Some days I wish the 45th President would settle into retirement and fade away. That doesn’t seem likely. There is, however, a strong case that Trump is disqualified from being on the ballot because of his engagement in the insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021. Dean Obeidallah presents a case for action in a recent substack post.

Last week, two prominent conservative scholars, William Baude of the University of Chicago and Michael Stokes Paulsen of the University of St Thomas, made a compelling case that Trump is disqualified from holding office in article published in the University of Pennsylvania Law Review. And just a few days ago, conservative former federal court of appeals judge J. Michael Luttig and famed Harvard Law constitutional professor Laurence Tribe penned an article for The Atlantic titled, “The Constitution Prohibits Trump From Ever Being President Again.” These two distinguished jurists reached the same conclusion that Trump had “engaged in insurrection” and is barred from ever serving in federal office again by way of the US Constitution.

I filed a complaint to disqualify Trump from the ballot and so should you! by Dean Obeidallah, Aug. 23, 2023.

Read Obeidallah’s full article here. Then consider copying and pasting the following email to Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate at sos@sos.iowa.gov. Feel free to edit the email to meet your needs. If you do send the email, I expect your will feel better.

Dear Secretary of State Pate,

I’m writing to your offices urging a formal review of whether Donald Trump is barred from the ballot in Iowa by way of Section 3 of the 14^th Amendment. That Amendment disqualifies from the ballot any person who “shall have engaged” in an “insurrection.”  For such a disqualification, there is no requirement that Trump or any person be first convicted of any crime—as the Congressional Research Service notes.

In addition, last year after a trial in New Mexico, a judge ruled that Jan 6 was an “insurrection” within the meaning of the 14^th Amendment and that Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin was removed from office and disqualified from the ballot for “engaging” in that attack.  Donald Trump’s actions– as detailed in the final report of the “Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack”—far exceed the actions of Griffin in terms of “engaging” in the Jan 6 insurrection.  While that New Mexico ruling is not binding in this state, it is persuasive in its reasoning and I urge your offices to read it.

Finally, conservative legal scholars have recently penned articles reaching the conclusion that given Trump’s conduct, the US Constitution does in fact bar Trump from the ballot.

As the US Constitution mandates, no one should be permitted to be on the ballot who has engaged in an insurrection. The time to review if Trump has done just that and is barred from the ballot is now—well before the 2024 election.

Thank you for considering this issue that is vitally important to protecting our Republic.