Minnesota voters sue to disqualify Trump under 14th Amendment: report

Liberal group Free Speech For People filed a new lawsuit "on behalf of eight Minnesota voters" on Tuesday challenging former President Donald Trump's eligibility to serve under Section Three of the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution, CNN's Marshall Cohen reports.

"Donald J. Trump, through his words and actions, after swearing an oath as an officer of the United States to support the Constitution, then engaged in insurrection as defined by Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment. He is disqualified from holding the presidency or any other office under the United States," FSP alleges, per Cohen.

The provision states:

No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

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Mirroring a similar complaint initiated in Colorado last week, both "are seen as legal long shots," Cohen notes. "Trump denies wrongdoing and has vowed to fight to remain on the presidential ballot."

Cohen continues, "Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, a Democrat, acknowledged in a statement last week that Minnesotans have the right under state law to challenge in court a candidate’s eligibility for office, and pledged to 'honor the outcome of that process.' He said political parties submit lists with the candidates for the primary ballot, and the parties also submit the names of their general election nominees. The names provided by the parties 'will appear on the ballot … unless a court says otherwise.'"

Simon's office stated that "for the sake of Minnesota’s voters, we hope the court resolves this issue to allow for orderly administration of the elections in 2024."

Cohen further adds, "The Republican primary in Minnesota is on March 5th, which is Super Tuesday. Trump has a commanding lead in the GOP primary race nationwide, according to recent polls. The new lawsuit seeks to block Trump's name from the primary ballot as well as the general election if he wins the nomination. Both Minnesota and Colorado have voted for the Democratic presidential candidate since 2008. The advocacy groups that levied these candidacy challenges have pledged to file lawsuits in more states as the primary season approaches. Election officials in key battleground states have said they’re watching the litigation closely, and none have publicly endorsed the idea of disqualifying Trump."

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View Cohen's analysis at this link.