Six Colorado voters who believe that former President Donald Trump is ineligible for the presidency due to his involvement in the Capitol attack have filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court. The voters are urging the Court to uphold a previous ruling by the Colorado Supreme Court that barred Trump from the state’s Republican primary ballot. The plaintiffs argue that Trump intentionally incited a violent mob to attack the Capitol in an effort to prevent the counting of electoral votes against him. The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments in the case on February 8.
The plaintiffs, consisting of four Republican voters and two unaffiliated voters, are supported by the liberal watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW). They filed the suit in September as part of a broader campaign to disqualify Trump from state ballots under the 14th Amendment of the Constitution. The outcome of the Colorado case may have implications for this wider effort.
Trump, who is currently the frontrunner for the Republican nomination, has appealed to the Supreme Court to overturn the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling. His lawyers argue that presidents are exempt from the constitutional disqualification clause outlined in the 14th Amendment. They maintain that Trump did not engage in insurrection and suggest that Congress should be responsible for determining presidential eligibility.
In addition to the Colorado case, Trump has also appealed a decision by Maine’s top election official to bar him from the primary ballot under the 14th Amendment. The Maine case is on hold pending the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Colorado case.
The ruling issued by the Colorado Supreme Court marked the first time the disqualification clause of the 14th Amendment was used to deem a presidential candidate ineligible. Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6, seeking to prevent the certification of President Joe Biden’s victory. Trump delivered a controversial speech to his supporters before the attack, where he made false claims about widespread voter fraud and urged them to fight like hell.
In addition to the legal battles over eligibility, Trump also faces criminal charges in two cases related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.
The Supreme Court’s ruling in the Colorado case is eagerly anticipated as it will have significant implications for Trump’s candidacy and the ongoing campaign to disqualify him from state ballots. The Republican primary is scheduled for March 5, and the outcome of the legal challenges may shape the party’s nomination process.
As the nation awaits the Supreme Court’s decision, the controversy surrounding Trump’s eligibility for the presidency continues to generate political tension and public interest.
