Couy Griffin, a New Mexico county commissioner and founder of a group called Cowboys for Trump, was arrested on multiple charges pertaining to the Capitol attack. Griffin had spoken about his plans of travelling to Washington with firearms to protest against president-elect Joe Biden's inauguration.
An affidavit for the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, stated that Griffin is being charged with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority.
Griffin Says He Was "Caught Up" in Crowd
According to court documents, Griffin told the investigating authorities that he was "caught up" in the crowd, which pushed its way through the barricades and entered the restricted area of the U.S. Capitol. However, he maintained that he did not enter the building and rather stayed on the U.S. Capitol steps.
However, a video which was posted on Griffin's Facebook page showed him inside the restricted area of the Capitol during the siege.
According to NBC Washington, the affidavit further mentioned Griffin telling the FBI agents that he hopes a change in leadership can be accomplished "without a single shot being fired," but noted that there was "no option that was off the table for the sake of freedom."
A Republican who represents Otero County's 2nd district, Griffin is the leader of a group called "Cowboys for Trump." Since the last few days the Facebook page of the group saw an influx of pictures hinting towards getting closer to Washington. The posts on the page read, "You wanna fight? Well now you got it!!! January 20th!!!!"
Griffin Had Plans To Travel To Washington With Firearms
During a meeting of the Otero County Board of Commissioners, Griffin had publicly announced his plans to visiting Washington D.C. on Biden's inauguration. "I'm gonna be there on Jan. 20 ... and I'm gonna take a stand for our country and for our freedoms," Griffin had said.
"I'm gonna leave either tonight or tomorrow. I've got a .357 Henry Big Boy rifle lever action that I've got in the trunk of my car and I've got a .357 single action revolver, the Colt Ruger Vaquero that I'll have underneath the front seat on my right side and I will embrace my Second Amendment," he had added.
Irked over Griffin's act, New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas demanded his resignation. "I am demanding that Couy Griffin immediately resign from the Otero County Commission or my office will seek his removal," Balderas wrote in a tweet.
