Donald Trump, who served as President previously, has lodged an appeal contesting a Democratic judge’s decision to overturn a prior ruling permitting his inclusion on the ballot for the 2024 presidential election.
On February 28, Judge Tracie R. Porter of the Cook County State Circuit Court determined that Trump had been involved in an insurrection and urged for the reversal of the previous ruling. Porter advocated for the removal of Trump from the ballot or for votes for him to be suppressed.
A representative from the Trump Campaign asserted that Porter’s decision was an effort by Democratic groups allegedly funded by Soros to disrupt the presidential election. The spokesperson criticized the ruling as unconstitutional, contending that Trump is leading in polls in Illinois and is poised to restore the country’s greatness.
On March 4, the Supreme Court delivered a substantial setback to efforts in Illinois, Colorado, and Maine to eliminate the ex-president from the ballot, stating that states lack the authority to do so. The Supreme Court had previously expressed doubts regarding the decision of the Colorado Supreme Court, particularly regarding the implications of allowing states to exclude candidates from opposing parties from the ballots.
The decision overturned the Colorado ruling which concluded that Trump could not serve another term as president under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment of the Constitution. Trump hailed the 9-0 decision in the predominantly conservative court as a significant victory for the nation.
The justices determined that the duty of interpreting and enforcing the 14th Amendment concerning federal candidates and officers rested with Congress, not the states. Consequently, they felt compelled to overturn the Colorado decision. They emphasized that the Constitution does not oblige them to tolerate such disorder.
Three of the Supreme Court justices – Amy Coney Barrett, Brett Kavanaugh, and Neil Gorsuch – were appointed by Trump. Colorado’s Democratic Secretary of State, Jena Griswold, expressed disappointment with the court’s decision to diminish the states’ authority following the ruling.
In her January submission to the Supreme Court, she labeled Trump as an ineligible insurrectionist and contended that Colorado should possess the power to disqualify candidates who violate their oaths from appearing on the ballot. The ruling prohibits any state from excluding Trump or any other federal candidate from an election ballot due to assertions under the 14th Amendment.
