Marjorie Taylor Greene complains that ‘nasty’ media will be in courtroom for hearing that could see her lose her job

Republican US Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene complained to former Trump attorney Jenna Ellis that the press would have access to the courtroom during a trial over whether or not she was actually eligible to be included on the ballot in the midterm elections.

A group of five voters from Ms Greene's district is suing the congresswoman, alleging that she is ineligible to run for federal office under the 14th Amendment. The group claims she "voluntarily aided and engaged" in the Capitol riot insurrection, which should invalidate her ability to hold federal office under the 14th Amendment. That amendment was ratified after the Civil War to prevent Confederate officers and officials from holding public office in the US.

"It's absurd what they are claiming and lying about," Ms Greene said. "They're going to allow the press in the courtroom. They're going to allow the whole thing to be videoed live out to go anywhere in the world that they want to. And you know what that's going to look like — the Democrats and the nasty mainstream media, you know, the ones that lie about me constantly anyways, well, they're going to be able to twist and turn, and clip out any little piece they want of the horrible things that these funded attorneys are going to try to say about me."

Attorneys can request that the public – which includes the press – be barred from a courtroom if they can present reasonable evidence to suggest that such access would hinder a defendant's right to a fair trial. Court rooms are also closed during trials to protect juveniles or, in some cases, to protect the privacy of witnesses, jurors, or victims.

Unfortunately for Ms Greene, a defendant trying to avoid the press publishing critical information is not by itself a qualifying justification for closing a court.

Ms Greene tried to stop the trial by asking for an injunction and a temporary restraining order. However, Judge Amy Totenberg of the US District Court for the Northern District of Georgia rejected her request. The judge said Ms Greene failed to demonstrate that she had a substantial likelihood of succeeding in the case.

The group suing Ms Greene is represented by a group called Free Speech for People. That group also launched a similar challenge aimed at Republican Congressman Madison Cawthorne, but a judge blocked that lawsuit from proceeding.

If Ms Greene is found to be in violation of the 14th Amendment, her name will either be stricken from the ballot or – if the ballots are already printed – voters will be advised that she is disqualified and any voters for her will be discarded.