Former President Donald Trump faces a formidable legal hurdle in his quest to secure a spot on Colorado’s Republican primary ballot, following a consequential ruling by the state’s Supreme Court that deemed him ineligible.
After a state court ruling declared Trump ineligible due to his alleged involvement in the insurrection, his legal team promptly filed an appeal with the Supreme Court. NBC News, on January 4, reported Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold’s exclusive insights during an interview with MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell, shedding light on the unfolding developments.
Griswold stressed the urgency of the situation, citing the imminent deadline to certify candidates, which compounds the time-sensitive nature of the matter.
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Despite the state court’s decision, Griswold clarified that Trump’s name would persist on the ballot until any action is taken by the Supreme Court.
“The Colorado Supreme Court determined that Trump did engage in insurrection, and because of that, he is disqualified from the ballot,” Griswold affirmed. “However, their decision stated that if an appeal was filed before today, he would be on the ballot until the Supreme Court took some type of action.”
Griswold, responsible for certifying candidates for the March 5 primary election, underscored the urgency for a swift resolution. Colorado’s electoral system includes various methods like early voting, in-person balloting, and mail-in voting, underscoring the state’s robust election infrastructure.
As county clerks prepare to commence printing ballots imminently, Griswold emphasized the pressing need for a timely resolution, especially for overseas and military voters set to receive their ballots this month.
Expressing her hope for an expeditious Supreme Court action, Griswold emphasized, “I do hope that the Supreme Court acts with urgency because, Lawrence, frankly, the American people deserve to know whether a president can engage in insurrection and then be qualified once again to hold that office.”
This legal battle’s outcome not only impacts Trump’s Colorado candidacy but also holds the potential to set a precedent concerning the eligibility of individuals involved in actions classified as insurrection.
With the March 5 primary looming, attention turns to the Supreme Court for a swift and definitive ruling on the former president’s bid to reclaim a spot on the ballot.
