The Minnesota Supreme Court has dismissed an “insurrection clause” challenge from a far-left group to remove former President Donald Trump from the state’s 2024 primary ballot.
The lawsuit, which was brought by the ironically named group “Free Speech For People,” alleged that Trump was ineligible to be included on the ballot because he “incited hundreds of violent insurrectionists to storm the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.”
Despite evidence proving Trump did not “incite” the storming of the Capitol during the January 6 protests, and the fact that Trump has not been convicted of any crimes related to that incident, the group claimed that he should be removed from the ballot because of the 14th Amendment. They specifically cited Section 3, which disqualifies anyone from running for office if they had previously taken an oath of office and then “engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.”
People who suggest that Donald Trump should be disqualified from running for President under the 14th Amendment are not serious people.
They cite a post-Civil War clause that bars anyone who “engaged in insurrection or rebellion” from serving in the government.
First off — J6… pic.twitter.com/NK4Xyg4qv4
— ALX 🇺🇸 (@alx) September 9, 2023
Minnesota’s Supreme Court ultimately struck down the lawsuit — instead ruling that state law allows political parties to put any person that they choose onto their primary ballot, even if they were actually ineligible to hold office.
“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,” Chief Justice Natalie Hudson ruled.
However, this ruling only applies to Minnesota’s primary ballot — meaning that the group, or any other anti-Trump individual or entity, is free to file a lawsuit to remove Trump from the general election ballot if he wins the primary.
Meanwhile, Trump celebrated the ruling in a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, writing: “Ridiculous 14th Amendment lawsuit just thrown out by Minnesota Supreme Court. Congratulations to all who fought this HOAX!”
Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung also responded to the ruling in a statement, writing: “Today’s decision in Minnesota, like New Hampshire before it, is further validation of the Trump Campaign’s consistent argument that the 14th Amendment ballot challenges are nothing more than strategic, un-Constitutional attempts to interfere with the election by desperate Democrats who see the writing on the wall: President Trump is dominating the polls and has never been in a stronger position to end the failed Biden presidency next November.”
There are currently several other efforts underway by far-left groups to remove Trump from the ballots in other states, including Colorado and Michigan.
