Latest effort to boot Trump from election ballot fails

North Carolina election officials say they don't have the authority to take up a new effort to keep Donald Trump off the state ballot, CBS 17 reported.

The complaint, filed by an attorney named Brian Marti, cites the 14th Amendment and says that Trump is not eligible to run for president because his actions surrounding Jan. 6 meant “he engaged in an insurrection against the constitution.” The clause disqualifies insurrectionists from holding public office.

However, an attorney for the state board said the law is vague and election officials don't have the authority to challenge a presidential candidate at this stage of the process — instead, it's something that needs to be decided by Congress.

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“The complaint filed with the NCSBE against President Trump has entirely no merit and has one aim — to deny North Carolina voters their Constitutional right to decide for themselves who our next president will be," N.C. House Speaker Tim Moore (R) said in a statement. "Rather than let the voters decide, some activists would prefer to effectively silence the former President. I wholeheartedly condemn this malicious attempt to interfere with our elections here in North Carolina.”

According to CBS 17, the person who filed the complaint can submit an appeal, which would "give more clarity on what authority the board even has to consider this issue."

North Carolina's case is the latest of several 14 Amendment claims filed, so far unsuccessfully, around the country.