This is so unfair, it’s downright criminal.
On Monday, a Michigan judge, James Robert Redford, announced his intention to expedite a legal case aiming to prevent Donald Trump from appearing on the 2024 Michigan ballot. The lawsuit alleges that Trump’s actions on January 6, 2021, during the Capitol insurrection violated the U.S. Constitution.
According to Michigan Advance, Judge Redford has set an October 16 deadline for Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson to provide a response to the lawsuit brought forward by activist Robert Davis. Additionally, Redford has extended an invitation to Donald Trump and his campaign to submit their arguments via an amicus brief by October 23.
Robert Davis, the activist behind the lawsuit, expressed satisfaction with the court’s prompt handling of the matter, emphasizing the gravity of the case. The judge’s request to the secretary of state and the opportunity for the Trump campaign to present their arguments highlight the serious nature of the lawsuit.
Judge Redford has also combined Davis’s lawsuit with a similar one filed by the nonprofit Free Speech For People and attorney Mark Brewer, a former Michigan Democratic Party Chair. Both lawsuits assert that Trump should be disqualified from holding public office under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment due to his alleged role in inciting and facilitating the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, which occurred shortly after the November 2020 general election in which President Joe Biden defeated Trump.
In his lawsuit filed on September 15, Davis contends that Secretary of State Benson is constitutionally obligated to assess the eligibility of presidential candidates. He argues that Trump should be deemed ineligible for a second term because Section 3 of the 14th Amendment prohibits individuals who have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the U.S. from holding office. Davis maintains that Michigan election law explicitly mandates the secretary of state to determine a candidate’s eligibility.
Notably, Judge Redford, a Republican who previously served as Gov. Rick Snyder’s chief legal counsel and held other significant positions, is presiding over these legal proceedings.