NEWS
Donald Trump Wins Big Legal Victory: Lawsuit Tossed Out by Judge
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A lawsuit challenging Donald Trump’s eligibility to be on the presidential ballot in Rhode Island was dismissed by a federal judge.
The lawsuit, brought by a Republican candidate, was thrown out due to lack of standing and failure to demonstrate direct competition with Trump.
The lawsuit argued that Trump’s actions disqualified him from the ballot based on the 14th Amendment, but Trump’s lawyer argued that eligibility rules are set by Congress and the Electoral College, not the courts.
U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr. dismissed the lawsuit brought by write-in Republican presidential candidate John Anthony Castro, of Texas.
The court found that Castro failed to show he was a “direct and current competitor at the time that he filed his complaint.”
He could not establish that he would suffer an injury-in-fact if Trump remained on the ballot.
Castro failed to provide any evidence or indication that he was actively engaged in a competitive race with Trump for votes and campaign contributions.
Trump, represented by his attorney Gregory Piccirilli, argued that federal courts have consistently viewed challenges to the qualifications of presidential candidates as nonjusticiable political questions, typically left to other entities for resolution.
In alignment with this legal precedent, Piccirilli asserted that the court should follow suit and dismiss the case on these grounds.
