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Donald Trump was pleased with the Supreme Court’s decision to allow him to remain on the presidential ballot in Colorado and other states that had previously deemed him ineligible.
Shortly after the court announced its decision, the 45th president posted on Truth Social, hailing the ruling as a significant victory for America.
In a unanimous decision, the court reversed the Colorado State Supreme Court’s ruling that attempted to prevent Trump from being on the ballot. The Colorado court referenced Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment, also known as the “insurrection clause.”
“This case raises the question of whether the States, in addition to Congress, may also enforce Section 3,” the decision states. “It is determined that States have the authority to disqualify individuals from holding or seeking state office.” States do not have the authority under the Constitution to enforce Section 3 in relation to federal offices, particularly the Presidency.
The ruling also states that the Constitution does not grant States the authority to enforce Section 3 against federal officeholders and candidates.
Interestingly, Illinois and Maine had determined that Trump was ineligible to appear on their states’ ballots, referencing the Fourteenth Amendment. Monday’s ruling overturns those decisions as well.
In December, the Colorado Supreme Court determined that Trump had committed insurrection as defined in Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment. However, he was not criminally convicted – let alone charged – with inciting an insurrection or of seditious conspiracy in either of the federal proceedings against him. On December 28, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows (D) declared that Trump’s “primary petition is invalid,” citing Section Three as a factor.
This case involves Trump v Anderson, No. 23–719, in the Supreme Court of the United States of America.
