A lawsuit seeking to bar former President Donald Trump from Virginia’s 2024 primary ballot under the 14th Amendment’s insurrection clause was dismissed by a federal judge on Friday. Activists Roy Perry-Bey and Carlos Howard filed the complaint, contending that Trump’s actions constituted “insurrection or rebellion” against the US, rendering him ineligible for candidacy.
Judge Leonie Brinkema, appointed by former President Bill Clinton, ruled that the plaintiffs lacked standing to pursue the case, noting that similar attempts in five other federal courts had failed to establish standing. Brinkema also highlighted that the complaint’s reliance on rulings in Colorado and Maine was misplaced, emphasizing the unique jurisdictional constraints in this case.
In her 13-page ruling, Judge Brinkema emphasized, “Plaintiffs have totally failed to demonstrate how their alleged injuries are traceable to the conduct of defendants.” The seldom-invoked insurrection clause, a post-Civil War addition to the 14th Amendment, aimed to prevent former Confederate officials from assuming elected positions and seizing control of governments. Recent rulings in Colorado and Maine, citing Section Three of the 14th Amendment, disqualified Trump from their respective primary ballots. Trump is expected to appeal these decisions.
The Trump campaign welcomed the dismissal of the lawsuit, asserting that it marked another victory for the former president in 14th Amendment ballot challenges. Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung declared, “President Trump remains undefeated in 14th Amendment ballot challenges in federal courts with today’s ruling in the Eastern District of Virginia.” He criticized Democrats for launching a “multi-front lawfare campaign” to disenfranchise voters and interfere in the election due to Trump’s strong standing in GOP primary and general election polls. Cheung expressed confidence that Trump would ultimately prevail against these “unConstitutional attempts to steal the election” and restore the slogan “Make America Great Again.”
{Matzav.com}
