The US Supreme Court has announced its intention to review the unprecedented move by the Colorado Supreme Court to remove former President Donald Trump from the state’s ballot.
The court has set oral arguments for February 8. Currently, Trump is listed on the primary ballot, as a prior ruling disqualifying him has been suspended pending the Supreme Court’s decision. Should the justices determine Trump’s ineligibility, any votes for him will be invalidated.
This review places the nine justices at the forefront of the 2024 election. It signifies the most significant involvement of the Supreme Court in a presidential election since the landmark Bush v. Gore case 23 years ago.
While the Colorado decision is specific to that state, multiple other states have also evaluated challenges to Trump’s eligibility.
Notably, Maine recently removed Trump from its 2024 primary ballot, prompting an appeal from Trump’s team. Similarly, the Oregon Supreme Court is considering a request to exclude Trump from its ballots due to his involvement in the January 6, 2021, events.
Trump’s campaign has expressed optimism about a “fair hearing” at the Supreme Court regarding the Colorado ballot issue. Campaign spokesman Steven Cheung stated,
“We are confident that the fair-minded Supreme Court will unanimously affirm the civil rights of President Trump, and the voting rights of all Americans.”
Trump lodged his appeal with the US Supreme Court a week after the Colorado Republican Party made a similar request. The initial 4-3 decision in Colorado posited that Trump’s actions on January 6, 2021, made him constitutionally ineligible for the 2024 run, referencing the 14th Amendment.
In response, Trump’s legal team emphasized,
“The Colorado Supreme Court erred in how it described President Trump’s role in the events of January 6, 2021. It was not ‘insurrection’ and President Trump in no way ‘engaged’ in ‘insurrection.’”
Lastly, Trump voiced his hopes for fairness from the three justices he appointed to the Supreme Court – Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett, emphasizing their qualifications and integrity.
| LIB
