Colorado Republicans ask Supreme Court to hear Trump ballot eligibility dispute
NBCDec 22, 2023
Colorado GOP Appeals Trump Ballot Ban to SCOTUS
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The Facts
Colorado Supreme Court's recent ruling to remove former Pres. Donald Trump — the frontrunner for the GOP’s 2024 presidential nomination — from the state's primary ballot has been appealed to the US Supreme Court by Colorado's Republican Party.
The Colorado court voted 4-3 on Dec. 19 to force Trump off the primary ballot because of alleged violations of Section 3 of the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution, accusing the former president of “engaging in insurrection” during the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at the US Capitol.
The Spin
Pro-Trump narrative
The Colorado court is attempting to block Trump from running for the state's Republican nomination despite the highly qualified former president having not been convicted of any crimes. This decision is just corrupt Democrats and the Biden administration continuing to attempt to disqualify him because they know they can’t beat him, as evidenced by his strong polling.
Anti-Trump narrative
The Colorado GOP, Trump, and his lawyers certainly have the right to appeal this decision, but the law is on the side of the plaintiffs. Section 3 exists to protect US democracy from those who threaten it — in this case, a president who refused to concede and instead incited a resurrection. This isn’t a politically motivated decision; it’s enforcement of the Constitution.