GILLETTE—Men, women and children, many dressed in cowboy hats, jeans, leather boots and clothes patterned with stripes and stars, gathered Saturday afternoon in the auditorium of the Cam-Plex Heritage Center, where an arc of red, white and blue balloons had been erected on the stage. The occasion was a pie auction fundraiser organized by the Campbell County GOP and titled “A January 6 Prisoner’s Story.” The guest speaker was Couy Griffin, a former New Mexico politician and ardent Donald Trump supporter who was convicted of trespassing on restricted grounds of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
As it happened, the fundraiser took place three years to the day that a mob of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol, and at the dawn of an election year that promises to be one of the most contentious in the nation’s history, owing, in large part, to Trump’s candidacy in the presidential race. Scott Clem, a former lawmaker and the Campbell County GOP chairman, referenced this race in his welcome speech to the crowd. “I’m hopeful that we will take back the office in 2024, what do you think?” People whooped and cheered.
Rather than shy away from the controversy of Jan. 6, the far-right of Wyoming’s Republican Party has shaped the events of that day into its own narrative of injustice, martyrdom and spiritual struggle. Indeed, these Republicans seem to have embraced Jan. 6 as a righteous call to action propelling them into the 2024 elections, wearing as a badge of honor — a sign of noble struggle — the pushback that comes with giving figures like Griffin a platform to speak.
Griffin fit well into that narrative, presenting himself as a man of faith, a man of conviction, a man who has been wronged by forces working against him. After the trial concerning his activities on Jan. 6, Griffin told reporters, “I wear Jan. 6 as a badge of honor.”
Wearing a black suit and black cowboy boots on Saturday, he gave thanks to the crowd. “Campbell County, I can’t thank you guys enough for, you know, inviting me to come here, one of those tainted lepers from Jan. 6, you know? The unclean ones, you know?”
The Facebook announcement advertising the Campbell County GOP fundraiser “blew up and went everywhere,” Clem, the Campbell County GOP chairman, said. He received phone calls and messages from people opposing Griffin’s presence at the fundraiser. A man from Texas had even called to protest the event. “It’s just been totally unreal,” Clem said gleefully from the stage. “The Left has gone absolutely bonkers because we have the gall to actually talk about what actually happened on Jan. 6.”
But it’s not just “The Left” that has protested. Clem acknowledged that the Campbell County GOP hasn’t officially taken a position on the events of Jan. 6 and that some people in the county party didn’t want Griffin to speak at the fundraiser. “I totally understand that,” he told WyoFile. “My personal mantra is that truth isn’t afraid of examination.” More than that, Clem said he had hoped the buzz would draw more people, and that more people would bring more money. A few days after the fundraiser, Clem said the event brought in about $12,500, which includes upwards of $4,500 in donations that went directly to Griffin, the speaker. (Clem didn’t know how these numbers compared with typical Campbell County GOP fundraisers but said he was pleased with the outcome.)
About 150 people attended the event, hailing from as far as Tennessee and Missouri. Some said they didn’t know Griffin but were interested in “hearing his side of the story.” A man shared with an air of frustration that he was tired of accounts of Jan. 6 from “the media.” One woman recounted meeting Griffin before at a Patriot Voice gathering in Dallas. Several state lawmakers also made an appearance: Wyoming Freedom Caucus Chairman Rep. John Bear and Sen. Troy McKeown — who represent Gillette — as well as Reps. Allen Slagle of Newcastle, a named member of the Wyoming Freedom Caucus (some members are anonymous), and Ken Pendergraft of Sheridan.
“Campbell County, I can’t thank you guys enough for, you know, inviting me to come here, one of those tainted lepers from Jan. 6, you know? The unclean ones, you know?”
Couy Griffin
The first auction item was a Granny Smith apple pie made by Campbell County GOP State Committeewoman Janet Mader. “Open your pocketbooks!” David Holland, the Wyoming GOP vice chairman and designated auctioneer, cried. “We have to be ready to face everything and anything this year.”
