Janice R. Andrews
Washington:
In an urgent appeal to the Supreme Court, former President Donald Trump has called for a “swift and decisive end” to any efforts to remove him on the Colorado presidential ballot. According to Trump, these initiatives might result in “chaos and bedlam,” depriving tens of millions of Americans of their right to vote.
The appeal is filed in advance of the oral arguments on February 8 on Trump’s original effort to have a Colorado court reverse a significant ruling. The ruling, which connected Trump’s activities to the violence in the Capitol on January 6, 2021, may bar him from running for office in the state.
Trump, who has not indicated that he will attend the arguments, may be up against the three judges he nominated as well as the remainder of the bench. Trump has been actively involved in litigation proceedings in New York for alleged business fraud and defamation, despite continued legal obstacles, while also running for president in Iowa and New Hampshire.
Republican authorities have overwhelmingly backed Trump; supportive briefs have been filed by the Republican National Committee, GOP congressional leaders, attorneys general, secretaries of state, and other party members. As of right now, Trump is seen as the front-runner for the Republican nomination.
Last month, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled 4–3 that Trump was unable to run for office again due to a 14th Amendment clause pertaining to the Reconstruction era. The purpose of this clause is to keep representatives of the Confederacy from rising to prominence in the federal government after it has been rebuilt. Both the Maine ruling and the decision in question are on temporary hold while Trump files an appeal.
Different states have different perspectives on the issue. While the Supreme Courts in Michigan and Minnesota upheld Trump’s inclusion on their respective ballots, California intends to include him on its primary ballot.
According to Trump’s legal team, the 14th Amendment’s insurrection clause does not apply to previous presidents, and even if it did, his conduct would not constitute “insurrection.” But according to the Colorado Supreme Court, the evidence shows that Trump actively supported the insurrectionists’ aim of obstructing a peaceful handover of power.
