Lake Elmo, MN (January 14, 2020) -- Today, Jim Martin published an open letter in hopeful anticipation of a response by the Minnesota Supreme Court. Making headlines across the country, news reports of Roque “Rocky” De La Fuente being excluded from Minnesota’s presidential primary ballots has been capturing the public’s attention. Continuing to appear on ballots nationwide, this has not stopped De La Fuente from challenging President Trump for the nomination of the national GOP party. De La Fuente and Martin asked the Minnesota Supreme Court to print De La Fuente’s name on the state’s Super Tuesday ballots so Martin could vote for De La Fuente and advance his national nomination. The high court denied the request without immediately publishing the reasoning behind their decision stating De La Fuente and Martin’s arguments lacked legal merit. Martin anticipates, “Now, I sit in wait for the high court’s opinion so I know how to act in the primary election to voice my desire with others across the country that Rocky receive the nomination of the national GOP.”
At oral arguments in the Minnesota Capitol Building last week in St. Paul, MN, the state Supreme Court focused on the rights political parties have and indicated they are superior to those of candidates and voters. Martin detailed today how Minnesota law has “severed the triangular relationship” between himself, De La Fuente, and the national GOP by allowing the Republican Party Of Minnesota to prevent Martin from affiliating with both De La Fuente and the national GOP. Martin cites federal case law to back-up his belief that he has the lawful right to associate with the political party of his choosing (in this case the national GOP) and any of its candidates (in this case De La Fuente).
Martin addressed what he believes to be a falsehood of being able to vote for De La Fuente by writing-in his name. He asserts, “Suppose that 100,000 write-in votes were cast for Rocky with one vote cast for President Trump: every single (Republican Party Of Minnesota) delegate will be bound by law to advance President Trump at the national convention despite us tax-paying voters collectively deciding that we desire the exact opposite to occur.” Martin says this is true because Minnesota law empowers state Republican Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan with the ability to choose whose name may be advanced by write-in. To date, she has not noticed the Minnesota Secretary Of State to count any write-in votes for De La Fuente.
“I have been wholly disenfranchised from my own state and federal government processes,” says Martin. Citing federal case law, he suggests that suppressing voters like himself increases the likelihood that Minnesota’s primary will produce a “frivolous and fraudulent” nominee. He suggests that he is being “forced to financially support those who are politically opposed to me while at the same time not being provided access to a similar benefit that my competitors enjoy on my dime.” Noting the sacrifices made so individuals may associate with whomever they decide, Martin closes, “Though I do not yet know how my Supreme Court will vindicate my choice to associate with Rocky and his GOP supporters nationwide, I pray the Supreme Court will bring honor to our patriots in its to-be-released opinion.”
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Jim Martin, <inquiries@votejimmartin.com>
Open letter: <