The bid started from $50. Two hands went up. “Sixty dollars!” Holland cried. “Anybody else? Sixty dollars, keep that hand up. Sixty dollars! Seventy dollars!”
“I’ll pay a hundred dollars!” someone from the crowd shouted.
The apple pie went to Bear, the Wyoming Freedom Caucus chairman. Soon, the money was flowing. McKeown took another dessert for $150. Campbell County GOP State Committeeman Greg Bennick put down $80 for a key lime pie. There was a German chocolate cake ($290), cream puffs ($140), a chocolate charcuterie board wrapped in clear cellophane ($180).
Toward the end of the auction, Clem presented a gargantuan red, white and blue cake inscribed with “USA 45” and topped with a red fondant MAGA cap ($290). Holland called it a “Donald Trump cake.” “If you buy this you better cover it up when you go outside, because the [Gillette] News Record might be covering this, and if they see you walk out with that red thing you might get reported to Joe Biden,” he said. People broke into laughter. The one non-edible auction item was a framed photograph of Griffin and Trump in the Oval Office, smiling together at the camera. (It sold for $130.)
It was Patricia Junek’s idea to invite Griffin. Junek is a Republican, but she ran as an independent in last year’s general election against Gillette Republican Sen. Eric Barlow. She was in Washington, D.C. with her husband on Jan. 6, 2021, and there she encountered “patriot after patriot, Christian after Christian, red, white and blue everywhere you looked.” She described the experience in rapturous terms. “The next couple of days were absolutely the most amazing days of our lives,” she told the audience. “I will never forget the feeling of standing side-by-side with fellow God-fearing, country-loving Americans.” She described Griffin as “an incredible man, a true American patriot, a fighter for the American Constitution, for the American freedom we should all expect to be rendered in this beautiful God-founded nation.” Then Junek lowered her voice: “Keep in your mind as you listen that — but for the grace of God — this could be any one of you. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you my very, very special friend, Couy Griffin.” People stood and clapped as the man himself strode briskly onstage.
Griffin grew up rodeoing in New Mexico. He moved to France to work for a remake of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show when he was 24 and remained there until he was almost 30, at which point “the Lord really began to move” in his life, and he “rededicated” himself back to Christ, returning to the U.S. to share the gospel on horseback, traveling from San Francisco to New York City, and then venturing abroad again to preach in Ireland, England, France, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece and Israel, where he rode on horseback through the Old City of Jerusalem.
Then he returned to the U.S. to pastor a Cowboy Church and start a food business, where the “heavy taxes” and “regulations” nudged him into the realm of politics. He became a county commissioner in New Mexico’s Otero County. During his time in that office, he began to watch Trump’s “efforts on the border” and decided to “get behind” the former president. He co-founded the group Cowboys for Trump, which organized horseback rides to promote Trump’s policies.
Griffin said he didn’t intend to walk to the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. “I was just gonna go to the rally at the Ellipse,” he said. “I didn’t know what to expect. I was really hoping and praying there was going to be something that was going to be unveiled and some new information that was going to be shared.”
Then he got a text from a friend who encouraged him to go down to the Capitol and pray with people. He took that message as “coming straight from the Lord.” So he walked down to the Capitol, borrowed someone’s bullhorn and led people “in a prayer for our country.” He claimed not to have known that he was on restricted grounds. (Prosecutors alleged he climbed over a wall and up a temporary staircase to an outside terrace of the Capitol.)
On Saturday, Griffin tried to distance himself from insurrectionists who acted violently on Jan. 6, some breaking into the building and attempting to halt Congress from certifying the presidential election. “I saw some different altercations from a distance,” he said. “People are accountable for their own actions, and if somebody acts stupid over here on the side of the crowd, I don’t feel like I’m responsible for a stranger’s actions on the other side, you know?”
Griffin returned to the Capitol on Jan. 17 to watch the inauguration. “I’ve come to a point where I hardly don’t believe anything anymore unless I’ve seen it with my own eyes,” he said. “Amen,” a woman sitting in the crowd said quietly. “I still don’t believe Joe Biden won,” Griffin continued, and people clapped. The woman said “amen” again, a little louder.
