Staff Reports
Attorney Donald Trump has initiated legal proceedings in an effort to retain his name on the 2024 Michigan primary ballot. He has petitioned a court to halt the exclusion of him by Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. Benson, according to Trump's counsel, lacks the authority and responsibility to assess the candidate's constitutional qualifications for the presidency.
Trump asks court to prevent Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson from leaving his name off 2024 ballothttps://t.co/XQ8KqXqv1h pic.twitter.com/IbYaRLaBPF
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) November 1, 2023
This filing is in response to Michigan activists' petition to a magistrate to order Benson to omit Trump's name in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution. As per the provisions of this amendment, an individual who has engaged in or provided assistance to those who have rebelled or insurrection against the United States is ineligible to seek federal office.
Last week, a Court of Claims judge declined Trump's petition to dismiss the lawsuit; however, analogous endeavors are underway throughout the nation. The narrative attributes the January 6, 2021, assault on the United States Capitol to Trump, alleging that it was orchestrated to obstruct the certification of Joe Biden's triumph over Congress in the 2020 presidential election.
The "insurrection" clause of the Constitution is also at the focus of a lawsuit in Colorado, which seeks to remove Trump from the state's 2024 ballot. Legal representatives for unaffiliated and Republican voters contend that Trump's complicity stems from his aggressive rhetoric preceding the assault. Furthermore, a hearing has been scheduled before the Minnesota Supreme Court for this week.
His attorneys contend in the Michigan filing that the occurrences of January 6, 2021, constituted a "riot" as opposed to a "insurrection," thereby disavowing allegations of his participation. They argue that in order to be considered as "engaging" in an insurrection, one must actively participate; Trump's inaction fails to satisfy this criterion.
Notwithstanding the widespread acclaim and formidable position that Trump currently holds as the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, there exist factions aiming to obstruct Michigan voters from selecting him. These individuals, according to the filing, want Benson to transgress her duties and authority as secretary of state in order to remove Trump's name from the ballot. This court case is viewed by Trump's legal team as an effort to accomplish their objective.
Benson's office has refrained from commenting on the ongoing litigation at this time.
