The Minnesota Supreme Court has quashed a lawsuit aiming to keep former President Donald Trump off the state’s primary ballot for the 2024 presidential elections.
What Happened: As reported by Politico, the ruling given on Wednesday does not completely rule out the chances of Trump being excluded from the general election ballot in November. The lawsuit was based on the 14th Amendment, arguing that Trump should be kept off the primary ballot as the amendment bars individuals who’ve “engaged in insurrection or rebellion” from holding public office.
The court clarified that the decision applies solely to the state’s primary. "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," stated Chief Justice Natalie E. Hudson in the court order.
The lawsuit, filed by Free Speech for People, a liberal group representing Minnesota voters, is one of several challenging Trump’s eligibility to run for office in light of his actions surrounding the Capitol riot.
Trump's campaign reacted to the Minnesota decision, interpreting it as validation against “strategic, un-Constitutional attempts to interfere with the election.”
The ex-president himself took to his Truth Social platform and “congratulated” those who fought against what he described as a hoax.
“Ridiculous 14th Amendment lawsuit just thrown out by Minnesota Supreme Court. ‘Without Merit, Unconstitutional.’ Congratulations to all who fought this HOAX!”
Why It Matters: This dismissal comes amidst several lawsuits challenging Trump’s eligibility for candidacy. One such notable case was filed in Colorado by the Washington-based Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics, aiming to protect voter rights under the 14th Amendment.
This lawsuit, as reported by Benzinga in September, was one of the earliest in a series of legal attempts to block Trump’s potential candidacy.
In the same case, Trump was later accused of inciting extremist groups to storm the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. As reported by Benzinga in October, these allegations could potentially prevent him from running in the 2024 Colorado state election.
Photo by Lev Radin on Shutterstock
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