WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Michigan's Supreme Court has refused to hear an appeal by a group of voters in the state who filed a legal challenge to former President Donald Trump's candidacy for next year's presidential primary.
The apex Court in the state declined to review a ruling of the Michigan Court of Appeals that granted Trump's request to stop the proceedings at the primary stage, as opposed to the general election. The lower court's ruling was based on technicalities of Michigan state law regarding when challenges to presidential candidates' qualifications may be filed. The court held that these challenges may not be filed before the primary.
A lawsuit filed by Pro-democracy advocacy group Free Speech For People on behalf of a group of Michigan voters sought to invoke an insurrection clause in the US Constitution, and to disqualify Trump from election over his role in the 2021 Capitol riots.
The decision comes a week after the Colorado Supreme Court ruled that Trump cannot contest for next year's presidential election from the state's ballot, citing an insurrection clause in the 14th Amendment of the U.S. constitution.
Rejecting the appeal Wednesday, Michigan Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Welch ruled that the state's laws were different from Colorado's.
The appellants 'have identified no analogous provision in the Michigan Election Law that requires someone seeking the office of President of the United States to attest to their legal qualification to hold the office,' she wrote in dismissing the petition.
It declined to overrule a lower court ruling that the Michigan state challenge process does not allow challenges to presidential candidates at the primary stage.
Free Speech For People's similar challenge to disqualify Trump from running for 2024 presidential primary is pending in Oregon.
Ron Fein, Legal Director of Free Speech For People, expressed disappointment over the Michigan Supreme Court's decision.
'The decision isn't binding on any court outside Michigan and we continue our current and planned legal actions in other states to enforce Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment against Donald Trump,' he said in a statement.
The Colorado Supreme Court's verdict is subject to Trump's appeal to the US Supreme Court, and will be put on hold until January 4.
A nine-member House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, Capitol Hill attack said in its report that Trump had knowledge about the riot in advance, and that he engaged in a 'multi-part plan' to overturn the result.
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