Former Attorney General Bill Barr has voiced strong opposition to Democrats’ legal endeavors to eliminate former President Donald Trump from state ballots in multiple states nationwide.
In an op-ed published in The Free Press on Jan. 2, Barr expressed firm disapproval, deeming these attempts legally untenable, politically counterproductive, and detrimental to the political order.
Bill Barr urges swift Supreme Court action
Barr emphasized the urgent need for the Supreme Court to swiftly overturn decisions by states like Colorado and Maine, which sought to exclude Trump from state primary ballots.
Despite these attempts, Trump’s legal teams successfully reinstated his name in those states.
Read More: Man breaks into Colorado Supreme Court days after Trump ballot ruling
Legal concerns over Fourteenth Amendment interpretation
In the op-ed, Barr questioned the legal basis for attempting to disqualify Trump under Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment, which prohibits certain individuals from holding public office if engaged in an “insurrection or rebellion.”
He argued that states lack the power to enforce this provision independently and that Congress, not states, should decide how individuals are disqualified under the Fourteenth Amendment.
Due process concerns and lack of fair proceedings
Barr raised concerns about the lack of fair due process in the cases of Colorado and Maine, highlighting that Trump was denied a jury, the ability to cross-examine evidence, and the ability to subpoena witnesses.
He criticized the reliance on hearsay and conclusory statements from congressional hearings, emphasizing the importance of an adversarial process.
Also Read: Maine Secretary of State denies political motivations in excluding Trump from ballot
Warning against chaos in national elections
Barr warned of potential chaos in U.S. national elections if each state uses its definition of insurrection and procedures to bar a federal candidate.
He called on the Supreme Court to prevent a collapse into chaos and criticized Democrats for using the Fourteenth Amendment as a tool to target Trump.
Critique of Democrats’ tactics and impact on Democracy
The former Attorney General criticized Democrats for a series of efforts, including Russiagate and ongoing legal battles in New York and Georgia, aimed at preventing Trump from running for office.
He argued that these tactics undermine the credibility of legitimate efforts to hold Trump accountable and perpetuate an image of elites trying to manipulate the system, which he deems destructive to democracy.
Stresses Democratic defeat of Trump at ballot box
While expressing his opposition to Trump’s candidacy, Barr emphasized that defeating Trump should occur at the ballot box rather than subverting the fundamental systems of democracy.
Despite serving in the Trump administration from 2019 to 2020, Barr has become a frequent critic of the former president since leaving office.
In this complex legal and political landscape, Barr’s critique adds another layer to the ongoing battle over Trump’s eligibility and raises broader concerns about the impact of such legal maneuvers on the democratic process.
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