Staff Reports
In a daring legal maneuver, former President Donald Trump has escalated his battle to the highest echelons of the U.S. legal system, submitting a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court aiming to overturn the decision by the Colorado Supreme Court that disqualified him from the 2024 presidential ballot. The Colorado Supreme Court, comprising justices appointed by Democratic governors, voted 4-3 to bar Trump from the ballot, citing Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. This section stipulates that individuals engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the Constitution are ineligible for holding office.
Trump Takes Colorado Case to US Supreme Court Seeking to Get His Name Back on Ballot https://t.co/IyFric5N6o
— IJR (@TheIJR) January 4, 2024
At the heart of the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision lies their assertion that Trump's involvement in the January 6th Capitol incident constituted participation in an insurrection, despite the absence of criminal charges or convictions against him. Supporters of Trump argue that his disqualification from the ballot violates federal law.
Harmeet Dhillon, an attorney for the Trump campaign, enthusiastically declared the petition's submission, emphasizing their alignment with the Constitution and Trump’s cause. Yet, Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold has made it clear that if the U.S. Supreme Court doesn't reach a decision on the case by Thursday, Trump's name must be included on the ballot.
Similar challenges have surfaced for the Trump campaign in other states, with Democratic Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows also ruling Trump ineligible for their ballot. The Trump campaign has appealed this decision to the U.S. Supreme Court as well. However, supreme courts in Michigan and Minnesota have already dismissed efforts to exclude Trump from their respective states' ballots.
Despite these legal contests, Trump continues to lead the Republican presidential primary race and is even ahead of President Joe Biden in various recent general election polls. With over a dozen analogous cases awaiting resolution in other states, Trump's eligibility for the 2024 ballot appears destined to remain a contentious issue.
