Republican gubernatorial candidate Ryan Kelley speaks during a debate in Grand Rapids, Michigan on July 6, 2022. (Photo: Ryan D. Kelley/Facebook)
Jul 14, 2022
A lawsuit filed Thursday with a Michigan appellate court aims to preemptively block Republican gubernatorial candidate Ryan Kelley from appearing on the state's general election ballot, citing his embrace of and active participation in the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
The lawsuit, submitted by retired attorney and registered voter Lee Estes, argues that Kelley should be barred from the general election ballot "because he has 'engaged in insurrection' in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment and therefore is ineligible to serve as a candidate for governor for the state of Michigan."
"Whether it's Ryan Kelley or anyone else that was illegally at the Capitol trying to overturn the will of the people, there needs to be accountability."
"He is a clear and present danger to democracy in Michigan," the lawsuit states.
Just last month, Kelley--a former YouTube personality and self-described "J6er"--was arrested by the FBI and charged for his role in the January 6 insurrection. NBC Newsreported that Kelley "faces four charges related to his alleged actions at the Capitol, including disorderly conduct and willfully injuring or attacking U.S. property."
Kelley has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Lonnie Scott, executive director of Progress Michigan--an advocacy group that helped with research and funding for the new lawsuit--said Thursday that "whether it's Ryan Kelley or anyone else that was illegally at the Capitol trying to overturn the will of the people, there needs to be accountability."
"It's simple, really," Scott added. "If you supported and participated in the January 6 insurrection, you should not have the privilege of holding--or even running for--public office."
Kelley is among several Republican candidates vying for the GOP nomination to take on Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in November.
According to a survey conducted in the days immediately following Kelley's arrest last month, 17% of Republicans likely to vote in the August 2 primary chose Kelley as their preferred candidate, putting him above the other GOP contenders.
The lawsuit is part of a broader, nationwide legal effort to disqualify from future office Republican candidates who supported or took part in the January 6 attack--including former President Donald Trump.
"We are urging election officials to make clear that insurrectionists such as President Trump and his congressional allies are barred from ever again holding public office, as is required under the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution," Alexandra Flores-Quilty, campaign director at Free Speech for People, said earlier this year.
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
A lawsuit filed Thursday with a Michigan appellate court aims to preemptively block Republican gubernatorial candidate Ryan Kelley from appearing on the state's general election ballot, citing his embrace of and active participation in the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
The lawsuit, submitted by retired attorney and registered voter Lee Estes, argues that Kelley should be barred from the general election ballot "because he has 'engaged in insurrection' in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment and therefore is ineligible to serve as a candidate for governor for the state of Michigan."
"Whether it's Ryan Kelley or anyone else that was illegally at the Capitol trying to overturn the will of the people, there needs to be accountability."
"He is a clear and present danger to democracy in Michigan," the lawsuit states.
Just last month, Kelley--a former YouTube personality and self-described "J6er"--was arrested by the FBI and charged for his role in the January 6 insurrection. NBC Newsreported that Kelley "faces four charges related to his alleged actions at the Capitol, including disorderly conduct and willfully injuring or attacking U.S. property."
Kelley has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Lonnie Scott, executive director of Progress Michigan--an advocacy group that helped with research and funding for the new lawsuit--said Thursday that "whether it's Ryan Kelley or anyone else that was illegally at the Capitol trying to overturn the will of the people, there needs to be accountability."
"It's simple, really," Scott added. "If you supported and participated in the January 6 insurrection, you should not have the privilege of holding--or even running for--public office."
Kelley is among several Republican candidates vying for the GOP nomination to take on Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in November.
According to a survey conducted in the days immediately following Kelley's arrest last month, 17% of Republicans likely to vote in the August 2 primary chose Kelley as their preferred candidate, putting him above the other GOP contenders.
The lawsuit is part of a broader, nationwide legal effort to disqualify from future office Republican candidates who supported or took part in the January 6 attack--including former President Donald Trump.
"We are urging election officials to make clear that insurrectionists such as President Trump and his congressional allies are barred from ever again holding public office, as is required under the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution," Alexandra Flores-Quilty, campaign director at Free Speech for People, said earlier this year.
A lawsuit filed Thursday with a Michigan appellate court aims to preemptively block Republican gubernatorial candidate Ryan Kelley from appearing on the state's general election ballot, citing his embrace of and active participation in the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
The lawsuit, submitted by retired attorney and registered voter Lee Estes, argues that Kelley should be barred from the general election ballot "because he has 'engaged in insurrection' in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment and therefore is ineligible to serve as a candidate for governor for the state of Michigan."
"Whether it's Ryan Kelley or anyone else that was illegally at the Capitol trying to overturn the will of the people, there needs to be accountability."
"He is a clear and present danger to democracy in Michigan," the lawsuit states.
Just last month, Kelley--a former YouTube personality and self-described "J6er"--was arrested by the FBI and charged for his role in the January 6 insurrection. NBC Newsreported that Kelley "faces four charges related to his alleged actions at the Capitol, including disorderly conduct and willfully injuring or attacking U.S. property."
Kelley has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Lonnie Scott, executive director of Progress Michigan--an advocacy group that helped with research and funding for the new lawsuit--said Thursday that "whether it's Ryan Kelley or anyone else that was illegally at the Capitol trying to overturn the will of the people, there needs to be accountability."
"It's simple, really," Scott added. "If you supported and participated in the January 6 insurrection, you should not have the privilege of holding--or even running for--public office."
Kelley is among several Republican candidates vying for the GOP nomination to take on Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in November.
According to a survey conducted in the days immediately following Kelley's arrest last month, 17% of Republicans likely to vote in the August 2 primary chose Kelley as their preferred candidate, putting him above the other GOP contenders.
The lawsuit is part of a broader, nationwide legal effort to disqualify from future office Republican candidates who supported or took part in the January 6 attack--including former President Donald Trump.
"We are urging election officials to make clear that insurrectionists such as President Trump and his congressional allies are barred from ever again holding public office, as is required under the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution," Alexandra Flores-Quilty, campaign director at Free Speech for People, said earlier this year.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.