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A Washington Post commentary by Edward Foley outlined a legal tactic that could keep Donald Trump off the ballot in 2024 through use of the 14th Amendment to disqualify Trump based upon his participation in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.
Step one is for a state to enact a statute stating that its election officials have the power to remove insurrectionists from the presidential ballot. An appeal by Donald Trump would reach the U.S. Supreme Court, which would then rule on the law’s constitutionality (many legal scholars believe it is constitutional). The law should be enacted soon so that the court could rule on this prior to the July 2024 Republican National Convention.
Hawaii should be the state that steps up and gets this done. State leaders should call a special session of the Legislature to enact a bill that gives the Hawaii Election Commission this authority, continuing Hawaii’s tradition of leading the nation in progressive legislation.
Michael Richards
Kaneohe
EXPRESS YOURSELF
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