Mayor Paine Asks that Garfield Resign

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Cites Inability to Serve While Facing Felony Charges

In a statement that lasted just over two minutes, newly elected Mayor of Superior, Jim Paine, demanded today that 6th District City Councilor Graham Garfield resign his position from the city council. He stated his belief that it was not possible for Garfield to continue to properly represent his constituents while combating the felony charges facing him for his actions of last Thursday.

On April 20th, Garfield was arrested by members of the Douglas County Sheriff’s office in the area of Pattison Park. He registered a blood alcohol level of 0.164 at the time of arrest, a level that is more than double that allowed in order to operate a motor vehicle. 

Earlier in the evening, the Superior Police Department had responded to a third-party call to Garfield’s residence on Banks Avenue, where he resides with his fiancee. The call was related to a domestic dispute and upon arriving at the residence, officers learned that Garfield had fled the scene.

He is accused of pointing a loaded .22 revolver at the victim. The weapon was found in the residence by officers and was loaded with eight rounds of ammunition. 

After being arrested, Douglas County District Attorney Mark Fruehauf asked for a cash bail of $1000. Although Garfield has no prior criminal record, Court Commissioner Rebecca Lovejoy set the cash bail at $5000 due to the seriousness of the charges. Reportedly, Garfield made bail Friday morning and is back to work for the U.S. Postal Service in Superior.

Garfield had just been re-elected to his seat on the council on April 4th by a margin of one vote. Subsequent to that election, a recount was conducted by the City Clerk’s office confirming that Garfield had won the election over challenger Tylor Elm by a count of 142 to 141 votes.

Official Statement by Mayor Paine

I first want to restate my shock and now my outrage at the very serious charges facing Mr. Garfield.

But we still have very important work to do at the City of Superior. It is obvious to me that Mr. Garfield cannot and should not continue to represent his constituents while he faces criminal charges and I am demanding his resignation or removal from the Superior City Council.

I want to again thank the Superior Police Department, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department, and the Douglas County District Attorney’s office for their professionalism in this very sensitive situation. I am fully confident in our District Attorney’s ability to deliver the justice that this community and the survivor deserves.

It is important that we do not minimize the severity of this situation nor attempt to simply move on. There is a victim here. That person cannot minimize what happened.

This incident is receiving special attention because of Mr. Garfield’s elected position but law enforcement officers respond to hundreds of domestic violence calls every year. And every one of those cases is inexcusable. Because there is nothing a person can do that can justify violence from someone that claims to love them.

I have been in contact with the survivor in this case and I offered my support and continued friendship because this survivor is just as innocent as every other survivor of domestic violence. I am going to again ask that the public and the press continue to respect the privacy and the dignity of this person that hasn’t done anything wrong. I want to also encourage anyone else that feels unsafe in a relationship to reach out to CASDA and any person suffering from substance abuse or mental health issues to seek help before a crisis occurs.




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