The US Supreme Court has confirmed the removal of Couy Griffin from public office due to his participation in the January 6 Capitol attack, applying the 14th Amendment in a landmark decision.
The US Supreme Court has upheld the decision to remove Couy Griffin, the founder of Cowboys for Trump and a former New Mexico county commissioner, from office due to his participation in the January 6 Capitol attack. This follows Griffin’s conviction on charges related to his involvement in the events that sought to challenge the outcome of a lawful election.
The ruling was grounded in the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution, which bars individuals who have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the United States from holding public office. The court’s decision emphasized that Griffin’s actions met the criteria for insurrection, noting that intimidation by numbers constitutes such an offense. Despite arguments from Griffin’s legal team that his actions were protected under the First Amendment, the court rejected the appeal, supporting the view that states have the authority to disqualify individuals from holding office based on their involvement in insurrectionary activities.
This case marks a significant application of the 14th Amendment concerning the January 6 events, differentiating Griffin’s outcome from that of former President Donald Trump, who faced challenges under the same clause but was not disqualified from Colorado ballots. The ruling has been seen as reinforcing democratic principles and accountability, with organizations like Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington backing the move to uphold the disqualification.
The Supreme Court’s refusal to reconsider Griffin’s appeal sets a precedent for accountability regarding the insurrection, highlighting the implications of the January 6 attack on US democracy and the legal system’s stance against those who participated in attempting to overturn the election results.
