During a discussion on MSNBC with Jen Psaki, who formerly served as press secretary in the Biden administration and now hosts a show on that network, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) expressed support for the idea that former President Donald Trump is barred from holding the presidency again under the terms of the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution.
That portion of the nation’s guiding document places restrictions on holding office upon individuals who were connected in various manners to an insurrection after previously taking an oath to defend the Constitution, such as Trump did at his inauguration in 2017. Prominent figures have recently been running with the assertion that the limits apply to Trump. A judge has found that the Constitution’s restrictions found in that portion are still active, since an elected county commissioner in New Mexico was removed after joining the crowds on the ground in D.C. on January 6 and facing criminal charges.
“I think it is a valid argument,” Schiff said, discussing those seeking to apply the 14th Amendment to Trump.
“It’s a disqualification from holding office again, and it fits Donald Trump to a T,” Schiff continued. “I think this will be tested when a Secretary of State either refuses to put him on the ballot or puts him on the ballot and is challenged by a litigant. I would imagine it will go up to the Supreme Court. And that’s the big question mark through all of this, which is, what will the Supreme Court do?”
Some have argued that a criminal conviction or a conviction following an impeachment isn’t necessary for the restrictions in the 14th Amendment to be considered applicable to a given individual, instead grouping the parameters with other basic qualifications for the office of president like age. Many Republican voters continue to stick with Trump, who leads in most polling from the GOP presidential primary despite his many avenues of legal exposure.
