In a significant development, a federal judge in Nevada has dismissed a lawsuit challenging the eligibility of former President Donald Trump to run for office in 2024.
The lawsuit was filed by GOP challenger John Anthony Castro, who the court ruled "lacks standing."
The order was issued on Monday by U.S. District Court Judge Gloria M. Navarro, an appointee of former President Obama. The lawsuit sought to determine whether the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution prevents Trump from holding office due to his alleged incitement of the Capitol riot on January 6.
"This is a politically charged question of significant interest to the American public," Navarro stated in her ruling. "For reasons discussed below, the Court finds that Castro lacks standing, and the Court therefore lacks jurisdiction to hear this case."
Navarro further explained that for a plaintiff to have standing to sue in federal court, they must have suffered a concrete, particularized, and actual or imminent injury caused by the defendants challenged conduct, which can be redressed by a favorable decision. "This limitation on the judicial power prevents a plaintiff from invoking Article III jurisdiction of federal court by asserting what is merely a general interest common to all members of the public."
The ruling highlighted that five courts have already dismissed Castros argument of political competitor standing. "In rejecting his political competitor standing argument, courts have found that Castro improperly manufactured his standing merely to file this lawsuit," Navarro wrote. "The evidence indicates that Castro is creating his own injury in order to manufacture standing to challenge Trumps eligibility to run for president."
The judge noted that Castro, by his own admission, "declared as a candidate and paid the filing fee to show the impermissibility of Trumps presidency." An Associated Press article quoted Castro as saying, "Im not going to lie and pretend my candidacy is anything more than trying to enforce the United States Constitution, and thats what Im here to do."
Navarro also pointed out in a footnote that Trump and Castro are not competing on the same ballot in Nevada. "As Castro indicates in his FAC, the Nevada Republican Party is holding a caucus separate from the state-run Presidential Preference Primary. Castro intends on running in the Nevada Republican PP," the footnote reads. "Trump is not participating in the PP and is instead appearing on the caucus ballot."
The dismissal of the Nevada lawsuit comes as dozens of other lawsuits are challenging Trump's eligibility, citing the Fourteenth Amendment, following the Colorado Supreme Court's decision to remove him from the ballot in their state. Maine's Democratic secretary of state also banned Trump from the ballot, citing the insurrection clause.
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear Trump's challenge to the Colorado ruling, with arguments set to begin in February.
Steven Cheung, a spokesman for the Trump campaign, hailed the dismissal of the Nevada lawsuit as a victory. "Todays dismissal of another bogus, bad-faith, Crooked Joe Biden-engineered attempt to deprive Americans as a whole, and the voters of Nevada specifically, of their right to vote for the candidate of their choice is not only a victory for President Trump, but a victory for all Americans and the people of Nevada," Cheung said, according to KLAS.
Cheung further stated, "President Trump remains undefeated in federal court against these cynical efforts to interfere in the 2024 election. Courts in eleven states have now dismissed similar, pathetic, 14th Amendment ballot cases."
"Make no mistake, each and every one of these ballot-challenges are blatant attempts to steal the election for Crooked Joe Biden and disenfranchise over 100 million American voters," he continued. "President Trump is the leading candidate for not only the Republican primary, but the general election and his opponents are desperate. Rest assured that he will fight each and every one of these disgraceful attacks on American democracy, he will win, and we will all Make America Great Again."
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