A state lawmaker requested a legal opinion from Tennessee’s Attorney General last week on whether or not Donald Trump qualifies to appear on Tennessee’s presidential ballot, following his convictions in New York.
Rep. Vincent Dixie (D-Nashville) requested the opinion from Tennessee AG Jonathan Skrmetti, a Republican, in a letter sent Friday. In it, Dixie pointed to a Tennessee law that says anyone convicted of an “infamous crime” is “disqualified from qualifying for, seeking election to or holding a public office in this state.”
Dixie said the law is meant “to protect the public from individuals who refuse to adhere to the laws they are meant to uphold.” He then pointed to Trump’s convictions on 34 felony counts of election interference last week.
“It is crucial for Tennesseans to trust that their elected officials are held to the highest standards of legality and ethics,” Dixie said in his letter. “Allowing a candidate with such convictions to appear on the ballot would undermine this trust and the rule of law.”
The law is meant ”to protect the public from individuals who refuse to adhere to the laws they are meant to uphold.”
Rep. Vincent Dixie
He continued, “The public’s interest in maintaining integrity in our electoral process necessitates that individuals convicted of serious crimes be held accountable and disqualified from holding public office.”
Dixie said the convictions “reflect serious criminal offenses,” including falsification of business records, “a crime prosecuted vigorously in both New York and Tennessee.”
“Given the severity and nature of these crimes, which include lying in official filings and engaging in deceitful practices to influence the outcome of an election, I seek your legal interpretation on whether Donald Trump’s convictions in New York constitute an ‘infamous crime’ under Tennessee law,” he said. “Specifically, does this disqualify him from appearing on Tennessee’s ballot for the U.S. presidential election?”