Former President Trump Challenges Supreme Court Decision in Colorado Ballot Case, Warns of ‘Chaos and Bedlam’
Former President Trump filed a brief with the Supreme Court on Thursday, challenging a decision by Colorado's highest court to remove him from the state's 2024 ballot.
Trump urged the justices to swiftly and decisively end efforts to disqualify him from the presidential ballot in Colorado. Trump argues that these efforts not only threaten to disenfranchise tens of millions of Americans but also have the potential to unleash ‘chaos and bedlam’ across the nation.
In his main filing to the court ahead of the oral arguments on February 8, Trump seeks to overturn a bombshell decision by a Colorado court that could keep him off the state's ballot due to his alleged connection to the violence at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Despite the upcoming arguments, Trump has not yet confirmed whether he will attend, as he has been attending civil trials in New York state and federal court regarding alleged business fraud and defamation. This is in addition to his presidential campaign activities in Iowa and New Hampshire.
Trump's bid to secure a spot-on Colorado's primary ballot has garnered support from various Republican entities, including the Republican National Committee, GOP congressional leaders, attorneys general, secretaries of state, and other Republican officials from across the country. These individuals have filed supporting briefs in favor of Trump, who is currently the front-runner for the Republican nomination.
Last month, Colorado's Supreme Court ruled that Trump was barred from seeking another term and, consequently, prohibited from being included on the state's primary ballot.
The court based its decision on a Reconstruction era provision in the 14th Amendment, which was originally intended to prevent former federal officials who supported the Confederacy from regaining power in the reconstructed federal government.
The ruling has been suspended pending the outcome of Trump's appeal, along with a similar decision in Maine. Other states have approached the issue differently, with California Secretary of State Shirley Weber, a Democrat, stating that she would include Trump on her state's primary ballot. In Michigan and Minnesota, the respective Supreme Courts ruled that Trump would remain on the ballots in those states.
Trump's arguments to the Supreme Court revolve around the notion that the insurrection provision of the 14th Amendment does not apply to former presidents. Furthermore, his legal team asserts that even if it does apply, Trump did not engage in any actions that qualify as an insurrection.
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The Colorado Supreme Court, which was divided by a 4-3 vote in its decision, argued that the record "amply demonstrates" that Trump actively aided and furthered the unlawful purpose of the insurrectionists, which was to prevent the peaceful transfer of power in the country. The court highlighted Trump's exhortations to fight against the certification of the 2020 presidential election and his personal actions to disrupt the certification process.
As the Supreme Court prepares to hear Trump's case, the outcome will have significant implications for the former president's ability to appear on the primary ballot in Colorado. The decision will also shape the broader discussion surrounding the interpretation of the 14th Amendment, its applicability to former presidents, and the ability of American’s to freely vote for the presidential candidate of their choosing without judicial or bureaucratic interference.