Illinois
Trump refuses to commit to not advocating government overthrow in Illinois election filing
Trump refuses to commit to not advocating government overthrow in Illinois election filing
Former President Donald Trump has declined to assure Illinois election officials that he will not advocate to overthrow the government.
CHICAGO – Former President Donald Trump has declined to assure Illinois election officials that he will not advocate to overthrow the government.
President Joe Biden is questioning the absence of a signed loyalty oath with Trump’s paperwork for the March 19 ballot in Illinois. While the oath is not mandatory, it is customary in the state.
Trump, despite denying involvement in the attempt to overturn the last presidential election, faces challenges to his candidacy in multiple states.
Illinois Challenges Trump’s Candidacy, Citing 14th Amendment
Illinois has become the 18th state to challenge Donald Trump’s candidacy for the 2024 elections. Voting rights groups across the nation are questioning Trump’s eligibility under the 14th Amendment’s rarely used Insurrection Clause, referring to his actions on January 6, 2021. A group of five voters in Illinois filed the challenge, leading the state election board to express doubts about its authority to disqualify a presidential candidate using the clause.
Illinois State Board of Elections Expresses Doubts
The Illinois State Board of Elections has raised questions about its authority to invoke the Insurrection Clause to disqualify a presidential candidate. The challenge alleges that Trump, after losing the 2020 election, played a role in inciting the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. The board suggests that the state’s courts or legislature should resolve the dispute. The board is set to address 32 other objections to the proposed ballot at its January 11 meeting.
Tug of War Between Biden and Trump
As the Illinois primary approaches on March 19, both President Joe Biden and Donald Trump engage in a tug of war, each accusing the other of being a threat to democracy. The 87-page challenge document outlines Trump’s alleged role in inciting the Capitol riot, leaving five dead and over 100 injured. The Illinois State Board of Elections will consider challenges to presidential nominating petitions through January 12, according to state election law.