Midwest
Iowa secretary of state introduces bill that could limit 14th Amendment ballot challenges against Trump
Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate introduced a bill that reportedly could limit challenges to former President Trump’s eligibility for the 2024 ballot.
The legislative proposal comes amid efforts in several states to challenge Trump’s eligibility under Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment, which prevents individuals from holding office again if they “have engaged in insurrection or rebellion” against the United States.
“The Iowa Secretary of State’s Office accepts the recognized political parties’ certifications of their candidates for president and vice president in good faith. This is a technical bill that clarifies which objections the objection panel has jurisdiction to consider but does not prevent anyone from taking legal action or pursuing challenges in court,” Ashley Hunt, a spokesperson for Pate’s office, said in a statement to Fox News Digital on Thursday.
Asked directly if the bill could limit challenges to Trump’s eligibility under the 14th Amendment, Hunt said the bill would not bar lawsuits in court that aim to block candidates from the ballot. Rather, the bill places restrictions on Iowans who object to the eligibility of presidential and vice presidential candidates through petitioning the state commissioner of elections.
“This bill does not limit someone’s ability from taking legal action or pursuing challenges in court. It simply clarifies the process for the objection panel,” Hunt wrote.
According to the pre-filed bill’s text, which has been visible on the Iowa state legislature’s website since Jan. 18, Pate’s proposal seeks to limit the grounds for challenging all federal candidates, including those running for president and Congress, to questions about age, residency, citizenship and whether their nominating papers meet all the legal requirements.
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In Iowa, political parties must submit a certificate with the names of their presidential and vice presidential candidates to the secretary of state’s office 81 days before the general election.
“The bill limits objections to the eligibility of a candidate for a federal office that may be filled with the state commissioner of elections to objections to the legal sufficiency of the nomination petition or certificate of election, or to the residency, age, or citizenship requirements as described in the Constitution of the United States,” according to the proposal text. “With respect to nominations for president or vice president of the United States, the bill allows objections only to the legal sufficiency of the certification of nomination. The certificate of nomination shall be presumed valid.”
The bill also removes the requirement for federal candidates to sign a statement that they are aware they are disqualified from holding office if convicted of a felony. Under current state law, all candidates running for office – local, state and federal – must do so. Currently, Trump is facing 91 felony charges spanning four criminal cases.
Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
“It would pretty clearly foreclose any challenge to a presidential candidate for being not qualified under the United States Constitution,” Derek Muller, an election law professor at the University of Notre Dame Law School, told the Des Moines Register of the proposal. “So, it would be designed to foreclose a challenge like those filed in Colorado in Maine.”
Hunt told the Register that current law presumes the paperwork candidates file to run for office is valid and provides limitations to what issues are eligible for objection.
The new bill, she explained, would further clarify Iowa’s process for objections.
“This simply extends that same standard to all candidates explicitly,” Hunt told the newspaper.
Former President Trump attends a watch party during the Iowa Republican presidential caucuses in Des Moines on Jan. 15, 2024. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)
“To the best of our knowledge, in 2015, Mr. Trump met the Constitutional requirements to be president and continues to do so,” Hunt said. “Mr. Trump has not been convicted of anything that disqualifies him to be president. This bill simply helps clarify the objection process for Iowa.”
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“The U.S. Constitution sets eligibility requirements for Congress and POTUS,” Hunt added. “This update ensures affidavits comply with those requirements.”
Trump swept the Iowa caucuses and then won the New Hampshire primaries this month as the presidential nominating contest turns its focus on the South Carolina primary next month.
Former President Trump acknowledges supporters during his caucus night event, Jan. 15, 2024, in Des Moines, Iowa. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
The Colorado Supreme Court, in a split decision, and Maine’s Democrat secretary of state, Shenna Bellows, cited the 14th Amendment in barring Trump from the ballot in their respective states for allegedly inciting the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. More recently, a Hawaii Democrat senator introduced a bill that also aimed to block candidates, citing the insurrection clause.
