Former President Donald Trump
By Kathy Wray Coleman, editor
WASHINGTON, D.C- The US Supreme Court has agreed to hear former President Donald Trump's 14th Amendment case out of Colorado as the 2024 presidential election nears, setting oral arguments in the case for early February.
Last week Trump was booted from another state primary ballot following a ruling a week prior by the Colorado Supreme Court that says his candidacy in the state's primary this year is prohibited on constitutional grounds.
The second disqualification event was initiated with the state of Maine at the helm and state officials there, specifically Secretary of State Sheena Bellows, say he engaged in insurrection and that such behavior disqualify's him from seeking the presidency for a third time. Her decision to remove the former president's name from the ballot following administrative review, which is permitted under state law, is on hold pending an appeal.
Bellows told reporters that she did what the law required her to do and that her decision is in cooperation with "the constitution and Maine election law." She says she has since received threats and that she is concerned for her safety and the safety of those around her, including family members and security personnel.
Challenges in a few other states, some of them still pending, have proven unsuccessful and legal sources say that the Colorado ruling has opened the floodgates for other states like Maine to follow, notwithstanding an ultimate decision on the controversial matter by the US Supreme Court in Trump's favor.
A lower Colorado court ruled that while Trump engaged in insurrection via the Jan 6 Capitol riot it did not disqualify him from the state primary ballot, but the state's highest court saw otherwise.
"A majority of the court holds that President Trump is disqualified from holding the office of President under Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution," the ruling said. "Because he is disqualified, it would be a wrongful act under the Election Code for the Colorado Secretary of State to list him as a candidate on the presidential primary ballot.”
The Colorado Supreme Court decision, however, is stayed to allow for further appeals.
Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for Trump's campaign, blasted the Colorado ruling. Trump has never been charged with insurrection relative to the Jan 6 Capitol riot, much less convicted, his supporters say, though his opponents say a conviction is not required under the 14th Amendment provision at issue, section three in fact.
“Unsurprisingly, the all-Democrat appointed Colorado Supreme Court has ruled against President Trump, supporting a Soros-funded, left-wing group’s scheme to interfere in an election on behalf of crooked Joe Biden by removing President Trump’s name from the ballot and eliminating the rights of Colorado voters to vote for the candidate of their choice," Cheung said in a statement.
He added that "we have full confidence that the U.S. Supreme Court will quickly rule in our favor and finally put an end to these un-American lawsuits."
President Biden has called Trump, the front-runner for the Republican nomination, undemocratic and a danger to America as he campaigns for reelection.
How the conservative-leaning U.S. Supreme Court, which has three Trump appointees, will rule remains to be seen.
Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, the most read Black digital newspaper and Black blog in Ohio and in the Midwest. Tel: (216) 659-0473. Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com. We interviewed former president Barack Obama one-on-one when he was campaigning for president. As to the Obama interview. CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM, OHIO'S LEADER IN BLACK DIGITAL NEWS.