Donald Trump may very well be considering running again in 2024 and reclaiming the throne he believes is rightfully his. However, a little something called the 14th amendment could possibly poo poo those plans.
Politics
For weeks, congressional Democrats have been meeting in secret and whispering on Capitol Hill about the possibility of using the 14th amendment to prevent Donald Trump from ever holding elected office again. His involvement in the January 6, 2021 insurrection and attack on American democracy is all the proof they’d need to send ‘The Donald’ out to pasture and into permanent retirement from public office. Or, in other words, he wouldn’t be eligible to even run for dog catcher in the future.
At least a dozen Democratic lawmakers have been checking and rechecking Section 3 of the 14th amendment, which bars anyone who has engaged in “insurrection or rebellion” against the United States from seeking public office. It reads:
No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.
Based on the case the House select committee has been building against Trump for inciting the January 6th riot then sitting back and watching the flames burn out of control, the 14th amendment appears it could be a slam dunk in putting a permanent end to Trump’s political aspirations.
And, as if that wasn’t enough, Section 3 could also apply against members of Congress who aided and abetted those insurrectionists who have since been charged with attacking the US seat of democracy.
Should Democrats decide to proceed with preventing Trump and other GOP members from holding office ever again, it would be the first time the clause has been used in more than a century. Of course, the GOP would also mount an all-out nuclear war against Democrats and fight them tooth and nail so as to not become diminished.
So, the question is: Will they or won’t they? Should they or shouldn’t they?
Snopes:
Notably, Constitutional expert Laurence Tribe, the Harvard professor, told The Hill:
Once that committee makes clear, as I trust it will, that what took place was indeed an insurrection that triggers Section 3 of the 14th Amendment and that supports criminal prosecution by DOJ of those responsible, it is difficult to imagine this not becoming a logical next step,