(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — An Illinois official — who previously was a Republican judge — has weighed in on recent challenges to Donald Trump’s presidential candidacy.
After he heard arguments on whether Trump should be on the Illinois ballot, hearing officer Clark Erickson said the former president should be shut out of the March primary.
Erickson’s opinion was sent to the Illinois Board of Elections, which will meet this week to vote on Trump’s ballot status.
In his opinion, the former judge cited Trump’s involvement in the Jan. 6 insurrection and the Constitution’s 14th Amendment as reason for disqualification.
Although the opinion was a setback for the Trump campaign, Erickson noted that those reasons shouldn’t give the Illinois Board of Elections the authority to disqualify Trump. Instead, he said the board should leave the decision up to higher courts.
The board of elections is equally made up of Republicans and Democrats.
Trump’s candidacy has been challenged in 35 states. Colorado and Maine have already made the decision to keep Trump off of their respective primary ballots.
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in an appeal of Colorado’s decision on Feb. 8.
Listen to our new podcast Looped In: Chicago
Listen to WBBM Newsradio now on Audacy!
Sign up and follow WBBM Newsradio
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok