A Democratic activist who used to hold a ranking position in Bill Clinton’s administration has been accused of trying to circumvent democracy and interfere in the 2024 election, ironically by another liberal.
Originally published at WND News Center. Used with permission.
Democrats have used a conspiracy theory cooked up by the Clinton campaign in 2016, along with the FBI, about Donald Trump’s “Russia collusion” to try to get, and keep, him out of office.
That theory, of course, long has been debunked.
They claimed he wasn’t allowed to ask Ukrainian officials about corruption there, and tried to impeach and remove him for doing that.
They’ve also claimed that he actually aimed to, and tried to, overthrow the U.S. government when that riot happened at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2001.
Of course, the facts of the day fall far short of supporting claims that it was an insurrection, and the court cases brought since then reflect that it was a protest that involved some dozens – or hundreds – who engaged in riot-like behavior.
But Democrats still make that claim – and in fact have shown a willingness to actually destroy America’s democracy in order to pursue that demolish-Trump agenda, according to a new column from constitutional expert Jonathan Turley.
He cites recent comments from Robert Reich, who was a labor secretary for Bill Clinton and now is at Berkeley.
He’s already known for “his increasing anti-free speech views through the years including characterizing the restoration of free speech on social media as tyranny,” Turley wrote.
Now, he’s claiming that Trump “can be barred from running for president in 2024 because he ‘committed treason.’”
Turley explained, “The argument is entirely without merit, but that does not prevent the media from repeating this flawed but cathartic claim. Reich makes an argument voiced by many on cable news that Trump is barred under ‘the explicit language of section three of the 14th amendment to the Constitution, which prohibits anyone who has held public office and who has engaged in insurrection against the United States from ever again serving in public office.’”
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The provision, adopted after the Civil War when members of the Confederacy were found returning to Congress, does ban those who “shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against” the U.S. from holding office.
It’s been “used” by other Democrats, like Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-N.J., to try to remove dozens of members of Congress and has been pushed by “Democratic lawyer Marc Elias,” Turley said.
“Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has fueled these efforts and declared that ‘it is essential that we preserve the narrative of January 6th.’ Part of that narrative is that this was not a riot but an ‘insurrection,’ an actual ‘rebellion’ against our country. Pelosi’s concern over the viability of that narrative is well-based as shown by a CBS News poll. The majority of the public does not believe that this was an ‘insurrection’ despite the mantra-like repetition of members of Congress and the media,” Turley said.
He pointed out that Trump “has not been charged over his role on January 6th.”
That’s of no account, however, he noted, to Reich, who “views the necessity of a charge, let alone a conviction, as a triviality.”
“Reich believes that this is all that is required to bar the leading candidate running on the Republican side. Imagine the implications of what he is suggesting. He would bar candidates based solely on how he viewed their conduct in prior years as fostering insurrection,” Turley said.
Democrats now want secretaries of states to refuse to allow Trump’s name on the 2024 ballot.
“While consistent with someone who warned that free speech is tyranny, this is not the defense but the denial of democracy. Under Reich’s approach, Republicans could bar Hillary Clinton or others from the ballot for what they viewed as treasonous acts. No criminal charge or conviction is needed. It is just based on ‘what we saw’ in prior years,” Turley warned.
One of the Democrats’ complaint against Trump is that while he perhaps has been more blunt in charging misbehavior during the 2020 election – he says it was “stolen,” his views are reflected by tens of millions of Americans.
A poll showed recently that nearly half of the Democrats across America believe that “cheating” impacted the results of the 2022 midterm elections.
Disclaimer: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.