US state judge rules to keep Trump on Washington presidential primary ballot News
Carol Boldt, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
US state judge rules to keep Trump on Washington presidential primary ballot

A judge in Washington state ruled Thursday that Donald Trump will remain on Washington’s presidential primary ballot, rejecting an effort to have him disqualified.

The petition was filed by eight voters from Kitsap County. They argued that Trump’s actions regarding the Capitol riot and efforts to overturn the 2020 election results constituted insurrection, thus making him ineligible to appear on the ballot under the Fourteenth Amendment of the US Constitution.

Judge Mary Sue Wilson wrote, “An order directing the secretary of state to take different action, an order from this court, is simply not supported by the statutes and not supported by the affidavit of the electors.” She upheld the ruling and pointed out that Washington’s law for ballot challenges doesn’t allow for extensive fact-finding or debates. She also confirmed that the secretary of state correctly performed his duties in accepting the candidate submissions from both the Republican and Democratic parties.

While Washington’s stance on the ballot issue stays the same for the moment, the actions of other states show the diverse approaches being taken. Just this week, a Maine appeals court delayed ruling on the removal of Trump from the state ballot. Colorado has already removed him from their ballot. These state actions and legal challenges in 35 states so far indicate a widespread legal debate.

The US Supreme Court’s upcoming decision in the Colorado case is crucial. It will offer a definitive interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment in the context of presidential eligibility, potentially influencing similar cases across various states. This decision is not just about Trump’s eligibility; it is about how the Fourteenth Amendment’s provisions are applied and enforced in modern electoral processes, setting a precedent for future cases where such constitutional questions arise.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Justice Department brings anit-trust action against AT&T

On November 20, 1974, the Department of Justice filed its final anti-trust suit against AT&T. United States v. AT&T was ultimately settled out of court with an agreement that the corporation would break up its monopoly on phone service throughout the country.

Nuremberg war crimes trials began

On November 20, 1945, the war crimes trials of Nazi World War II leaders began in the German city of Nuremberg. Review the Nuremberg Tribunal's Charter and the verdicts and sentences handed down on major war figures.

Winston Churchill born

On November 20, 1874, Sir Winston Churchill was born in Woodstock, England. He would go on to lead the United Kingdom as Prime Minister through World War II. Toward the end of the war, Churchill worked with US President Franklin D. Roosevelt to craft the treaties and accords that have defined the world since WWII. A 2002 poll by the BBC declared Churchill the Greatest Briton of all time.

New Jersey ratifies Bill of Rights

New Jersey ratified the Bill of Rights, a set of 10 fundamental amendments to the US Constitution, on November 20, 1789, becoming the first state to do so. The state also ratified an amendment on federal representation which ultimately failed. Additionally, New Jersey rejected an amendment on congressional salaries, which would eventually become the 27th Amendment more than 200 years later. Read the articles ratified by New Jersey.