(RepublicanDaily.org) – It seems that the sentiment that former President Donald Trump does not deserve to be on the ballot is no longer limited to Democrats as a retired Republican judge has voiced the opinion that the former chief executive’s actions related to the January 6, 2021 riot at the Capitol constitute “insurrection” and are thus grounds to ban him from running for public office again.
The statement from Judge Clark Erickson, who served for many years as a Kankakee, Illinois County Judge, comes on the heels of Illinois’ impending decision of whether Trump will appear on the ballot in the state on grounds that he violated a portion of the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment, which bars individuals who have engaged in “insurrection” from seeking public office.
Erickson was appointed as the judge to hear arguments on Trump’s ballot eligibility based on the 14th Amendment provision. His decision is non-binding, however, but will be considered by Illinois’ State Board of Elections. Erickson also stated in his decision that the state’s election board does not have the authority to allow or disallow Trump’s name from appearing on the ballot – and said that the decision should lie with the state judiciary.
While Trump has already won the primaries for Iowa and New Hampshire, his road to what many feel is the inevitable appointment as Republican presidential nominee will not be a smooth one due to challenges to his ballot eligibility based on the 14th Amendment provision. His candidacy is facing official challenges in 35 states, with Colorado and Maine already ruling that Trump’s name should not appear on the primary ballots. There is still a good chance that might change though, as the Supreme Court is set to consider an appeal of the decisions.
Trump and his legal team have consistently denied the allegations that the former commander-in-chief engaged in insurrection, and his lawyers have further argued that the 14th Amendment provision does not apply to the presidency.
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