Judge orders Trump to be removed from Illinois primary ballot

 

PP Cherian, Dallas

CHICAGO: A Cook County judge on Wednesday ordered the Illinois Board of Elections to remove former President Donald Trump from the Illinois primary ballot.

Donald J. The order noted that Trump had engaged in rioting and was ineligible to appear on the state's primary ballot. The primary election is on March 19.

Cook County Circuit Judge Tracy R. Porter was sentenced Wednesday, but the judge, a Democrat, stayed the ruling until Friday to appeal the decision.

The case went before the Illinois State Board of Elections in January, but the board ruled it did not have the authority to remove Trump from the ballot. A judge later gave the petitioners the green light to continue trying to remove Trump.

Illinois is one of several states considering disqualifying former President Trump for his role in the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which prohibits officials sworn to support the Constitution from serving in government if they engage in insurrection.

Section 3 of the 14th Amendment — also known as the Riot Clause — had never been used in the nation's history to disqualify a presidential candidate until December. Trump's campaign spokesman Steven Cheung quickly responded, "This is an unconstitutional ruling and we will quickly appeal."