Former Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz slammed the “absurd” move from three states that removed former President Donald Trump from their GOP primary ballots Thursday while on Newsmax TV.
Dershowitz appeared on “Eric Bolling The Balance” to discuss the recent move from Cook County Democrat Judge Tracie Porter to remove Trump from Illinois’ primary ballot over claims that the former president violated the 14th Amendment’s “insurrectionist ban.” NewsMax TV host Eric Bolling questioned the former law professor on his thoughts regarding the move from the judge, highlighting the fact that she is a “lower” court judge overseeing cases involving traffic issues. (RELATED: Trump Removed From Illinois Ballot)
“Well, it’s so absurd that a lower court judge, or secretary of state in Maine, or some other officials – some elected, some not even elected – can take away the vote from tens of millions of people,” Dershowitz said. “It’s just un-American. But of course, it’s being pushed by Harvard law professors like my former colleague, Laurence Tribe, who thinks it’s the essence of democracy to take Donald Trump off the ballot based on not even being charged with insurrection.”
“If a lower court judge, or a secretary of state, or a Colorado court decides that he doesn’t want to allow us to vote for him [or] against them. I have a constitutional right to vote against him for the third time. You have a constitutional right and others to vote for him for the third time. That’s the American way. Judges and secretaries of state should not be able to take that right away from us.”
The ruling from Porter came nearly a month after the Illinois State Board of Elections had unanimously dismissed an anti-Trump challenge, which led to the case being tossed due to the board stating they didn’t have jurisdiction to review the issue. Colorado’s Supreme Court was the first to decide to disqualify Trump from the primary ballot. Maine followed next, with Secretary of State Shenna Bellows making the decision.
All three states claimed that the former president violated the 14th Amendment’s “insurrection ban” due to his alleged involvement in the Jan. 6 event, which prohibits elected officials from holding office if they committed an insurrection. Trump has not been convicted of any criminal charges concerning the events of Jan. 6.
The decisions to remove Trump are currently paused after the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) picked up Trump’s appeal of Colorado’s decision. SCOTUS has already heard oral arguments.