Griffin was arrested on the day of the inauguration and charged in federal court with entering a restricted area and disorderly conduct. The disorderly conduct charge was dropped. In the end, he was sentenced to 14 days in jail, 60 days of community service and a $3,000 fine, all of which he said is now behind him. In a separate lawsuit, a New Mexico judge removed Griffin from his county commissioner seat and permanently barred him from holding public office — the first time in over 100 years that a public official has been removed from office on the grounds of insurrection.
Griffin has seized these events as his fuel. He had come to the right place to share his story. A place where the state GOP reelected Converse County rancher Frank Eathorne — who was also on restricted grounds on Jan. 6 — for a third term as the state party’s chairman last year. A place where the same group had voted to not recognize former congressional Rep. Liz Cheney as a Republican after she denounced Trump for his role in the Jan. 6 riot, and where she was later ousted from her position in favor of Trump-endorsed attorney Harriet Hageman. A place where about 70% of the electorate had voted for Trump in the 2020 general election. Now the Campbell County GOP has used Griffin’s “side of the story” as its fuel, too.
“We have to get involved,” Griffin told the gathered people on Saturday, who sat in the dark watching him attentively. “We have to sacrifice like we’ve never sacrificed before. And we can’t back down. We’ve got to win.”
In his opinion, the “only one” to get behind is Trump, a declaration that received claps and whoops and whistles from the audience. “A lot of people say, ‘Well, I don’t like his mean tweets, and I don’t like the way he talks and I don’t like this and I don’t like that.’ Well, you know, sometimes you need somebody to rattle the cage every once in a while. And we’re in the cage-rattling stage right here.”
Clem and Junek told the audience that Griffin hadn’t charged a speaking fee. Instead, people collected donations for him in upturned cowboy hats at the auditorium’s entrances as the crowd left. The hats soon brimmed with bills.
“Clem and Junek told the audience that Griffin hadn’t charged a speaking fee” But I’m pretty sure someone footed the bill for his airfare and hotel. Maybe he should use some of the “cash” raised thru donations to pay back Otero County for his “illegally silencing” of a county resident. I guess freedom of speech only counts if it supports your views.
Read: Otero County pays out $45,000 for Couy Griffin’s actions.
Ever since the attempted overthrow of the 2020 election by the butt hurt Trump supporters, the Republicans have been trying to whitewash the happenings of Jan. 6. Even if they don’t call it an insurrection, it was still a despicable display of lynch mob behavior, no matter how much flag waving and bible banging they do.
I really dig the passing the hat part! At a Black Flag concert, I once saw Henry Rollins at the end of the show, sit on the stage asking people to fill a plastic cup with money to watch him drink the sweat from his socks. They did, he did, I saw it – no conspiracies here! And I love people in patriotic cowboy outfits, so I want any reader to know that I’m being sincere here. Ok, so I understand that Trump has an unnamed VP already. Our Senator John Barrasso endorses him right before the Iowa Caucus and New Hampshire primary as polling shows the Haley campaign is the team with the momentum. This makes our Senator Barrasso the #1 Trump supporter in the USA and (if all goes well for him and our Deep Red Wyoming) the next Vice President of the United States of America! And if all goes super well, after maybe a year or two for any of a variety of reasons including age/health issues, (please correct any miscount) the 48th President of the United States. It has been a bold move Senator Barrasso, let me assure you, Sir, the people of Wyoming are behind you!
All you anti Trumper’s like Carleen. Here is the challenge. Take it or shut up. NAME ONE POLICY TRUMP ENACTED THAT HARMED YOU PERSONALLY. YOUR FAMILY. FRIENDS. USA. HE was the most LBGQT friendly president on record. Blacks and Hispanics had most financial gains in their lives. So. There it is on the table. Name 1 policy Trump enacted that brought any one any harm. Except terrorists!! Biden blew up the ABRAMS ACCORD as well. So all. PUT UP OR SHUT UP!! name that Policy!!! Yea that what I thought. Zero takers.
