HE CAN STAY

Federal Judge Strikes Down Bid to Keep Madison Cawthorn Off Ballot

A group of constitutional scholars and activists had tried to keep Cawthorn from running again due to his actions on the day of the Capitol riot.

Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-NC) will be allowed to run for Congress again despite his actions on Jan. 6, a federal judge ruled Friday. Chief District Court Judge Richard Myers shot down a request by constitutional scholars and activists to disqualify Cawthorn for his role in the events of Jan. 6, which included speaking at the “Stop the Steal” rally and posting a tweet encouraging “a solitary few” to fight for “the future of this Republic.” The lawyers who filed the case against Cawthorn hinged their argument on a “disqualification clause” in the U.S. Constitution’s 14th amendment, CNN reported, but the judge ruled that the law was nullified upon an 1872 law passed by Congress. The ruling is still subject to an appeal, though the deadline is tight—candidate filings for congressional races closed on Friday in advance of the May 17 primaries.