January, 05 2022, 09:39am EDT
One Year After January 6th Attack on the US Capitol, Public Interest Groups Launch Campaign to Bar Insurrectionists From the Ballot
Free Speech For People and Our Revolution announce a national campaign to ensure state election officials abide by Section 3 of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution disqualifying insurrectionists such as former President Donald Trump from running for future public office.
WASHINGTON
Nonprofit public interest organizations Free Speech For People and Our Revolution today announced a partnership to urge Secretaries of State to bar elected officials who engaged in the January 6, 2021 insurrection from appearing on any future ballot.
Enacted in the wake of the Civil War, Section 3 of the 14th Amendment disqualifies from public office any individual who has taken an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution and then engages in insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or gives aid or comfort to those who have. President Trump's incitement of the violent insurrection on January 6th, which claimed the lives of five people and injured more than 140 officers, disqualifies him from holding future public office under this constitutional provision. This provision would also apply to other elected officials who gave support to the insurrectionists. According to a report released in November by Rolling Stone, this would implicate certain Members of Congress, including: Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Mo Brooks of Alabama, Paul Gosar and Andy Biggs of Arizona, Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina, and Louie Gohmert of Texas.
"Secretaries of State have a duty to ensure that candidates who seek to appear on their state ballots meet the constitutional qualifications for serving in public office," says Alexandra Flores-Quilty, Campaign Director for Free Speech For People, "Those who violated their oath of office by engaging in the violent January 6th insurrection do not meet these terms. Thus, 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 US Constitution."
"On many levels, our democracy is under threat, and grassroots activists are ready to stand up to defend it," said Paco Fabian, Director of Campaigns for Our Revolution. "We need to demand that our election officers follow the rule of law and ensure that current and former elected officials who participated in the January 6th insurrection are barred from appearing on any future ballot." disqualify everyone involved in the January 6th insurrection from seeking public office."
More information about the 14point3 campaign can be found at www.14point3.org.
Free Speech For People is a national non-partisan non-profit organization founded on the day of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Citizens United v. FEC that works to defend our democracy and our Constitution.
Our Revolution will reclaim democracy for the working people of our country by harnessing the transformative energy of the "political revolution." Through supporting a new generation of progressive leaders, empowering millions to fight for progressive change and elevating the political consciousness, Our Revolution will transform American politics to make our political and economic systems once again responsive to the needs of working families. Our Revolution has three intertwined goals: to revitalize American democracy, empower progressive leaders and elevate the political consciousness.
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