In a recent interview on CNN’s State of the Union, former governor and current 2024 Republican presidential candidate Asa Hutchinson expressed his dubious opinion that Donald Trump could potentially be disqualified from becoming president due to legal reasons. Now, let’s just take a moment to soak in the absurdity of this claim. Hutchinson, who clearly has a case of Trump Derangement Syndrome, seems to think he’s a legal scholar all of a sudden. Bless his heart.
The key problem with this #Luttig argument is history. We already had a Presidential candidate who was (unlike Trump) actually charged w/, convicted of, and in prison for sedition that sought the Presidential ballot. 1920, Eugene Debs. He was never denied access to the ballot. https://t.co/pXIGwKAGev
— Robert Barnes (@barnes_law) August 20, 2023
First of all, none of the ongoing lawsuits against Trump accuse him of engaging in an insurrection against the US government, which is what the 14th Amendment would require for disqualification. It’s just another desperate attempt by the left to delegitimize Trump’s presidency and tarnish his name. I mean, come on, they’ve been trying to take him down since day one. It’s getting old, folks.
Secondly, even if some overzealous prosecutor decided to bring charges against Trump, it’s highly unlikely that such an indictment would hold up in court. Let’s not forget that this whole impeachment charade has already played out, and Trump was acquitted by the Senate. The Constitution clearly states that a president can only be subject to indictment if they have been convicted through the impeachment process. Sorry, Hutchinson, but you’re barking up the wrong tree.
And let’s not forget about the 14th Amendment itself. Hutchinson conveniently ignores the fact that it doesn’t even apply to someone running for president. That clause specifically mentions Senators, Representatives, and electors, but conveniently leaves out the office of the president. Nice try, but no cigar.
In fact, legal experts have pointed out that even someone who was charged, convicted, and imprisoned for sedition, like Eugene Debs in 1920, was never denied access to the presidential ballot. So, what makes Hutchinson think that Trump, who hasn’t even been charged with anything close to that, would be disqualified? It’s like he’s living in a completely different reality.
It’s clear that Hutchinson’s comments are nothing more than wishful thinking from a desperate politician looking for a way to undermine Trump’s popularity. I guess some people just can’t accept that he won fair and square. But hey, keep dreaming, Asa. Maybe one day your fantasies will come true. Just don’t hold your breath.