An organization calling itself “Free Speech for People” filed lawsuits against three prominent Arizona Republican officials, asserting that they are unqualified to hold office due to their connections to the January 6, 2021 protest at the U.S. Capitol. The lawsuits aim to stop Representative Paul Gosar (R-AZ-04) and Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ-03) from running for reelection, and State Representative Mark Finchem (R-Oro Valley) from running for Arizona Secretary of State, claiming the three engaged in “insurrection,” which is prohibited by the Fourteenth Amendment.
Jack Wilenchik, the attorney for Finchem, told the Arizona Sun Times, “The lawsuit is long on publicity but short on law. No convictions or congressional authority for suit.” He told Capitol Media, “We don’t allow random members of the public to accuse politicians of a crime and remove them from office.” He explained how it would open the floodgates for anyone to try and remove any elected official they disagreed with, from Donald Trump to Hillary Clinton.
Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment states that no one shall hold office, including Congressional office, who “shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.” It was adopted after the Civil War in order to bar Confederate leaders from holding office.
Read the rest of the article at The Arizona Sun Times
