By RUSSELL CONTRERAS
Associated Press

RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) — Democrats and civil rights leaders in New Mexico are sharply denouncing the leader of the Cowboys for Trump group after he posted a social media video calling for some Black athletes to “go back to Africa.”

The 35-minute speech from Couy Griffin on Facebook live, the Otero County Commissioner attacked Black NFL players who support standing before games for “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” — traditionally known as the Black National Anthem — as a gesture of solidarity against racial injustice.

“They want to destroy our country,” Griffin said. “I got a better idea, why don’t you go back to Africa and form your little football teams over in Africa and you can play on a(n) old beat-out dirt lot and you can play your Black national anthem there. How about that?”

Griffin also said any person of color who didn’t identify as “American” first should “go back.”

New Mexico Speaker of the House Brian Egolf tweeted late Monday that Griffin’s comments were racist and that he should resign from his Otero County Commissioner seat.

U.S. Rep. and Democratic Senate candidate Ben Ray Luján said Griffin’s remarks “racist and hurtful language” and called on Democrats and Republicans to denounce him.

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