IndianaLocalNews

Rep. Banks survives ballot disqualification attempt

(Photo supplied/Jim Banks for Congress)

Indiana Congressman Jim Banks will be on the ballot for reelection, despite an attempt to disqualify him.

One of three candidates seeking the Democratic nomination against Banks, A-J Calkins, argued Banks should be declared ineligible under the 14th Amendment, which says no one can serve in Congress who “engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the United States.” Banks was one of four Indiana congressmen who voted to reject President Biden’s electors from Arizona and Pennsylvania, and signed on to a lawsuit spearheaded by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to throw out the results in Pennsylvania and three other states Biden won.

North Carolina’s election board is considering a challenge to Republican Congressman Madison Cawthorn under the insurrection clause. Cawthorn spoke at the Trump rally which preceded the January 6 Capitol riot, and has called the rioters “political hostages” while warning of the possibility of future violence over unsupported claims of a “rigged” election system. Banks’ attorney Paul Mullins said, and Calkins acknowledged, that Banks had no connection to what Mullins called the “ugly” events of January 6 — Mullins notes Banks appeared on Fox that night to condemn the violence.

Calkins argued there was both a “violent insurrection and a political insurrection” on January 6, and contended Banks is guilty of the latter. He argues Banks was part of an organized effort to overturn a democratic election, long after more than 30 legal challenges to Pennsylvania’s vote had been heard and rejected in court, including the Supreme Court’s dismissal of the Paxton lawsuit.

Indiana’s bipartisan election commission unanimously rejected the challenge.

The panel did disqualify three U-S Senate hopefuls who didn’t submit the required 45-hundred petition signatures. The removal of Democrats Haneefah Khaaliq and Valerie McCray and Republican Danny Niederberger means both parties’ primaries are uncontested. Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott Jr. will be Democrats’ nominee against Senator Todd Young.

Two other congressional candidates locked up their nominations after their opponents were disqualified for lacking the required record of voting in two straight primaries in their party. Congressman Jim Baird (R-4th) will now advance to the November election in pursuit of a third term. And Goshen College instructor Paul Steury becomes Democrats’ nominee against Congresswoman Jackie Walorski (R-2nd).

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3 comments

Charles U Farley February 19, 2022 at 12:12 pm

I’m glad the garbage allegations against Banks were recognized as garbage, but it suck to be stuck with RINO Young for another 6 years.

Reply
j k kline February 19, 2022 at 5:20 pm

They let the Toad Young on the ballot without the correct signatures 6 years ago!! What has changed?

Reply
Slacker06 February 20, 2022 at 1:36 pm

Toad has continued to be just that, a TOAD. Rip Van Toad will shortly go back into hibernation under his desk, January 1, 2023 to be exact or whenever =he once again takes an oath of office he does not intend to keep.

This insurrection crapola should be rejected everywhere. It was in inside job to give No No Ice Cream Queen Pelosi more power. Since she tore up Trumps Speech ALL republicans should just say no to the Biden Speech by staying HOME. I know I will. I’ll be watching re-runs of Gunsmoke or a pre-1960 movie back when entertainment meant something and was very well done. A single sentence form Doc, Matt, Kitty, Chester, or Festus makes more sense and contains more truth than all the words that have come out of the mouth of Dopey King Xo the Idiot of Brandon for his entire lifetime.

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