The US Supreme Court has agreed to listen to Donald Trump’s appeal for preventing him from being part of the presidential primary ballot in the state.
The US Supreme Court recently agreed to listen to Donald Trump’s appeal regarding a decision made by Colorado’s top court. This decision had prevented him from being part of the presidential primary ballot in the state. The Supreme Court, mostly made up of conservative justices appointed by Trump, will have oral arguments on February 8 for this crucial case.
Last month, the Colorado Supreme Court had said Trump couldn’t be on the Republican primary ballot there due to his involvement in the Capitol assault on January 6, 2021. Trump, who’s aiming for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, urgently asked the US Supreme Court to review and reverse this decision. His legal team argued that if the Colorado ruling stands, it would be the first time in US history that the courts stop voters from choosing a major-party presidential candidate.
Trump, at 77, is also fighting against a decision from Maine’s top election official that would keep him off the primary ballot in that state. His lawyers called her decision biased and arbitrary. Both Colorado and Maine cited the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution for barring Trump from their ballots.
This amendment, created in 1868 after the Civil War, prevents people engaged in “insurrection or rebellion” from holding public office if they had previously pledged to support and defend the Constitution. Other states, like Minnesota and Michigan, allowed Trump on their ballots despite similar challenges based on the 14th Amendment.
Apart from the legal battles, Trump is scheduled for trial in Washington in March for allegedly conspiring to overturn the 2020 election results won by Democrat Joe Biden. He also faces racketeering charges in Georgia for supposedly plotting to disrupt the election results in that state. Both Maine and Colorado plan to hold their presidential nominating contests on March 5, known as “Super Tuesday,” alongside many other states, including California and Texas.
