Staff Reports
In yet another defeat for liberal plaintiffs, a Michigan judge recently dismissed a lawsuit that attempted to use language from the 14th Amendment to exclude former President Donald Trump from the ballot. The language in question, which was originally meant to disqualify Confederate officials from holding office, states that individuals who engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the United States cannot hold office. However, the judge ruled that this decision should be left to Congress, not the judiciary.
Michigan Judge Refuses to Do Dems' Bidding, Hands Trump Win via @WestJournalism https://t.co/EzTjb4LU5F
— Janet Page Hill (@hill_page57214) November 15, 2023
This ruling comes on the heels of a similar decision in Minnesota, where the Supreme Court rejected a challenge to remove Trump from the ballot. Efforts have also been made to remove individual Republican representatives from the ballot, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and former Rep. Madison Cawthorn. While the 14th Amendment has seen significant legal interpretation, disqualifying Democrats who expressed doubt over election results in the past was never considered.
The use of the “insurrection” clause in the 14th Amendment has gained traction among some on the left following the events of January 6th, but no major court victories have been won so far. In the Michigan case, the judge emphasized that the decision of whether to exclude Trump from the ballot should be made by elected representatives in Congress, not a single judicial officer. A similar case in Colorado is pending, but given the lack of previous application of this law and its deviation from the original intent, it is unlikely the results will differ.
It’s worth noting that these lawsuits have been widely criticized as “ridiculous” and “unconstitutional left-wing fantasies” by Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung. While the plaintiffs in the Michigan case plan to appeal to the state Supreme Court, these legal actions should be of concern to conservatives, especially in key battleground states like Michigan. However, until a liberal group secures a victory in one of these cases, it remains nothing more than a pipe dream to use the judiciary to remove Trump and other Republicans from the ballot. Kudos to this judge for recognizing the flawed nature of this Democratic ploy.
