By Rachel Schilke, Washington Examiner | SOURCE: THE GAZETTE
A Massachusetts ballot panel has rejected a challenge to remove former President Donald Trump from the 2024 ballot over his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
The Massachusetts State Ballot Law Commission dismissed the case on procedural grounds, stating that the panel did not have the jurisdiction to weigh in on the matter. This is a significant victory for Trump, who is facing several attempts from multiple states to remove him from the ballot under a section of the 14th Amendment disqualifying those who “engaged in insurrection” from holding public office.
Commissioners met in Boston briefly last week to hear procedural questions and arguments. The commission is an independent and bipartisan panel, with the chairman affiliating as a Republican and the other two members being Democrats. They are selected by the state’s governor.
During the arguments, Trump’s lawyers argued for the panel to dismiss the challenge, hoping for a similar outcome to Michigan, Minnesota, and other states where the initiative to remove the former president failed.