Donald Trump Disqualification: Trump Allies Appeal Colorado Disqualification But Ex-POTUS Allowed in Michigan Ballot

As Donald Trump rages about his Colorado disqualification, his allies in the state are appealing the Colorado Supreme Court decision. Meanwhile, in Michigan, the ex-POTUS was allowed to stay on the ballot.

Conservative nonprofit group, the American Center for Law and Justice, filed a petition to the US Supreme Court to overturn the Colorado Supreme Court decision that has blocked the embattled former president from running in the state after engaging in an insurrection on January 6, 2021.

The organization filed the request on behalf of the Colorado Republican Party and the move was spearheaded by a notable Trump ally, Jay Sekulow, who previously defended Trump during the Senate impeachment trial. He now serves as the chief counsel to the conservative group.

According to Rolling Stone, the group filed the petition on Wednesday, asking the highest court in the land to "promptly review and overturn the Colorado decision."

"Unless the Colorado Supreme Court's decision is overturned, any voter will have the power to sue to disqualify any political candidate, in Colorado or in any other jurisdiction that follows its lead," the group's lawyers wrote in the filing. "This will not only distort the 2024 presidential election but will also mire courts henceforth in political controversies over nebulous accusations of insurrection."

What Will the Appeal Mean for the Donald Trump's Colorado Disqualification?

The Colorado Supreme Court banned Trump from the state's ballot because of the 14th Amendment, which bans anybody who "engaged in insurrection" from running. However, the Supreme Court also stayed its ruling and this stay could be extended thanks to the appeal by the Republicans.

The stay in the ruling pauses the decision until January 4, the day before the state's primary ballots are due at the printer. However, this appeal may extend that stay further.

According to the Associated Press, this is an unprecedented situation as the US Supreme Court has never ruled on Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which states that anyone who swore an oath to "support" the Constitution and then "engaged in insurrection" against it cannot hold government office. This was added after the Civil War to prevent former Confederates from taking part in the government.

The Colorado Supreme Court ruled that this rule applies to Trump due to his role in the January 6 Capitol Insurrection.

Michigan Supreme Court Rules Trump Can Stay on the Ballot

While Colorado interpreted the law to disqualify Trump, the Michigan Supreme Court saw things differently in its ruling, allowing the former president to stay on the ballot.

During its decision, released last Wednesday, the Michigan Supreme Court said it was "not persuaded" to consider overturning a lower court's previous decision to keep Trump on the state's ballot. This may mainly be due to Michigan and Colorado having different election laws.

People Magazine reported that Michigan has asserted that there is no provision in the state requiring a candidate to have "legal qualification" for office. This means that even if Trump was deemed ineligible for the presidency by the Constitution, the state can still allow him on the ballot.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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