Donald Trump Appeals to U.S. Supreme Court After Disqualification from Colorado's GOP Primary Ballot
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene after Colorado's top court disqualified him from the state's Republican primary ballot over his alleged involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
The December 19 decision by the Colorado Supreme Court, based on a constitutional provision disallowing individuals who "engaged in insurrection or rebellion" from holding public office, sparked controversy. The state high court temporarily stayed its decision until January 4, stating that Trump could remain on the ballot if he appealed.
Trump, currently the frontrunner for the Republican 2024 presidential nomination, is contesting the ruling, arguing that the question of presidential eligibility is within the purview of Congress, not the judiciary.
In the filing, Trump's lawyers urged the Supreme Court to "summarily reverse" the Colorado decision, claiming it was the first time in U.S. history that the judiciary prevented voters from supporting a leading major-party presidential candidate.
The Colorado Supreme Court invoked Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment, known as the disqualification clause, which bars individuals who engaged in insurrection or rebellion from holding office. This marked the first instance in history that this clause had been applied to deem a presidential candidate ineligible.
Trump's legal team asserted that his speech to supporters on the day of the Capitol riot was protected by the right to free speech. They argued that the disqualification clause does not apply to U.S. presidents and that any disqualification would require a congressional vote.
The case has broader implications as it could impact Trump's eligibility on other state ballots, setting the stage for a contentious legal battle in the lead-up to the 2024 election. The Supreme Court, with its conservative majority that includes three justices appointed by Trump, will play a pivotal role in shaping the outcome of this high-stakes legal dispute.
