Lawsuit filed against Florida Democrats after party sought to cancel presidential primary

TAMPA, Fla. – Michael Steinberg, an attorney from Tampa, filed a lawsuit challenging the Florida Democratic Party’s attempt to cancel their 2024 presidential primary in favor of President Joe Biden.

The lawyer argued that the refusal to put the names of Biden’s challengers, like U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., on the ballot violates his constitutional rights as a voter.

The lawsuit argued that since Phillips’ campaign was announced and made publicly aware across national media sources, the party should put his name on the primary ballot.

“The Democratic Party clearly did not follow the procedure it established the last election cycle,” Steinberg told Florida’s Voice.

Steinberg added that Phillips is more popular than many of the 17 candidates that were on the ballot in the party’s 2020 primary.

Steinburg was previously a state House candidate in 2010 after serving as a delegate to Democratic National Convention in 2004.

The Florida Democratic Party responded with a statement defending their actions and position on the issue, arguing it was a “standard process.”

“The Florida Democratic Party followed its process and the State Executive Committee voted unanimously to send one name, Joe Biden, to the Secretary of State as a candidate for the party’s nomination for president,” the statement read.

“It is not uncommon for an incumbent President to be declared the automatic winner of a presidential primary. In 2011, Florida Democrats similarly voted unanimously for incumbent President Barack Obama,” it said.

“The Florida Democratic Party stands by the decision made by the State Executive Committee and does not intend to circumvent long-established protocols and procedures for candidates who did not receive nominations,” the statement said.

Phillips also stated plans to fight back via his own legal action against the state and national party.

“Dean 2024 is currently consulting with attorneys about prospects for suit against the Florida Democratic Party on behalf of itself, Florida Democrats who will be denied the opportunity to be delegates for the candidates of their choice, and Florida Democrats who have been stripped of their right to vote,” a statement from the campaign said.

“In addition to seeking legal remedy, the Dean Phillips campaign will pursue actions at the national Democratic Party level,” it said. “Florida’s Delegate Selection Plan is a flawed document containing numerous conflicting deadlines and processes for securing the recommendation of the Party to appear on the ballot.”

Phillips and Biden’s other lesser-known opponent, Marianne Williamson, originally responded to the decision by the Florida Democrats over social media.

“What happened in Florida yesterday is a tragedy and a travesty,” Phillips said Nov. 30. “The Florida Democrats decided, just a handful of people, decided to disenfranchise millions of Democratic voters in Florida by saying ‘we’re not going to have a presidential primary.’”

“This is the kind of stuff that happens in Tehran, not in Tallahassee,” he said. “We’ve got to do something about this.”

“You have to jump through a lot of hoops to get on the ballot in states across the country, but Florida takes the cake: they won’t even let you try!” Williamson also said. “The FL Sec. of State has decided to simply allow the Florida Democratic Party to DECIDE who it wants to be on the ballot!”

“This absurd and unconstitutional display is exactly how an authoritarian state works: People are told they can vote, but are informed by someone else who their options will be,” she said. “The words of my father keep ringing in my ear: ‘Beat the system, kids, beat the system!’”