A total of 41 Democratic lawmakers have introduced a bill in the House to prevent former President Donald Trump from running for president in 2024. The representatives cite Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment to support their action:
Mr. Donald J. Trump engaged in insurrection against the United States by mobilizing, inciting, and aiding those who attacked the Capitol on January 6, 2021, to disrupt the certification of the 2020 presidential election as required by the Twelfth Amendment to the Constitution and the Election Recount Act of 1887 (3 U.S.C.24 15).
A majority of the House of Representatives and the Senate concluded to impeach Mr. Trump for high crimes and misdemeanors. And to condemn Mr. Trump for incitement to insurrection. Evidence has been presented that Mr. Trump and his advisors strategically refused to accept the results of the November 2020 presidential election and attempted to cast doubt on the election outcome.
Bill Text/ Donald Trump by Voz Media
"Trump is disqualified"
Democratic Congressman David Cicilline noted in a press release:
Donald Trump clearly participated in an insurrection on January 6, 2021 with the intention of overturning the legal and fair results of the 2020 election. You cannot lead a government that you tried to destroy. Even Mitch McConnell admits that Trump bears responsibility and said on the Senate floor that "there is no doubt, none, that President Trump is morally and practically responsible for causing the events of the day."
Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution establishes that: No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, in the United States if, having previously taken an oath to support the Constitution, he shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against it, or given aid or comfort to its enemies. According to Cicilline:
The 14th Amendment makes clear that, based on his past behavior, Donald Trump is disqualified from ever holding federal office again and, under Section 5, Congress has the power to pass legislation to implement this prohibition.
Disqualify Trump with "insurrection or rebellion"
Breitbart News noted that "Democrats are likely to focus on the words insurrection or rebellion, linked to Jan. 6, to disqualify Trump from running for office."
Such a disqualification requires evidence that Trump committed "insurrection or rebellion." So far, Democrats have not presented qualifying evidence, although the Justice Department is reportedly investigating Trump's Jan. 6 actions in connection with a criminal investigation in an alleged effort to challenge the outcome of the 2020 election.
Among the Democrats seeking to deprive Trump of eligibility for the 2024 presidency are Representatives Jamaal Bowman, Sheila Jackson Lee, Pramila Jayapal, Ted Lieu, and Rashida Tlaib.
