Minnesota Supreme Court dismisses 无毛视频榠nsurrection clause无毛视频� challenge and allows Trump on primary ballot
Former President Donald Trump acknowledges attendees after speaking at the Republican Party of Florida Freedom Summit, Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, in Kissimmee, Fla.
FILE - Ronald Fein, attorney for the petitioner, Free Speech for People, sits after arguing his case before the Minnesota Supreme Court Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023 St. Paul, Minn. The Minnesota Supreme Court on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023, dismissed a lawsuit seeking to bar former President Donald Trump from the 2024 primary ballot under a constitutional provision that forbids those who 无毛视频渆ngaged in insurrection无毛视频� from holding office.
FILE - Ronald Fein, attorney for the petitioner, Free Speech for People, left, shakes hands with Donald Trump's attorney Nicholas Nelson, center, after they argued their cases before the Minnesota Supreme Court Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023 St. Paul, Minn. The Minnesota Supreme Court on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023, dismissed a lawsuit seeking to bar former President Donald Trump from the 2024 primary ballot under a constitutional provision that forbids those who 无毛视频渆ngaged in insurrection无毛视频� from holding office.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) 无毛视频� Former President Donald Trump will stay on the Minnesota primary ballot after the state supreme court on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit seeking end his candidacy under a rarely-used constitutional provision that forbids those who 无毛视频渆ngaged in insurrection无毛视频� from holding office.
The Minnesota Supreme Court declined to become the first in history to use Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to prevent someone from running for the presidency. The court dodged the central question of the lawsuit 无毛视频� does Trump无毛视频檚 role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol disqualify him from the presidency 无毛视频� by ruling that state law allows parties to put whomever they want on the primary ballot.
无毛视频淭here is no state statute that prohibits a major political party from placing on the presidential nomination primary ballot, or sending delegates to the national convention supporting, a candidate who is ineligible to hold office,无毛视频� Chief Justice Natalie Hudson ruled.
The court left open the possibility that plaintiffs could try again to knock Trump off the general election ballot in November. The Minnesota challenge was filed by the liberal group Free Speech For People, which said it will continue its campaign to end Trump无毛视频檚 presidential bid.
无毛视频淲e are disappointed by the court无毛视频檚 decision,无毛视频� said the group无毛视频檚 legal director Ron Fein, who argued before the court at its Nov. 2 hearing on the case. 无毛视频淗owever, the Minnesota Supreme Court explicitly recognized that the question of Donald Trump无毛视频檚 disqualification for engaging in insurrection against the U.S. Constitution may be resolved at a later stage. The decision isn无毛视频檛 binding on any court outside Minnesota and we continue our current and planned legal actions in other states to enforce Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment against Donald Trump.无毛视频�
The ruling is the first from a series of lawsuits filed by Free Speech For People and a second liberal group that are seeking to use Section 3 to end the candidacy of the frontrunner in the Republican presidential primary.
On his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump said: 无毛视频淩idiculous 14th Amendment lawsuit just thrown out by Minnesota Supreme Court.无毛视频� He added, 无毛视频淐ongratulations to all who fought this HOAX!无毛视频�
The provision at issue bars from office anyone who swore an oath to the constitution and then 无毛视频渆ngaged in insurrection无毛视频� against it. It was mainly used to prevent former confederates from taking over state and federal government positions after the Civil War.
The plaintiffs in the cases contend that Section 3 is simply another qualification for the presidency, just like the Constitution无毛视频檚 requirement that a president be at least 35 years old. They filed in Minnesota because the state has a quick process to challenge ballot qualifications, with the case heard directly by the state无毛视频檚 highest court.
Trump无毛视频檚 attorneys argued that Section 3 has no power without Congress laying out the criteria and procedures for applying it, that the Jan. 6 attack doesn无毛视频檛 meet the definition of insurrection and that the former president was simply using his free speech rights. They also argued that the clause doesn无毛视频檛 apply to the office of the presidency, which is not mentioned in the text.
Parallel cases are being heard in other states, including Colorado, where a state judge has scheduled closing arguments for next week.
Many legal experts expect the issue to eventually reach the U.S. Supreme Court, which has never ruled on Section 3.
Secretaries of State have generally said they don无毛视频檛 have the power to determine Trump should not be on the ballot and have sought guidance from courts. Minnesota无毛视频檚 Democratic Secretary of State, Steve Simon, said in an interview he was happy to have some clarity.
无毛视频淚 am grateful that the Supreme Court acted quickly in providing Minnesotans with certainty about who will be eligible to appear on the ballot for the presidential nominating primary,无毛视频� Simon said.
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Riccardi reported from Washington.