>> ERIC: THE EYES OF THE NATION ARE AGAIN ON MINNESOTA, THIS TIME AS OUR STATE SUPREME COURT PROMISES QUICK ACTION DECIDING IF FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP CAN APPEAR ON THE PRIMARY BALLOT IN MINNESOTA WITH EARLY VOTING STARTING IN JANUARY.

POLITICAL REPORTER MARY LAHAMMER SHOWS US HOW THIS WEEK'S HEARING PROVED AN EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY WITH COMPLICATED CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTIONS IN THE BALANCE.

>> Mary: LONG BEFORE HE COURT CONVENED, PEOPLE LINED UP OUTSIDE IN HOPES OF GETTING INSIDE TO WITNESS HISTORY.

INCLUDING THIS YOUTH IN GOVERNMENT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT FROM NEW PRAGUE, WHO WANTS TO STUDY LAW.

WHAT BROUGHT YOU, JUST AS A CITIZEN, YOU DECIDED YOU WANTED TO SHOW UP?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

SO OUR TEACHER INTRODUCED US THAT THE SUPREME COURT WAS GOING TO BE ARGUING WHETHER OR NOT TRUMP WOULD BE ALLOWED ON THE NEXT BALLOT.

AND WE'RE LIKE, IT'S EXTREMELY INTERESTING, OF COURSE, WE WANT TO HEAR IN ON THIS, SOON, NEXT YEAR WE'LL BE ABLE TO VOTE.

>> Mary: DID YOU GET PERMISSION TO COME TODAY?

>> YES, I DID GET PERMISSION.

>> Mary: YOUR PARENTS ARE SUPPORTIVE.

>> YES, THEY'RE SUPPORTIVE OF ME BEING POLITICALLY ACTIVE.

>> Mary: THEY HAD TO MOVE TO AN OVERFLOW ROOM.

>> WE APOLOGIZE, BUT THE GALLERY IS FULL AT THIS POINT.

>> JOAN GROWE, ET AL VS. SIMON.

>> Mary: BROUGHT THE SUIT CHALLENGING FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP'S ELIGIBILITY TO BE ON THE BALLOT IN THE STATE UNDER THE INSURRECTIONIST CLAUSE OF THE CONSTITUTION.

>> PETITIONERS ASK THIS COURT TO UPHOLD THE U.S. CONSTITUTION AND DEFEND AMERICAN DEMOCRACY.

BEFORE THE 2020 ELECTION AND CULMINATING ON JANUARY 6th, 2021, DONALD TRUMP ENGAGED IN REBELLION AND INSURRECTION AGAINST THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.

IN A DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO REMAIN IN OFFICE AFTER LOSING THE ELECTION.

>> SHOULD WE IS THE QUESTION THAT CONCERNS ME THE MOST.

AND I'M GETTING AT SOME OF THE POLITICAL QUESTION, ISSUES.

YOU HAVE THE POTENTIALALITY OF 50 DIFFERENT STATES WHO, DEPENDING ON THE NATURE OF THE STATUTES IN THOSE STATES, DECIDING THIS QUESTION DIFFERENTLY, DECIDING WHETHER STATES HAVE THE RIGHT TO DETERMINE WHO'S ELIGIBLE FOR A NATIONAL OFFICE.

AND THAT CONCERNS ME THAT YOU HAVE THIS POSSIBILITY FOR, AS JUSTICE CHASE SAID, FOR JUST CHAOS.

>> CONGRESS IS THE ONE THAT'S ULTIMATELY IN SOME ARGUMENT ASSESSING THE QUALIFICATIONS, RIGHT?

I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S PARTLY WHAT THE REPUBLICANS -- WHAT THE TRUMP ARGUMENT IS.

THAT THERE'S BUILT INTO OUR CONSTITUTION IS THAT.

AND BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT, YOU KNOW, IS ELECTED BY ELECTORS, AS OPPOSED TO DIRECTLY ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE, THAT REALLY IS A DECISION OF CONGRESS TO ASSESS THOSE QUALIFICATIONS.

>> Mary: JUSTICES APPOINTED BY DEMOCRATS IN THE STATE SEEM SKEPTICAL OF WEIGHING IN TO THE POLITICAL ISSUE, WHICH REPUBLICAN ATTORNEYS ALSO ARGUED.

>> THERE IS NO MORE POLITICAL QUESTION IN OUR CONSTITUTIONAL ORDER THAN WHO SHOULD BE PRESIDENT.

THAT'S THE PREDOMINANT FEATURE OF OUR NATIONAL POLITICAL CONVERSATION AND THE CONSTITUTION ITSELF DEVOTES MORE WORDS AND MORE PROVISIONS TO HOW WE DECIDE THAT QUESTION THAN JUST ABOUT ANY OTHER.

>> WHEN PARTIES ASK THE COURTS TO TEP INTO THAT PROCESS AND TO DECIDE WHO CAN OR CAN'T BE PRESIDENT, THE COURTS OVERWHELMINGLY SAY, THAT'S NOT A DECISION THAT SHOULD BE MADE IN THE JUDICIARY.

THAT'S A DECISION THAT SHOULD BE MADE ELSEWHERE.

>> THE STATES HAVE A MUCH LOWER INTEREST IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS THAN THEY DO IN ANY OTHER TYPE OF LOCAL ELECTION.

BUT THE FUNCTION OF A PRIMARY IS REALLY A PURELY POLITICAL MECHANISM FOR HELPING THE PARTY DETERMINE WHO ITS STANDARD BEARER IS GOING TO BE.

>> THE CONSTITUTION ITSELF SPECIFICALLY GIVES TO STATES THE AUTHORITY TO DEAL WITH ELECTIONS.

>> Mary: TRUMP PLANS TO BE ON THE PRIMARY BALLOT IN MINNESOTA TO E HELD ON MARCH 5th.

>> MINNESOTA'S ELECTION SYSTEM IS THE ENVY OF THE NATION.

THAT'S IN LARGE PART BECAUSE OUR COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL ELECTION OFFICIALS ARE THE ENVY OF THE NATION.

THE SECRETARY'S CENTRAL CONCERN HERE IS THAT ALL OF THESE FOLKS ARE GIVEN THE TIME THAT THEY NEED TO DO THEIR WORK, PREPARING FOR THE MARCH ELECTION.

MINNESOTA'S ELECTION OFFICIALS NEED THIS PETITION TO BE DETERMINED NO LATER THAN JANUARY th.

>> Mary: MINNESOTA'S HIGH COURT IS EXPECTED TO RULE QUICKLY ON TRUMP'S ELIGIBILITY ON THE MINNESOTA BALLOT AND LEGAL EXPERTS SEE THIS EVENTUALLY GOING TO THE U.S. SUPREME COURT.

>> WE APPRECIATED THAT THE JUSTICES HAD SEARCHING QUESTIONS FOR BOTH SIDES.

WE FELT LIKE IT WAS WELL ARGUED ON ALL PARTS.

>> THIS QUESTION SHOULD BE DECIDED IMMEDIATELY, THAT THE COURT HAS THE LEGAL CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY TO DECIDE THIS QUESTION.

>> I WAS PLEASED WITH WHAT I HEARD, SAW TODAY.

>> I WAS SECRETARY OF STATE FOR SO MANY YEARS, AND I'VE ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED IN GOVERNMENT, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED IN DEMOCRACY, I ALWAYS WANTED PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE.

AND IT SEEMED LIKE A WAY TO HAVE A BETTER GOVERNMENT, A