November 8, 2023
The 14th Amendment will not force former President Trump’s name to be removed from the 2024 ballot – at least in Minnesota and at least not yet.
The Minnesota supreme court just rereleased its order rejecting the plaintiff’s request to remove Trump from the ballot because of his actions on January 6 2021 which the plaintiffs argued violated the 14th Amendment which – in part — prevents those who engage in insurrection from holding federal or state office.
Now – I told you about a Colorado case seeking to have Trump’s name removed from the ballot for the exact same reason in this video when the trial started last week. Closing arguments are scheduled in that case next week.
What’s interesting about this order out of Minnesota is why the plaintiffs’ request was denied. It wasn’t because the Minnesota supreme court didn’t think they had a case. It wasn’t because the plaintiffs lacked standing. The denial came because the court said the plaintiffs’ claim was made too early. The plaintiffs claimed in their lawsuit — that it would be an error for the secretary of state to put trump’s name on the ballot for the republican primary or the 2024 general election because he violated the 14th Amendment.
But the Minnesota supreme court’s order says “that claim is neither ripe nor is it about to occur.” Primary season doesn’t wrap up until next spring. The court also said – it’s up to the political parties and their voters to select their primary candidate for president and put that candidate on the ballot. And “there 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.”
The Minnesota supreme court ended the order by saying the plaintiffs can file this case again – if and when Trump is selected as the Republican nominee.
Read the Minnesota Supreme Court ruling here.