Harold Comes-Last – You hit the nail right on the head. People don’t think for themselves, they let the media do it for them.
Gullible boomers giving advice on how to not be gullible is laughable. Its obvious that you eat, breathe, and live for the current fox news headline.
The hypocrisy of the new gullible ol’ party is glaring.
Any person calling January 6 an insurrection is an idiot. Can you really believe that a thousand or even a few thousand unarmed people could overthrow the United States government? If there had been any real threat of that you would have seen LOTS of military present. Start thinking for yourself folks and stop letting the media, government, and others do it for you.
Can you really believe that a thousand or even a few thousand unarmed people [many, carrying American and historical Confederate flags] could overthrow the United States government. Yippie! That’s a good statement.
You have to feel a little sorry for someone who got snookered by Trump
I’m with Liz Cheney when she says we can recover from any mistakes Joe Biden makes, but we won’t survive another Trump presidency. He will do anything to win, including trample on the Constitution, figuratively burn the flag, twist the Bible into his own hero’s story and, in the end, destroy the country. Now is not the time to sit in the stands. We have to do our civic duty and stand up for democracy.
Hooray for stickin it too Jan 6! The marxists CRIMNAL insurrection, and “Bidens” illegal “presidency.
If you think that was an insurrection, you have no idea what an insurrection is.
Juli, have you ever met a migrant? I have. Many times. My church has fed, clothed, provided shelter to migrants because that is what Christ ORDERED us to do. What students have been forced from their schools? El Paso, TX has used closed schools as migrant shelters and they are staffed and provide services utilizing volunteers and donations. No students were displaced. Meanwhile, El Paso is still trying to collect over a million dollars owed by DJT when he held a rally there in 2020. You question Mr. Biden’s faith. He is a lifelong Catholiv. What church does DJT attend? Not claim, ATTEND? None.That lack of faith guidance has allowed him to be a convicted sex offender, an adulterer, a liar and financial fraud. And you think he is fit to lead our country?
I’m not trying to be dramatic or over emphasizing this in this post. However If you don’t think our democracy is at stake in 2024, then you don’t have your eyes or hears open. These people have bought into this fascist authoritarian idea. They will do I submit anything and everything to win this coming election. Trump will be right there pushing these idiots to burn down, maim, and kill anyone that gets in their way. I hope I’m wrong and I hate to say it but there is a good chance that blood may be running down our street come November 6.
Chris: The thought scares me too. I’m old enough to remember 1968 when Robert Kennedy, Martin Luther King and Malcolm X were assassinated and the country was torn by serious riots from one end to the other. The country of course, was divided by the Vietnam war and race riots at that time; however, a serious division existed then just like today, and, it was all brought to the American people by television for the first time – real time coverage just like today. I hope the FBI is monitoring the wackos since the same recipe for blood shed seems to exist today.
I too hope you’re wrong… alas, I think you are correct… that faction will go to extremes… they have already proved so 😔
Red, White and Blue stars and stripes are for our American Heroes who have fought for the glory of flag. This individual, a traitor, should fly the flag of traitors. Sham on Wyoming deniers of truth. History will prove you fools and traitors of the glorious stars and stripes.
Amen!
So how is Bidenflation treating all of you? Have you all taken in migrant families and supporting them—sharing your house car food? Every migrant family you support is one off my tax dime. How many of the Biden Boosters are going over to fight in Ukraine? If you support his war you need to put your boots on the ground. Put your flesh in the game. Come on Billy be a Hero for uncle Joe.
Mr Skow,
The only reason, Russia was able to invade Ukraine is because coward Trump helped them build up there army. With the help of North Korea. Remember that sicking handshake. Now North Korea has nukes, because traitor Trump did nothing to stop Russia from building an army, with the help of North Korea. As well as doing nothing against Russia giving North Korea everything they need to complete their Nukes.
Carleen. You live in fantasy world. Putin feared Trump. Trump is not a politician. Putin feared him. But Joe Biden invited Putin to invade. The botched Afghanistan withdrawal that left Billions in weapons and 13 dead marines invited Putin to invade Ukraine. That finished the over throw of Ukraine that Obama Biden started. Plus they done nothing when Russia downed the airplane. Now Biden funded the Hamas invasion of Israel on Oct 7. Biden on February 2021 with drew the terrorist designation of Houthi’s. Then restored funding to Palestine. More weapons. Ironically weapons left in Afghanistan were found in tunnels in Gaza. Plus Biden unfroze $6 billion for Iran. Free money for Iran to fund Houthis in Yemen/Syria. All this spending is fueling our 25% inflation. So lady. Get your ducks in a row when you go to tear into me. Quit drinking the Democrat party FOOL AIDE.
The Wyoming I left in 1970 to live the life of a military spouse is vastly different than the one I came home to 44 years later. In 1970 Republicans believed in facts and evidence, and supported the separation of state and religion. Today’s Wyoming GOP has rejected all that yet dares to call those party faithful who do RINOS. The extremists who have taken over the party are the fake conservatives.
I left in 1974 to serve in the military fro 20 years. When I returned in 94, the GOP was still pretty rational. Not now. Your observation is spot on.
Marci. GOP has left the people all over the USA. They moved more Democrat in nature. Democrats of course have moved more left. China and other countries are lining politicians pockets of both parties. In short both parties are or have sold our nations soul. Get ready for more taxes and more inflation Both are coming.
Clem said “My personal mantra is that truth isn’t afraid of examination.” The truth is Couy Griffin was found guilty.
““I’ve come to a point where I hardly don’t believe anything anymore UNLESS I’VE SEEN IT WITH MY OWN EYES,” he said. “Amen,” a woman sitting in the crowd said quietly. “I still don’t believe Joe Biden won,” Griffin continued, and people clapped. The woman said “amen” again, a little louder. ” [capitalization added]
But at the same time:
“… “the Lord really began to move” in his life, and he “rededicated” himself back to Christ, returning to the U.S. to share the gospel on horseback…”
These irrational, dangerous people do not deserve our respect.
Par for the course in Wyoming.
Thanks so much for this news story. It’s easy for us to underestimate what may seem laughable to some is a serious threat to our democracy when election results are not trusted, and violence is justified to override to decisions of the voters by those who lost. Hillary Clinton lost the election in 2016 even though she received a majority of the votes because of the Electoral College system that favors low populated states. While disappointed, her supporters didn’t turn to violence to try to overturn the results.
Chesie: Very, very interesting observation – thanks for reminding us and bringing to our attention. Clinton’s democratic supporters didn’t fabricate fake electors as a means of trying to overturn the election.
Griffin was removed from office by the New Mexico Supreme Court, not a judge. His attitude mirrors that of most MAGA Trump supporters. The truth doesn’t matter to them. Trump lost the popular vote to Ms. Clinton. He lost to Mr. Biden. The only reason he was installed in the WH is because of gerrymandered red states. DJT has even admitted that in any free election Republicans cannot win! Yesterday his attorneys argued that he could order his political opponents killed,and as president, he could not be prosecuted. If this is correct, then Mr. Biden should have him jailed without trial and then have him just “vanish” along with his lawyers supportrers, children, etc. After all the president is all powerful and the law does not apply to him. Is that the best the Republican party can come up with? God help us all.
I thought it was antifa that was responsible for Jan 6th. Was Mr. Griffin misled by antifa? These guys just go from on lie to the next, even if they contradict; never questioning themselves or their orange leader. The grifter relies on marks to be led by group think and to be so proud they will never admit to falling for the con.
