'Ominous warning sign': Here's how 'Cowboys for Trump' founder's conviction bodes ill for MAGA rioters
On Tuesday, following the conviction of "Cowboys for Trump" founder Couy Griffin on a January 6 riot related offense, CBS News' Scott MacFarlane — the key reporter covering the January 6 cases — laid out how this is a warning shot to other defendants.
"For the second time, a trial has concluded in a January 6 case. For the second time, the U.S. Justice Department has secured a conviction, in this case against Couy Griffin, a county commissioner from Otero County, New Mexico," said MacFarlane. "Convicted on the first count, entering a restricted building, found not guilty on the second count of disorderly conduct."
"Griffin put his fate in the hands of a judge in his case," continued MacFarlane. "He didn't seek a jury trial. He wanted what's called a bench trial, so the judge heard the case, heard the arguments, heard the evidence, and today ruled, and ruled that Griffin was guilty on one count, not guilty on the other. So the batting average is pretty good so far for the Justice Department. They have 200, nearly 250 plea agreements with January 6 defendants, and for the second time, they've gotten a conviction out of two attempts at trial."
"What message does this send to other defendants?" said MacFarlane. "I asked Griffin if he might recommend other defendants seek out a bench trial, due to the fact that he was found not guilty on one count, and he told me, I don't know, it's like putting your eggs in one basket as opposed to twelve. And he was, at one point in the courtroom, shaking his head no as he heard the judge issue his ruling, and in the courtroom was trying to console or comfort the members of the 'Cowboys for Trump' and other supporters who were in the front couple rows of the courtroom after the verdict was issued. And then outside, he held court with a group of people filming him with cell phone cameras, talking about all kinds of things like federal vaccine mandates, talking about Prince Andrew, talking about the Holocaust."
"He's going to be sentenced in June, facing up to a year in prison," said McFarlane. "We'll see if any of his comments impact him at sentencing. But there is a message sent to the hundreds of other defendants who will eventually face at least the prospect of trial. There have been two cases that have gone to trial, and gone to verdict. And so far, there have been two convictions."
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