Supreme Court Upholds Ban on New Mexico Official Over Jan. 6 Insurrection

The decision solidifies lower court rulings, emphasizing the insurrection clause's applicability to state and local officials.

The Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal from Couy Griffin, a former New Mexico county commissioner, effectively upholding his ban from office due to his participation in the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.
Griffin, the first elected official removed under the 14th Amendment's insurrection clause, sought to challenge the decision based on arguments similar to those used by Donald Trump in a separate Supreme Court case.
The Court's refusal to take Griffin's case differentiates the treatment of state and local candidates from federal ones, underlining states' rights to enforce the insurrection clause.
Griffin was convicted in federal court for entering restricted Capitol grounds during the insurrection and previously received a 14-day prison sentence.
Following the Supreme Court's decision, Griffin publicly sought Donald Trump's consideration for a vice presidential run in 2024, questioning the applicability of his ban to federal offices.