House Republicans have unveiled a resolution aiming to affirm that Donald Trump did not participate in insurrection or rebellion. This announcement comes just ahead of the Supreme Court’s upcoming hearing on Thursday regarding the former president’s eligibility for the ballot.
Introduced by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and conference chair Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), the resolution, supported by 63 cosponsors, seeks to counteract efforts to exclude Trump from the 2024 ballots due to his actions following the 2020 election.
Gaetz emphasized the importance of Congress in determining whether Trump’s actions on January 6 constituted insurrection, stating that it is not within the jurisdiction of individual states or bureaucrats.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) urges Congress members to support his resolution that states Donald Trump “did not engage in insurrection or rebellion against the United States”:
“It’s time for members of the House and Senate to show where they stand on this question.” pic.twitter.com/2TcRGMkYoG
— The Recount (@therecount) February 6, 2024
Meanwhile, Trump’s eligibility for the ballot is being contested in various states, including Maine, where a decision has been appealed, and in several other ongoing challenges.
During a press conference, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) questioned the characterization of January 6 as an insurrection, pointing to the security measures taken during Biden’s inauguration as evidence of inconsistent labeling by the press.
Stefanik, potentially being considered as Trump’s running mate, voiced concerns about Democrats’ attempts to prevent Trump’s return to the White House, accusing them of disregarding the Constitution.
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) claimed that efforts to challenge Trump’s eligibility amounted to a “witch hunt” and suggested that voter decisions in 2020 might have been different if they were informed about Hunter Biden’s personal matters.
