A New Mexico county officer and founder of the Cowboys for Trump group, who promised to return to Washington after last week’s US Capitol rebellion to place a flag on the table of Mayor Nancy Pelosi, was arrested on Sunday by the FBI .
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Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin was arrested on charges of illegally entering the United States Capitol.
According to court documents, Griffin told investigators that he was “caught” by the crowd, who pushed his way through the barricades and entered the restricted area of the United States Capitol, but said he did not enter the building and instead remained US Capitol Steps.
A video posted on Griffin’s personal page on Facebook shows Griffin in the restricted areas, according to the testimony.
Griffin did not immediately respond to the phone or text messages asking for comments.
On Thursday, Griffin said he planned to travel with firearms to Washington, DC, for Biden’s possession.
FBI special agents said Griffin told them that “he hopes that a change in leadership can be made ‘without a single shot being fired’, but noted that there was ‘no option that was off the table in favor of freedom’ “, according to the statement.
“I will be there on January 20 … and I will defend our country and our freedoms,” said Griffin during a meeting of the Otero County Commissioners Council.
“I’m going out tonight or tomorrow. I have a .357 Henry Big Boy rifle with lever action in the trunk of my car and a single-action .357 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, New Mexico’s attorney general, Hector Balderas, asked Griffin to resign via Twitter.
“I am demanding that Couy Griffin resign immediately from the Otero County Commission or my office will request his removal,” said Balderas.
Associated Press journalist Morgan Lee contributed to this report.