On October 30, former President Donald Trump filed his own lawsuit in the Michigan Court of Claims, to preserve his ability to be on the Michigan presidential primary ballot of March, 2024. Trump v Benson, 23-0001151. He did so after the judge who is hearing the original Michigan lawsuit to keep him off the ballot denied his ability to intervene in that case. Instead, the judge said Trump should file his own lawsuit and then the two cases will be combined.

There is an oral argument on November 6, Monday. Thanks to Thomas Jones for the news.

On October 31, Texas filed this brief in Bilyeu v Esparza, w.d., 1:21cv-1089. This is the lawsuit over the Texas law that requires people who seek nomination at a convention to first pay a filing fee. The state says it has an interest in treating all candidates equally, which is a comical statement given the Texas rules for independent candidates (who need extremely difficult petitions), contrasted with the fact that Democrats and Republicans can get on a primary ballot with no petition.

Here is a story on today’s Minnesota Supreme Court hearing on Donald Trump’s eligibility to appear on ballots in Minnesota in 2024.

The justices expressed skepticism that states or that particular court had the power to bar presidential candidates from ballots.

Video of the hearing is available at the link.