I understood from this “feature” that this man had been arrested, charged, paid fines, served, and was acquitted of serious charges. The outrage over his appearance is only a warning to truth-seeking, thinking people not to step out of line and question the narrative. The journalist-supported regime is clearly afraid that they are losing it by this blatant attack on legitimate first amendment speech. They have real criminals sitting in the White House & Justice Department, and countless leftist terrorist groups burning and looting the cities, who get a pass every day from these “journalists”. Why doesn’t the press do an actual deep dive of the actual findings of the investigations of January 6? They might find, for example, that their regime was complicit in that “event” or that an unarmed citizen was shot and killed on the grounds after being invited in. This scrutiny and blow by blow description of the fundraising event in Gillette is bizarre in itself, but telling. We never hear about the goings on in the demo-socialist meetings or fundraisers. Strange.
To my knowledge, democrats don’t host traitors and convicts at their fundraisers, so they’re not newsworthy.
No. We voted the criminal in the White House out.
Typical money grab by the GOP from their cult that has been brainwashed by the lies. Maybe they can do a fundraiser livestreaming some other domestic terrorists from prison like Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols, they seem like their kind of “patriots”.
These people who masquerade as patriots are laughable and an embarrassment to our state and our country.
Couy saw evidence that the election was stolen from Trump but not a shred of evidence that insurrection occurred on January 6th. Bonkers! The Wyoming GOP is listening to a guy that hears voices and was found to be an insurrectionist. Couy came to the right spot to tell the “truth” as Wyoming has proven that it loves to vote for liars and con artists.
Wow! I didn’t realize wyofile.com was so far left – and has a cult following. So displacing 2000 students in school to house illegal immigrants is OK? And allowing criminals, drug pushers and child molesters to inundate the country is a good thing? Utilizing our tax dollars to house, feed, clothe and provide medical care for illegals to the point cities are incurring huge debts is great policy? Destroying the natural beauty of Wyoming with ugly wind turbines whose huge blades litter and are not biodegradable is a positive? Mutilating children before they are mature enough to fully comprehend the long-term effects is something to be proud of?? A President who sold his soul and God knows what else for the almighty dollar. We are just so much better off, aren’t we? The laughingstock of the world.
This isn’t about Joe Biden. This is about a delusional man who is mentally ill due to neglect and mental abuse from his father. He became a narcissist whose ego will never be satisfied, because he’s looking for external glorification and validation, instead of building his esteem through character-building actions. Every time he lies, cheats or steals, his ego is boosted and his esteem is deflated, because your ego is looking for others to love you, but your esteem is based on your own self-love.
Donald Trump is a pathetic man who has destroyed the Republican Party. They will never recover from this. Our country will take decades to repair. I suppose you have no idea why. You know, Fox News was the first cable news channel I started watching. It was entertaining and they made it all so easy to understand. I guess you could call it news for dummies and I lapped it up. Then, I found other channels that were more challenging until I learned how they all lie. So, then I moved on to more credible sources, like WyoFile. It’s all a process of seeking truth.
If you pray, pray hard, because Donald Trump is willing to destroy us all just to win. Remember that he hates losers.
He who shouts the word “Trump” the loudest wins? I hope not.
Inviting this man to a fund raising event is shameful! I have lived in Wyoming for 40 years and have been following politics closely. The recent trend toward extremism within the GOP is frightening. I hope the reasonable people of Wyoming are paying attention to what is going on.
The Wyoming GOP is just a cult of personality
If Griffin says people should be accountable for their own actions shouldn’t that should include every one ?
A criminal duping sheep. Barred from elected office in New Mexico.
How do these people explain that Trump is willing to run for reelection in a system they claim is crooked?
In One Word “Lunacy”! Trump is the very definition of Fascism! And the “American People” Love It!?
“History Doesn’t Repeat Itself, but It Often Rhymes” – Mark Twain
“The further society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those that speak it.”
George Orwell
Limited government and staying out of wars is fascism? Since when is trespassing a major crime? Fascism is weaponizing the DOJ to go after your political opponent and demonizing half the country.
Trump is rightly charged with 91 felony counts backed up by solid evidence. He sold out America and yet you cheer for him. What is apparent is that you get your beliefs from Fox News.