In a fervent plea to the Supreme Court, former President Donald Trump has issued a warning of potential “chaos and bedlam” if efforts to disqualify him from the presidential ballot in Colorado are not swiftly halted. Trump’s urgent call for a “swift and decisive end” to the proceedings comes as the court is set to hold oral arguments on February 8 regarding his earlier request to overturn a consequential decision by a Colorado court.
The decision in question, emanating from Colorado’s Supreme Court last month, determined that Trump, due to his actions related to the January 6, 2021, Capitol violence, was ineligible for another term under a Reconstruction-era provision in the 14th Amendment. This provision was designed to prevent individuals who had supported the Confederacy from regaining power in the reconstructed federal government. Consequently, the ruling barred Trump from the primary ballot in Colorado.
Trump’s filing to the Supreme Court underscores the magnitude of the issue, contending that the attempts to disqualify him “threaten to disenfranchise tens of millions of Americans.” He asserts that the repercussions of such a decision would lead to widespread chaos and bedlam, a sentiment echoed throughout his legal argument.
The former president has not clarified whether he will personally attend the oral arguments, where he would face three justices he appointed, alongside the remainder of the bench. Despite legal battles, Trump has been actively participating in civil trials in both state and federal courts in New York, where he faces allegations of business fraud and defamation. Concurrently, he has maintained his presidential campaign activities in Iowa and New Hampshire.
Support for Trump’s cause has poured in from various quarters of the Republican establishment. The Republican National Committee, GOP congressional leaders, attorneys general, secretaries of state, and other Republican officials nationwide have submitted supporting briefs endorsing Trump’s candidacy, considering him the frontrunner for the party’s nomination.
While Colorado’s Supreme Court ruled against Trump in a 4-3 split decision, other states have reached divergent conclusions. California Secretary of State Shirley Weber, a Democrat, has affirmed that Trump will be included on her state’s primary ballot. Similarly, the supreme courts in Michigan and Minnesota have decided to retain Trump on the ballots in their respective states.
Trump’s legal arguments contest the applicability of the insurrection provision of the 14th Amendment to former presidents. His lawyers contend that even if the provision is deemed relevant, Trump did not engage in activities that qualify as insurrection. The majority opinion of the Colorado Supreme Court, however, contends otherwise, stating that the record “amply demonstrates that President Trump fully intended to—and did—aid or further the insurrectionists’ common unlawful purpose of preventing the peaceful transfer of power in this country.”
The court highlighted Trump’s active role in encouraging his supporters to fight against the certification of the 2020 presidential election and his personal actions aimed at obstructing the certification process. The gravity of these allegations and the potential disenfranchisement of millions of voters underscore the significance of the impending Supreme Court decision on Trump’s eligibility for the Colorado ballot. As the oral arguments approach, the nation awaits a resolution to this critical legal battle with implications for the political landscape.