Former President Donald Trump has refused to sign a voluntary oath to “not advocate overthrowing the government” in the run-up to the 2024 election, according to an analysis by radio station WBEZ and The News. Chicago Sun-Times Saturday.
Trump is the current front-runner in the 2024 Republican presidential primary, and since his victory in the 2016 presidential election, the former president has built a loyal base known as MAGA after his campaign slogan “Make America Great Again.” has been maintained.
MAGA leaders signed oaths of allegiance and submitted them to Illinois election officials during Trump’s 2016 and 2020 presidential bids. But this time, President Trump did not sign the document. The oath, which Illinois political candidates have signed for more than 50 years, is based on a cold-era law from the 1970s that was not required.
Oaths of allegiance to the U.S. government and the state of Illinois are not required, but will be used by presidential candidates when they file nomination petitions with the Illinois State Board of Elections for the state’s March 19 primary. Traditionally, an oath is taken. .
In part of the oath, candidates declare that they are not communists or affiliated with any communist organization, and in another part, more applicable today, candidates declare that they are not “directly or indirectly “I will not teach or advocate the overthrow of the Chinese government.” Unlawful change in the form of government of the United States, this State, or by force or unlawful means. ”
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President Joe Biden and 2024 presidential candidate Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the oath, according to WBEZ and The News. Chicago Sun-Times. Meanwhile, Republican presidential candidates Nikki Haley, a former South Carolina governor and former U.N. ambassador, and former New Jersey governor Chris Christie did not sign the oath.
newsweek We reached out to the Trump campaign via email for additional information.
Following the news that President Trump did not sign the oath, Biden tweeted on Saturday, “I want to thank Donald Trump for sacrificing our democracy to rise to power.” “I said I would. I wasn’t exaggerating.”
Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger, an Illinois Republican who served on the House select committee investigating the events surrounding the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, said President Trump would not commit to upholding his oath of fidelity. questioned the motive.
“Why didn’t he sign it?” he asked. Chicago Sun-Times. “I wonder if he was advised not to sign it because there might be legal exposure…If he signed that affidavit, what he actually did on January 6, 2021? , and all the acts leading up to it would be in violation, right?”
Meanwhile, Democratic Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker wrote to X on Saturday: “It’s hard to pledge not to subvert our democracy if you’ve ever tried.”
newsweek Kinzinger’s political action committee, Country First, was also contacted through an online form. This was announced by Pritzker’s office. newsweek There was no comment regarding comments from the governor’s Political X account.
Three years ago today, a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in Washington, D.C., to stop the certification of Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election. The violence erupted after President Trump repeated false claims that the election was stolen through widespread voter fraud. Meanwhile, the former president denies taking part in the riot.
Later that day, Mr. Pritzker called for Mr. Trump to be impeached for his role in the riot. When President Trump was impeached a week later on charges of inciting an insurrection, Kinzinger was one of only 10 Republicans to vote in favor of impeachment. However, the former president was later acquitted by the Senate.
President Trump is currently facing federal charges for his actions related to the riot. In August 2023, the Department of Justice (DOJ) indicted the former president on four federal felonies. Conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding. Obstructing or attempting to interfere with an official proceeding. and conspiracy against rights. President Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has called the incident politically motivated.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom, finding common ground and finding connections.