Republicans Push Bill for SCOTUS Monopoly on Insurrection Challenge Adjudications
Sen. Thom Tillis and a coalition of Republican senators unveiled a new bill on Thursday aimed at vesting the authority to decide on the disqualification of a candidate for alleged insurrection solely with the Supreme Court.
The move is a direct response to recent attempts to bar former President Donald Trump from the ballot in the upcoming election.
In an exclusive interview with Fox News, Tillis, representing North Carolina, highlighted instances of similar maneuvers in Colorado, Maine, and other states.
The proposed legislation seeks to quell such tactics and ensure a fair and consistent approach across party lines.
The bill, also supported by Sens. JD Vance (R-Ohio), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), introduces a key enforcement mechanism.
It prohibits the use of federal funds to conduct elections in a state where an official endeavors to block a candidate under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment.
Trump Ballot Eligibility Sparks New Legislation
Section 3 of the 14th Amendment was invoked by the Colorado Supreme Court and Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows to prevent Trump from participating in their states’ presidential elections.
The section bars individuals who have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the United States from holding federal or state office.
Bellows, in her decision denying Trump’s appearance on the ballot, stated that the former president had utilized a false narrative of election fraud to incite his supporters and lead them to the Capitol on January 6, 2021, disrupting the certification of the 2020 election and the peaceful transfer of power.
Trump is currently challenging the ballot bans in the US Supreme Court and Maine’s Superior Court.
Tillis identified the bill’s goal as addressing what he sees as an expansion of authority at the state level.
The speaker pointed out the importance of putting an end to these practices and expressed optimism about the effectiveness of the proposed legislation in tackling this issue.
Conversations to garner support for the bill among Republicans have reportedly been positive, with Tillis underlining the importance of bipartisan action to prevent similar challenges in future elections.