Federal judge rules lawsuit to disqualify Marjorie Taylor Greene can proceed

A federal judge ruled Monday that a group of Georgia voters can proceed with their lawsuit seeking to disqualify Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s reelection bid over the 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

The legal challenge was filed last month with Georgia’s Office of the Secretary of State, citing that Mrs. Greene supported an insurrection in violation of the 14th Amendment.

Mrs. Greene filed a lawsuit this month requesting a judge to declare the law that the voters are using to challenge her unconstitutional and state officials should be prohibited from enforcing it.

U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg, an Obama appointee, denied Mrs. Greene’s request, citing that the lawmaker had failed to meet the “burden of persuasion” in her filing.

The ruling means a scheduled hearing in front of a Georgia state judge will occur Friday as planned. The judge will hear arguments from Mrs. Greene’s team, as well as those challenging her run.

Mrs. Greene, a GOP firebrand, is one of several lawmakers being challenged by liberal activists seeking to disqualify members who objected to certifying the 2020 election results for President Biden.

Rep. Madison Cawthorn, North Carolina Republican, also was targeted by voters who sought to bar his reelection bid for the same reasons cited in the challenge against Mrs. Greene.

U.S. District Judge Richard Myers, a Trump appointee, blocked the effort to remove Mr. Cawthorn from the ballot.

Georgia law allows any eligible voter to challenge a candidate’s qualifications via a written complaint filed within two weeks after the deadline for qualification.

Once a challenge is filed, the candidate is notified by the secretary of state and can request a hearing before an administrative law judge, who then must determine whether the candidate is qualified.