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WSJ Opinion: Potomac Watch

Does the 14th Amendment Disqualify Donald Trump?

WSJ Opinion: Potomac Watch

The Wall Street Journal

News, Society & Culture

4.22.8K Ratings

🗓️ 5 September 2023

⏱️ 22 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

A legal argument now gaining attention is that Donald Trump can't serve again as president, because the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol counts as an "insurrection" under the 14th Amendment, which barred Confederates from office after the Civil War. Plus, a new WSJ poll shows Trump's support in the GOP primary rising to 59%. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

The business environment for foreign companies in China can be summed up in one word, challenging.

0:07.0

Here the full Wall Street Journal series, the state of Xi's Chinese Dream, all in one place,

0:14.0

and WSJ Special Access, only for subscribers and only on Spotify.

0:24.0

From the opinion pages of the Wall Street Journal, this is Potomac Watch.

0:30.0

The latest legal theory against Donald Trump is that he's disqualified from being president

0:35.0

again under the 14th Amendment.

0:37.0

As the latest Wall Street Journal poll finds that his support in the Republican primary has risen to 59%.

0:44.0

Welcome, I'm Kyle Peterson with the Wall Street Journal.

0:47.0

We are joined today by my colleagues, columnists, Kim Strassel, and Bill McGurne.

0:53.0

Last in the years after the Civil War, the 14th Amendment includes a disqualification clause aimed at former Confederates,

1:00.0

and an argument that's now gaining currency in the national discourse is that this language might also apply to President Trump.

1:07.0

Let's start with a clip of Senator Tim Cain of Virginia. This is him on ABC yesterday making the argument.

1:14.0

The language is specific if you give aid and comfort to those who engage in an insurrection against the Constitution of the United States.

1:21.0

It doesn't say against the United States. It says against the Constitution.

1:25.0

In my view, the attack on the Capitol that day was designed for a particular purpose at a particular moment.

1:32.0

And that was to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power as is laid out in the Constitution.

1:37.0

So I think there is a powerful argument to be made. My sense is it's probably going to get resolved in the courts.

1:44.0

And here is one of President Trump's Republican rivals, Governor Asa Hutchinson, last month on CNN.

1:50.0

There should be a court declaration, and so there would have to be a separate lawsuit that would be filed in which there would be a finding that the former President engaged in insurrection,

2:02.0

and that would disqualify him. That's one avenue. The other way would be that if a specific state made that determination on their own, then that would put the burden on someone else challenging that.

2:13.0

Either way, it winds up in court for a specific finding, but I expect those lawsuits to be filed.

2:18.0

I expect some states to take that that action, but I think it's a serious jeopardy for Donald Trump under our Constitution and not being qualified.

...

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