A New Mexico county official and founder of the Cowboys for Trump group who vowed to return to Washington after last week’s riot at the Capitol to place a flag on home speaker Nancy Pelosi’s desk was arrested on Sunday by the FBI.
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Couy Griffin, commissioner of Otero County, was arrested on charges of illegally entering the Capitol.
According to court documents, Griffin told investigators he was “ entangled ” in the crowd, making his way through the barricades and entering the restricted area of the Capitol, but said he did not enter the building and instead on the Steps of the Capitol.
A video posted to Griffin’s personal Facebook page shows Griffin in the restricted areas, according to the affidavit.
Griffin did not immediately respond to phone or text messages asking for comment.
On Thursday, Griffin said he planned to travel to Washington, DC with firearms for Biden’s inauguration.
FBI special agents said Griffin told them that “ he hopes that a change in leadership can be achieved ‘without a single shot being fired,’ ” but noted that there was “ no option for the sake of freedom. table was, ” said the affidavit.
“I will be there on January 20 … and I will take a stand for our country and for our freedoms,” Griffin said at a meeting of the Otero County Board of Commissioners.
‘I’m leaving tonight or tomorrow. I have a .357 Henry Big Boy rifle handle that I have in the trunk of my car and I have a .357 single action revolver, the Colt Ruger Vaquero that I will have under the front seat on my right side and I will embrace my second amendment , “he said.
On Sunday, Attorney General Hector Balderas of New Mexico called for Griffin’s resignation via Twitter.
“I demand that Couy Griffin immediately resign from the Otero County Commission or my office will request his resignation,” Balderas said.
Associated Press journalist Morgan Lee contributed to this report.