WASHINGTON — A county commissioner from Otero County, New Mexico, was arrested in D.C. near the Capitol on Sunday, according to the FBI and DC Police.
The FBI said Capitol Police detained Otero County District 2 Commissioner Couy Griffin "who was the subject of an arrest warrant for his role in the January 6 Capitol riots."
According to an FBI affidavit, the agency received a tip that Griffin was present at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, and had posted videos to his Facebook page indicating that he intended to return to Washington, D.C. on January 20, 2021, and put the American flag on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s desk.
Griffin said in a commissioner's meeting last Thursday that he was leaving "tonight or tomorrow" for D.C. with at least two guns in the car with him. He also spoke at the commissioner's meeting about his appearance at the Capitol riot, according to the FBI affidavit.
"My vehicle is an extension of my home in regards to the constitutional law, and I’ve got a right to keep those firearms in my car,” he said. "I’ve got a .357 Henry, big boy rifle lever action I’ve got in the truck of the car and I’ve got a .357 single action revolver Colt Reuger that I’ll have on the front seat on the right side. And I will embrace my Second Amendment and keep my right to bear arms. My vehicle is an extension of my home in regards to the constitutional law and I’ve got a right to keep those firearms in my car. I’m going to be in D.C. by God’s grace, God willing.”
On Jan. 15, Griffin was charged by the federal authorities on a charge of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, according to United States District Count documents.
Griffin is also the founder of Cowboys for Trump and according to the organization's website, Griffin has spoken with President Donald Trump on several occasions.
While the statement by the FBI Washington Field Office said his arrest warrant was for his role in the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, his name does not yet appear on the list of defendants charged in federal court in the District of Columbia related to crimes committed at the U.S. Capitol.
It is also not known where and when US Capitol Police detained Griffin.
WUSA9 will continue to update this story as more information is provided to our newsroom.
