WASHINGTON – Former President Donald Trump He pleaded on Thursday Supreme Court Allowing him to remain on the Republican primary ballot in Colorado while trying to overturn a state decision that disqualified him for his role leading up to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.
Trump’s lawyers submitted a reference He revealed his position ahead of oral arguments scheduled for February 8.
The Colorado Supreme Court ruled December 19 The clause in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which prohibits an “officer of the United States” who is “engaged in rebellion” from running for various federal offices, appealed to Trump.
The case raises a variety of previously unresolved legal questions, including whether the constitutional language applies to presidential candidates and deciding whether someone has engaged in sedition.
In Thursday’s filing, Trump’s attorneys addressed these issues, saying the president is not an “officer of the United States,” that Trump is “not engaged in sedition,” and that only Congress can enforce the provision.
“The court must quickly and decisively put an end to these ballot nullification efforts, which threaten to disenfranchise tens of millions of Americans and cause chaos and confusion if other state courts and state officials follow Colorado’s lead and rule out a likely Republican presidential primary.” nominated their candidates from the ballots,” Trump’s lawyers wrote.
He canceled the decision of the State Supreme Court a decision of the lower court where a judge said Trump engaged in sedition by inciting riots on Jan. 6, but that presidents are not subject to the sedition clause of the 14th Amendment because they are not “officers of the United States.”
The state court said the ruling will be postponed indefinitely after Trump appeals to the US Supreme Court.
Interest in the Colorado case grew when he became Maine’s top election official concluded Trump was also ineligible to appear on the Republican primary ballot in that state. That case has been dismissed, meaning Trump remains on the ballot for now, and Trump’s appeal has been put on hold pending the Supreme Court’s decision.
The high court’s decision could affect all 50 states, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, said Thursday. Brief information on friend of the court emphasizes the need to make a final decision on the issue. He noted that a similar challenge has been raised in Michigan, which, while unsuccessful in the Republican primary, could be revived for the November general election.
“These questions need to be fully answered now, because election officials like clerks need to know if a former president is eligible to appear on the ballot as a candidate, and voters need to know if he was previously eligible to hold the office of president. they cast their votes,” Benson’s lawyers wrote. Benson did not take a position on whether Trump should be deemed unfit.
So far, dozens of other briefs have been filed in the case, including one supported by Trump 179 Republican members of Congress House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
The original lawsuit was filed by a left-leaning government watchdog group on behalf of six Colorado voters. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington and two law firms. They and their supporters have until January 31 to submit their briefs to the Supreme Court.