The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled this Wednesday to maintain former US President Donald Trump’s position on the Republican primary ballot for the 2024 Presidential race amidst controversies concerning his eligibility. This decision came in response to a petition by several Minnesota voters requesting the removal of Trump based on Section 3 of the US Constitution’s Fourteenth Amendment. This controversial section denies office to any individual who, having previously sworn an oath to uphold the US Constitution, subsequently participates in insurrection.
Central to this dispute, Section 3 of the 14th Amendment asserts that no person who has previously sworn to support the US Constitution should engage in insurrection or rebellion against it. Petitioners based their argument around Trump’s role in the Capitol riot that occurred on January 6, 2021.
The Court’s decision underlined the absence of a Minnesota statute specifically aligning with the constitutional provision to disqualify a candidate. The court highlighted, “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.” Further, the court emphasized the primary as an internal party function contributing to national political discourse.
The court’s statement stresses that: “Although the Secretary of State and other election officials administer the mechanics of the election, this is an internal party election to serve internal party purposes, and winning the presidential nomination primary does not place the person on the general election ballot as a candidate for President of the United States.”
This ruling, while affirming Trump’s eligibility to appear on the primary ballot, doesn’t dismiss the possibility of future legal action concerning Trump’s qualification for the general election. Legal Director of Free Speech for People, Ron Fein, observed, “[T]he Minnesota Supreme Court explicitly recognized that the question of Donald Trump’s disqualification for engaging in insurrection against the U.S. Constitution may be resolved at a later stage.”
Similar legal actions are underway in other areas such as California and Colorado, where lawmakers have attempted to challenge Trump’s eligibility on parallel grounds. In Colorado, some voters have instigated a lawsuit to eject Trump from the ballot, invoking the same constitutional provision.
However, legal interpretations of these developments differ. Some argue that Trump’s actions could justify disqualification under Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment, while others, including noted Federalist Society figures, contend that this section does not pertain to the presidency or that it is not applicable without congressional action.