The timelines are tight as Super Tuesday approaches on March 5. The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing arguments in the Colorado case on Feb. 8, which likely means there would not be enough time to meet statutory deadlines for Bellows to reissue a ruling on Trump’s ballot status and for additional appeals to be filed before Election Day.
Lawsuits in Minnesota, Michigan, Arizona and Oregon aiming to block Trump from the 2024 ballot have already been dismissed on procedural grounds, Newsweek reported.
The Illinois State Board of Elections is also reportedly weighing a challenge to Trump’s eligibility.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Milwaukee, WI
Brewers, Salvation Army pack hundreds of lunches for Milwaukee children through Feed the Kids program
MILWAUKEE—- The Milwaukee Brewers and The Salvation Army teamed up Monday to help fight childhood hunger by packing hundreds of lunches for children across Milwaukee County.
Brewers front office staff, volunteers, and community leaders assembled 600 lunches at American Family Field as part of the annual Feed the Kids summer meals program.
Each lunch includes a turkey sandwich with cheese, fruit, vegetables, and milk. The meals will be distributed to children on weekdays through August 21st at six locations throughout Milwaukee County while school is out for the summer. The locations include Salvation Army Citadel Corps, Cold Springs Corps, Tiefenthaler Park, Westlawn Gardens, Salvation Army Distribution Center, and Carver Park. The Salvation Army also reminds attendees that all meals must be eaten on-site in accordance with USDA policy.
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, The Salvation Army of Milwaukee County Area Commander Major Beverly Gates, and Brewers players Andrew Vaughn and Chad Patrick joined volunteers during the event.
“While school is out, many children lose access to the meals they depend upon during the school year,” Major Beverly said. “Feed the Kids helps to fill that void, making sure that children have something nutritious to eat and reminding them that they are valued, that they’re important and that they’re supported.”
The Feed the Kids program began in 1990 and has provided more than 2.8 million meals to children facing food insecurity across Milwaukee County.
“I think just the act of making a sandwich may not seem like a lot, but really, for the kids across Milwaukee, it means a ton,” Mayor Johnson said. “For kids in Milwaukee and for kids in cities, the hunger really spikes when they’re no longer in school, when they don’t have, you know, that sort of structured programming around them. So the work that you’re doing today, it may seem pretty simple making a sandwich, but it really goes much farther than that.”
Organizers say the program helps fill the gap for families who rely on school meal programs during the academic year, ensuring children continue to have access to nutritious lunches throughout the summer.
Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis City Council member Aisha Chughtai taking mental health leave for a month
Minneapolis City Council member Aisha Chughtai said Monday she will be taking a monthlong leave to seek outpatient care for her mental health.
Chughtai said her “office will remain open to continue serving the people of Ward 10,” but she will miss the council meeting on July 16. She plans to return before the July 30 meeting.
“I love representing the people of this Ward. It’s the greatest honor of my life. And that’s why I feel obligated to do so to the best of my abilities,” Chughtai said in a statement. “Because of the current state of my mental health, I fear falling short of that obligation. That’s why I’m briefly stepping back. I fully expect to return energized and ready to give more than ever for the people of Ward 10 and everyone in the city.”
In her statement, Chughtai cited “a high-stakes election … several mass shootings, and a federal occupation” as recent stressors on her mental health.
Chughtai said she has notified the council and Mayor Jacob Frey, and encouraged Ward 10 residents to contact her office via email with any questions or concerns.
“I know that when I return, I’ll be back stronger, ready to form deeper partnerships, and ready to fight even harder for our neighbors,” she said.
Chughtai was first elected in 2021 to represent Ward 10, which includes the south Minneapolis neighborhoods of East Bde Maka Ska, East Isles, Lowry Hill East, South Uptown and Whittier.
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress, get help from the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. Trained crisis counselors are available 24 hours a day to talk about anything.
In addition, help is available from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI. Call the NAMI Helpline at 800-950-6264 or text “HelpLine” to 62640. There are more than 600 local NAMI organizations and affiliates across the country, many of which offer free support and education programs.
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