The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by a former New Mexico state official who was disqualified from holding office after his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol Building.
Couy Griffin, a former Otero County commissioner, was known for endorsing former President Donald Trump with several horseback caravans. However, he is now the only elected official banned from holding office under the “insurrection” provision of the 14th Amendment, the Associated Press reported.
In 2022, Griffin was put on trial in a state district court and became the first person in more than a century to be removed from office under a provision of the 14th Amendment. This provision was created to prevent former Confederates from holding government positions after the Civil War.
Despite the Supreme Court’s recent ruling that states cannot prevent Trump or other federal office candidates from appearing on the ballot, the justices clarified that distinct rules apply to state and local candidates, the AP report noted.
