**Michigan Supreme Court Upholds Trump’s Presence on 2024 Primary Ballot**
In a recent development reported by Fox News on December 27, 2023, the Michigan Supreme Court has declined an effort to exclude former President Donald Trump from the state’s Republican primary ballot in 2024, marking a pivotal turn in the ongoing legal wrangle over his eligibility for future political endeavors.
This decision follows the controversial move by the Colorado Supreme Court to disqualify Trump from appearing on the 2024 ballots in that state.
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Justice Elizabeth Welch elucidated the court’s stance, emphasizing fundamental differences between Michigan and Colorado’s election laws that influenced the verdict.
“Colorado’s election laws differ from Michigan’s laws in a material way that is directly relevant to why the appellants in this case are not entitled to the relief they seek concerning the presidential primary election in Michigan,” Welch explained.
The crux of the appellants’ argument rested on the belief that political parties, as state entities, must abide by the United States Constitution when nominating candidates for the presidential primary.
However, Welch underscored the appellants’ failure to identify a comparable provision in Michigan Election Law mandating presidential candidates to confirm their legal qualifications.
The Michigan Supreme Court’s decision closely follows the Colorado ruling, which cited the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution to disqualify Trump.
Quoting the Amendment, “No person shall… hold any office… who… engaged in insurrection or rebellion against [the United States].”
Welch emphasized that the Colorado decision was the result of an extensive evidentiary proceeding, crucial in resolving intricate legal questions.
She noted Trump’s intent to seek permission for an appeal in the United States Supreme Court, with the temporary suspension of the Colorado decision’s effects.
Highlighting the absence of a parallel provision in Michigan Election Law, Welch emphasized that Trump would retain his position on the state’s 2024 Republican primary ballot.
This refusal marks a significant turn in the broader context of Trump’s legal confrontations as he contends with disqualification lawsuits in various states such as Texas, Nevada, and Wisconsin.
These disqualification disputes remain deeply intertwined with the aftermath of the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot, an event that continues to reverberate throughout the political landscape.
