California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley N. Weber has rejected appeals to exclude former President Donald Trump from the state’s 2024 presidential primary ballot.
Despite facing pressure from influential Democrats, including Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, Weber stated on Thursday that state law does not grant her office the authority to disqualify candidates.
This decision aligns with Weber’s prior response to Kounalakis’ public letter, urging the exploration of legal avenues to prevent Trump’s candidacy.
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While acknowledging the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision to disqualify Trump based on the Constitution’s Insurrectionist Clause, Weber emphasized the seriousness of removing candidates under Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment.
According to Weber, imposing such punitive measures requires careful consideration beyond typical eligibility criteria.
Efforts to exclude Trump have ignited intense legal debates in California. State Assembly Democrats petitioned Attorney General Rob Bonta for intervention, leading to a filed lawsuit that was later voluntarily withdrawn.
Even Governor Gavin Newsom cautioned against overreach, stating, “In California, we defeat candidates we don’t like at the polls.”
The controversy stems from the Colorado Supreme Court’s December 19th ruling, which cited Trump’s connection to the January 6th Capitol attack in disqualifying his candidacy. This decision triggered nationwide initiatives targeting Trump’s eligibility.
On Thursday, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows followed Colorado’s lead, disqualifying Trump based on the Constitution’s prohibition against insurrectionists holding office.
Despite mounting pressure, Weber resisted calls from fellow Democrats to intervene against Trump’s candidacy.
Weber, despite personal objections to Trump’s post-election conduct, emphasized that adherence to the rule of law takes precedence over partisan goals.
“I must be better than Trump,” Weber asserted, underscoring the need for restraint in line with legal and ethical norms.
Weber’s office extensively collaborated with state legal authorities to explore potential grounds for barring Trump’s access to the ballot. However, California’s Constitution lacks explicit mechanisms for disqualifying candidates based on previous conduct, leaving adjudication to the courts.
While legal offensives against Trump have been mounted, none have succeeded in California. Weber’s office continues to monitor the situation for potential U.S. Supreme Court involvement.
Some analysts characterized Lieutenant Governor Kounalakis’ letter as a strategic political move to gain traction in the 2026 gubernatorial race against Governor Newsom.
However, experts caution that overt interventions without solid legal grounds could be perceived as deeply partisan and tone-deaf.
Instead, they advocate allowing court adjudication based on constitutional interpretation, rather than direct political interference. Weber concurred, emphasizing the need to uphold public trust and refrain from subjective decision-making that could undermine electoral integrity.
As the legal battle unfolds, the U.S. Supreme Court is poised to review differing state-level decisions on Trump’s eligibility.
Constitutional experts stress the urgency of a timely ruling given the approaching 2024 election cycle.
While lawsuits have produced mixed results nationwide, Weber underscored California’s obligation to navigate the issue judiciously based on legal guidelines, not political opinions.
For now, Trump remains on California’s ballot, awaiting potential intervention from the courts.
