(RepublicanDaily.org) – Whether or not it proves to be a viable strategy in the end is still up for debate, but the use of the insurrection clause in the 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution to bar former president Donald Trump from running for office seems to be gaining traction as activists in another state have filed a lawsuit to kick Trump off the ballots next year.
Free Speech for People, a liberal group that describes itself as a “election and campaign finance reform organization,” accuse the former commander-in-chief of engaging in “insurrection or rebellion” as well as giving “aid and comfort to its (the United States’) enemies,” which according to Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, disqualifies someone from holding office.
The 14th Amendment was last used in this way after the end of the Civil War in the 1800s, particularly against former members of the Confederate Army. However, the Constitution does not specify how the ban should be enforced.
Similar suits have been filed in other states – another left-leaning group called the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington is working to get Trump off the ballot in Colorado, while a lawyer in Florida and an activist in Michigan are also seeking Trump-less ballots in their respective states.
The Minnesota suit was filed on behalf of several voters, which include a former GOP-appointed Minnesota Supreme Court justice, a former official of a GOP county chapter, and a former Democratic secretary of state. The suit is also seeking to have Trump’s name removed from the ballots for the primary election, and/or the general election should he manage to secure the nomination.
Meanwhile, David Hann, who serves as the party chairman of the Republican party in Minnesota, called on the Minnesota Supreme Court to reject what he called a “fringe legal theory” and said that only voters get to decide who they feel are qualified to represent their interests in government.
Copyright 2023, RepublicanDaily.org
