RFK Jr. asks Supreme Court to remove him from presidential ballot in Michigan

Kennedy’s emergency request was made two days after he made a similar call to get off the ballot in Wisconsin.

WASHINGTON – Robert F. Kennedy Jr. he asked Supreme Court despite removing him from Michigan’s presidential ballot decisions of lower courts It is too late to make changes before the November 5 elections.

Kennedy’s emergency request was made two days after his announcement. similar objection With Wisconsin off the ballot, one of the other six states is expected to decide the presidential race.

The Supreme Court asked election officials in Michigan and Wisconsin to respond by Monday afternoon.

Kennedy ended his presidential campaign He supported former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, in August.

Since then, he has been trying to remove his name from the ballot in competitive states to avoid taking away votes from Trump. asked unsuccessfully The Supreme Court will put it to a vote in New York.

In Michigan, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said Kennedy had missed the withdrawal deadline for candidates joining a minor political party.

A district judge sided with Benson. but Kennedy was successful in the Michigan Court of Appealsonly the Michigan Supreme Court again sided with Benson.

The Cincinnati-based 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals last month upheld the district judge’s original decision, saying the ballots had been printed.

Court of Appeals Judge Eric Clay wrote that Kennedy “failed to explain how to ring the bell at this point without causing substantial harm to voting rights and the public’s interest in fair and effective election administration.”

Kennedy told the Supreme Court that by not removing him from the ballot, Michigan “misrepresented to voters that Mr. Kennedy is qualified and willing to serve the people if elected.”

He also argued that Benson did not have the authority to reconfirm him as the nominee because a Michigan Supreme Court ruling that he was not allowed to recuse himself did not direct him to do so.

“Michigan law does not provide for recertification of the slate after the expiration of the statutory deadline,” his lawyers told the court.

Before suspending his campaign, Kennedy had gained access to the ballot in Michigan by being nominated by the Michigan Natural Law Party. In court records, the party said it wanted Kennedy to remain on the ballot.

Credit: Detroit Free Press

Kennedy’s emergency request was made two days after he made a similar call to get off the ballot in Wisconsin.

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