GOP Lawmakers Push Bills to Slap Down States Booting Trump, Future Candidates from Ballot
Republican lawmakers are pushing back against the undemocratic attempts to remove Donald Trump from the ballot in 2024.
Over the past two weeks, a Democratic secretary of state and a Democratic-appointed state Supreme Court have barred Trump from appearing on their state’s primary ballot in Maine and Colorado.
In both cases, the rulings have cited Section 3 of the 14th Amendment that bans candidates from holding office if they have supported or participated in an “insurrection” against the government, something Democrats accuse Trump of having done.
Although these decisions will both be appealed and most likely overturned by the Supreme Court, Republicans in Congress are taking steps to ensure that no state can try to ban the former president from running.
North Carolina Sen. Tom Tillis has introduced a bill that would ban the provision of federal funds for the administration of any federal election where a legitimate candidate was prevented from running.
‘‘Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no Federal funds may be used to administer any election for Federal office in a State that has in effect a law or policy to prohibit a candidate for the office of President who is otherwise eligible from appearing on the ballot for such office using section 3 of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States,” the bill states.
Writing on the social media platform X, Tillis described the decision in Maine as an “egregious abuse of power.”
Maine’s Democrat Secretary of State just removed Trump from the ballot. This is an egregious abuse of power and why I will be introducing the Constitutional Election Integrity Act as soon as Congress returns to session to stop these partisan officials and ensure any… https://t.co/evVu6bSv0H
— Senator Thom Tillis (@SenThomTillis) December 29, 2023
A separate bill, put forward by Louisiana Rep. Clay Higgins, would change the rules so that tates blocking a candidate from running would have their electoral votes rejected.
“[This bill would] amend title 3, United States Code, to include under the Electoral Count Act of 1887 that the vote of an elector of a State shall not be counted if, with respect to the election for President, the State did not include on the ballot in the State a candidate for President who was nominated by a major political party, and for other purposes,” the proposed legislation states.
“Play stupid games, win stupid prizes,” Higgins wrote on X. “Have a very MAGA Christmas.”
New law… If any state in our Union blocks the official nominee of a major political party from the Presidential ballot, their electoral slate will not be counted by Congress on the following January 6th.
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
Have a very MAGA Christmas. pic.twitter.com/9ko6Q7wHzi
— Rep. Clay Higgins (@RepClayHiggins) December 22, 2023
Love to see republicans fighting back!
— _Rachel_ (@RachelWellingT) December 22, 2023
Such legislation may prove all the more important given that many other states are similarly pursuing efforts to block Trump from their ballots.
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