Colorado secretary of state confirms Donald Trump's ballot presence unless SC rules disqualification

DENVER, COLORADO: In a legal twist, former President Donald Trump has been reinstated on the presidential ballot in Colorado.

An appeal temporarily halted a ruling that sought to exclude him under the "insurrection" clause of the US Constitution.

Swift Action by Colorado Republicans

The Colorado Republican Party acted swiftly, filing an appeal with the US Supreme Court on December 27, challenging the lower court's decision to disqualify Trump based on his alleged role in the January 6 Capitol riot.

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold confirmed on Wednesday that Trump would remain on the ballot. The ballots are scheduled to go to print on January 5, contingent upon the Supreme Court's decision on the appeal, CBS News reported.

The 4-3 ruling earlier this month invoked a 155-year-old 14th Amendment clause, preventing individuals who "engaged in insurrection" from holding office.

While Colorado's 10 Electoral College votes may not significantly sway the general election, the ruling could set a precedent for other states contemplating similar actions against Trump.

Michigan, in a contrasting decision, opted to keep the former president on the ballot for the state's primary, recognizing its strategic significance in the hotly contested 2024 presidential race.

Louisiana has also waded into the legal quagmire, with a recent lawsuit attempting to prevent Trump from appearing on the ballot linked to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

Griswold, in a strongly-worded press release, asserted, "Donald Trump engaged in insurrection and was disqualified under the Constitution from the Colorado Ballot."

"The Colorado Supreme Court got it right. This decision is now being appealed," she continued. "I urge the US Supreme Court to act quickly given the upcoming presidential primary election."

Temporary stay by Colorado Supreme Court

The Colorado Supreme Court, cognizant of the gravity of the situation, temporarily stayed its ruling until January 4, allowing time for the appeal process.

Former Trump attorney Jay Sekulow's American Center for Law & Justice, a conservative legal powerhouse, filed a petition seeking to overturn Colorado's decision.

In a joint statement with his son Jordan, Sekulow remarked, "We've been saying from the day we took this case that this was one that would end up at the US Supreme Court."

"Today, we just filed a petition for certiorari to the US Supreme Court to overturn the Colorado Supreme Court's dangerously flawed twisting of the 14th Amendment to ban former President Trump from the ballot," they wrote.

"This is the most important case we have ever taken on," they added. "Because if we lose our right to vote, we lose our constitutional republic. We expect this case to move very quickly, and we will keep you updated on its progress."

The appeal's immediate impact is to extend the stay of the 4-3 ruling, effectively putting the decision on hold until January 4, the day before the state's primary ballots are due at the printer, or until the US Supreme Court concludes its review—whichever comes first.

Undeterred, Trump himself has declared his intent to appeal the ruling to the nation's highest court.

It's worth noting that the Supreme Court has never ruled on Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, added post-Civil War to prevent former Confederates from returning to government.

The clause stipulates that anyone who swore an oath to "support" the constitution and then "engaged in insurrection" against it cannot hold government office. Notably, the section doesn't explicitly mention the presidency.

The Colorado high court, however, took a groundbreaking stance, ruling that the provision applies to Trump after he allegedly encouraged his supporters to engage in the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol.

The rioters aimed to halt the certification of President Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 presidential election.

Colorado's majority opinion marks the first instance in history that the 14th Amendment provision has been invoked to block a presidential contender's campaign, creating a legal precedent that could resonate beyond the state's borders.

Social media reactions

Social media was inundated with a barrage of reactions after Trump made his way back onto the ballot.

"He won't win Colorado whether he's on the ballot or not..." one posted on X (formerly Twitter).

"Colorado Secretary of State had to announce Trump is back on the Ballot. I bet that made her crazy eyes water..." another wrote.

"Trump is BACK on the ballot in Colorado. The insane liberal Secretary of State, Jena Griswold, has declared. She probably realized how much fundraising would be going on for the GOP with this ruling and wanted to stop it. Don't praise this decision. Do not ever praise a liberal. This is somehow calculated. Griswold is no hero," someone else chimed in.

"I can’t wait for the leftist dweebs to delete their previous tweets about ‘cry hard MAGA’ meanwhile crying harder themselves now," another quipped.

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