When Donald Trump declares he’s operating for the presidency, as he’s anticipated to do, a watchdog group plans to file a problem beneath the 14th Modification, which bars reelection of officers who engaged in or supported an rebellion.
“The proof that Trump engaged in rebellion is overwhelming,” Noah Bookbinder, president of Residents for Accountability and Ethics in Washington, mentioned in a press release final week. “We’re prepared, prepared and in a position to take motion to ensure the Structure is upheld and Trump is prevented from holding workplace.”
Part 3 of the 14th Modification, handed after the Civil Warfare, bars any officers who’ve taken an oath of workplace to defend the federal government from reelection in the event that they “engaged in rebellion or revolt” in opposition to the federal government — or have “given assist or consolation to the enemies thereof.”
CREW despatched a letter to Trump on Thursday alerting him to the deliberate problem if he declares his candidacy for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination.
“CREW believes you might be barred from holding workplace Below Part 3 of the Fourteenth Modification since you engaged in rebellion in opposition to the federal government you swore to defend,” states the letter. “By summoning a violent mob to disrupt the transition of presidential energy mandated by the Structure after having sworn to defend the identical, you made your self ineligible to carry public workplace once more.”
The “proof that you simply engaged in rebellion as contemplated within the Fourteenth Modification — together with by mobilizing, inciting and aiding these attacking the Capitol — is overwhelming,” the letter provides.
“In the event you search elected or appointed workplace regardless of being constitutionally disqualified … we and others loyal to the Structure will defend it,” the message warns.
Although the same motion by a bunch of voters failed earlier this 12 months to dam Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s (R-Ga.) run for reelection, a problem by CREW and different organizations succeeded in opposition to an official in New Mexico in September.
A decide in that state dominated in response to a lawsuit by CREW and others that Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin be faraway from workplace, noting the assault on the U.S. Capitol was an rebellion and that Griffin’s participation in it disqualified him beneath Part 3 of the 14th Modification.
The choice marked the primary time since 1869 {that a} courtroom has disqualified a public official beneath the modification — and the primary time any courtroom has branded the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol an rebellion, CREW famous.