HARTFORD, Conn. — New Haven City Alderman Troy Streater and his lawyer Alex Taubes sent a letter this week to Connecticut Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas asking that she notify trumps campaign and hold a hearing to determine if former President Donald Trump violated the U.S. Constitution which would disqualify him from running for office and remove him from Connecticut ballots.
This effort is gaining traction in other states like New Hampshire and Wednesday a group in Colorado filed a federal lawsuit asking for the same determination at a federal level.
Streater’s lawyer Alex Taubes said, “Under the constitution someone who engaged in insurrection, like Donald Trump is ineligible for the office of president.”
Taubes refers to section three of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution that states:
"No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability."
Some legal experts believe that a conviction of an insurrection charge is not needed to disqualify someone from the Oval Office. Tabues said there is enough proof in the televised events of January 6 2021 and the findings of the bipartisan January 6 House Select Committee.
“The select committee of the U.S. House of Representatives has issued its bipartisan report which we referred to in our petition to Stephanie Thomas which concluded extensively that Donald Trump engaged in insurrection and ultimately that question may go up the U.S. Supreme Court,” said Tabues.
Connecticut Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas has not yet made a decision on the matter.
Her office released a statement reading, "Our attorneys are diligently reviewing Connecticut’s election laws, over which this office has jurisdiction, to ensure we have the proper interpretation. We understand the urge to move to a conclusion swiftly, however, this is as complex as it is important. Our office’s top priority is to ensure the democratic process is executed to the letter of the law. This is fundamental in preserving voters’ trust in their democracy and desire to engage with their government.”
A spokesperson for the Trump Campaign released the following statement to FOX61:
"The people who are pursuing this absurd conspiracy theory and political attack on President Trump are stretching the law beyond recognition much like the political prosecutors in New York, Georgia, and DC. There is no legal basis for this effort except in the minds of those who are pushing it."
However, the 14th Amendment has yet to be tested on a presidential level. It was used to question the eligibility of Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene in her reelection bid following the riot at the Capitol. It was also used to remove a public official from office in New Mexico who allegedly participated in the Capitol riots.
Connecticut has been known for challenging those seeking office. In 2010 the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled that now Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz was disqualified from running for Attorney General due to inexperience practicing law prior to running for that office.
FOX61 reached out to the Connecticut Republican Party for comment but haven't heard back.
Jake Garcia is a multimedia journalist for FOX61 News. He can be reached at jgarcia@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
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