On March 4, the US Supreme Court delivered a significant setback to Democrats by unanimously ruling that Colorado lacked the authority to remove former President Donald Trump from its primary ballot. Despite this setback, Maryland Representative Jamie Raskin (D) remains undeterred in his quest to disqualify Trump. He, along with other Democrats, is pursuing one last strategy following this landmark decision.
The US Supreme Court overturned the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling from December 2023, which had concluded that former President Trump had disqualified himself from the ballot by instigating the January 6 Capitol riot. The state justices had determined that Trump’s actions rendered him ineligible for future office under the 14th Amendment. However, the recent decision stated that the courts lack the authority to dictate who can be listed on the state’s ballots, emphasizing that only Congress has the power to make such determinations.
Raskin and his progressive congressional allies are seizing upon the ruling, suggesting that they could leverage the MAGA leader’s 2021 impeachment in their argument. During an appearance on CNN’s “Inside Politics” with Dana Bash, the Maryland representative voiced his disagreement with the US Supreme Court’s legal interpretation. He further mentioned that if the high court intended to defer to Congress, then lawmakers would actively pursue the matter.
In 2022, Raskin and Rep. Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) introduced HR7906, which permits civil action against individuals implicated in insurrection and prohibits them from seeking public office. Since November 2022, the bill has remained under review by a subcommittee.
Supporters of the bill might propose it again to emphasize the issue. While Special Counsel Jack Smith’s indictment against the former president includes charges related to the January 6 event, it does not explicitly accuse Trump of insurrection. Therefore, Democrats may face challenges in substantiating their case. Additionally, Raskin has reservations about whether Speaker Mike Johnson would permit him to introduce the legislation on the House floor.
