The 14th Amendment stipulates that anyone who gives comfort or aids individuals attempting insurrection cannot stand for election to any office in the United States.
While Donald Trump’s many crimes are being adjudicated in four different venues so far, none of the cases specifically focuses on whether Trump gave comfort or aided the insurrection of January 6.
As some courts and some of the secretaries of state across the country begin to address this question in response to motions filed to preclude Trump from appearing on the ballot for president in those states, it is important to remember this fact:
On January 6, 2021, Vice President Pence called Trump several times, begging him to deploy the DC National Guard to support the Capitol Police and defend the capitol. For four hours, Trump declined to do so. There were many other phone calls and texts from both Democrats and Republicans begging Trump to give the order to deploy the National Guard.
Trump’s failure to act was described as dereliction of duty in the second impeachment trial.
The evidence of Trump’s failure to deploy the National Guard for four hours is indisputable.
Not deploying the National Guard for four hours is not just a dereliction of duty. It’s also giving comfort to people engaged in insurrection.
Case closed.