In 2022, Otero county became the first place in over 100 years to remove a politician using section 3 of the 14th amendment
While the US supreme court appears poised to allow Donald Trump to remain on the ballot this year, a small New Mexico county on the Texas border may stand alone as the only place where the 14th amendment has been used in recent times to remove a government official from the ballot.
During more than two hours of oral argument earlier this month, the US supreme court appeared concerned that Colorado could unilaterally remove Trump from the ballot and seemed poised to allow him to run. Trump has warned of “chaos and bedlam” if he is removed.
In Otero county, some say Griffin’s removal has actually restored a sense of normalcy to the county commission.
“I think he’s more out of sight, out of mind. When he was here, we had several issues going on, because he was raising the issues. And it seems that after he was removed that a lot of those problems went away,” said Robyn Holmes, the county clerk.
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