico Commissioner Couy Griffin speaks to reporters as he arrives at federal court in Washington, Friday, June. 17, 2022. A New Mexico state district court judge has disqualified Griffin from holding public office. State District Court Judge Francis Mathew issued a ruling Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022, that permanently prohibits Griffin from holding or seeking local or federal office. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe, File)
FILE - Otero County, New Mexico Commissioner Couy Griffin speaks to reporters as he arrives at federal court in Washington, Friday, June. 17, 2022. A New Mexico state district court judge has disqualified Griffin from holding public office. State District Court Judge Francis Mathew issued a ruling Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022, that permanently prohibits Griffin from holding or seeking local or federal office. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe, File)


WASHINGTON -- A New Mexico state district court judge on Tuesday disqualified county commissioner and Cowboys for Trump co-founder Couy Griffin from office under the 14th Amendment, making him the first public official in more than 50 years to be barred from serving under a constitutional ban on insurrectionists holding office.

The ruling declared the Capitol riot an insurrection and unseated Griffin, who was convicted earlier this year of trespassing when he breached barricades outside the Capitol during the riot. The judge's order grabbed the attention of advocates across the country who have been pushing to use the 14th Amendment to disqualify former President Donald Trump and elected officials who worked with him in seeking to overturn the 2020 election from holding office in the future.

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