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From Staff Reports
RALEIGH — A formal examination of whether U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-Hendersonville, is disqualified to run for re-election to Congress will not take place “because redistricting changes have moved the location of the district he sought to compete in,†The Associated Press reported Feb. 27.
The AP cited as its source State Board of Elections attorney Katelyn Love, based on a statement she made “to the voters’ attorneys.â€
However, “the disclosure doesn’t mean additional candidate challenges this year against Cawthorn are snuffed out, according to a group that helped instigate them,†the AP added.
“The first-term Republican has been the focus of complaints filed by about a dozen voters living iin what was supposed to be the 13th Congressional Distrct in which Cawthorn — in December — had filed to run.
“The voters contend Cawthorn fails to comply with a portion of a post-Civil War amendment to the Constitution pertaining to insurrections.
“They charge that Cawthorn’s involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021 rally that supported then-President Donald J. Trump and preceded the U.S. Capitol riot, along with other information, provide a ‘reasonable suspicion or belief’ that he helped facilitate†what The AP described as “the insurrection.â€â€œ
Cawthorn said that portion of the 14th Amendment does not apply and that he “never engaged in, or would ever engage in, an insurrection against the United States.†the AP noted.
“Free Speech for People, a national election and campaign finance reform group back the challenges, said in a written statement Feb. 24 that it will keep pressing for Cawthorn’s disqualification.
“‘We will be refiling this challenge on behalf of the voters who live in the congressional distrct which Madison Cawthorn selects for his candidacy,†the group said, according to the AP story.
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