On Sunday, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) expressed his belief that former President Trump might be ineligible to contest for the presidency due to his involvement in the Capitol unrest on January 6, 2021.
In a conversation on CNN’s “State of the Union”, Dana Bash asked Raskin about his opinion on the remarks made by GOP presidential hopeful Asa Hutchinson. Hutchinson had suggested that the 14th Amendment might bar Trump from running for office. This amendment specifies that anyone involved in insurrection or rebellion against the U.S., or supporting its adversaries, cannot be elected as president.
Raskin responded firmly, pointing out that the 14th Amendment, specifically Section 3, is unambiguous in stating that individuals who have taken an oath to defend the Constitution and then engage in insurrection cannot hold federal or state office. He emphasized that this provision was integrated post-Civil War and should be respected.
He went on to note that Trump faced impeachment by the House of Representatives for allegedly inciting an uprising against the government, with a significant majority of senators subsequently concluding that he did indeed incite such an event.
Hutchinson had previously raised doubts about Trump’s eligibility to hold the presidential office, considering the 14th Amendment, due to his actions on January 6. Raskin supported this view, mentioning several legal professionals who argue that Trump may have rendered himself ineligible.
Raskin further stated, “In line with some conservative thinkers from the Federalist Society, as well as Hutchinson’s stance, it’s comparable to Trump running for office without being a natural-born U.S. citizen or being underage.”
Earlier this month, Trump faced indictment on multiple federal counts related to alleged efforts to reverse the 2020 election results, which peaked with the January 6 Capitol disturbance.
