Donald Trump lauded the US Supreme Court’s reversal of his disqualification from Colorado’s ballot, but quickly turned his attention to another big case before the justices.
Donald Trump lauded the US Supreme Court’s reversal of his disqualification from Colorado’s ballot, but quickly turned his attention to another big case before the justices by publicly lobbying for presidential immunity from prosecution.
“I have great respect for the Supreme Court. And I want to just thank them for working so quickly and so diligently and so brilliantly,” the former president said in Florida on Monday after the justices ruled in his favour by barring states from disqualifying candidates for federal office based on a constitutional provision concerning insurrection.
The question before the nine justices was whether Trump was ineligible to appear on the Republican presidential primary ballot in Colorado because he engaged in an insurrection – the January 6, 2021 assault on the US Capitol by his supporters.
On Monday, the top court ruled that “responsibility for enforcing Section 3 against federal officeholders and candidates rests with Congress and not the States” – and that the principle applied “especially (to) the Presidency”.
The 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868 after the Civil War, was aimed at preventing supporters of the slaveholding breakaway Confederacy from being elected to Congress or from holding federal positions.
Monday’s ruling renders other similar state challenges to Trump’s primary ballot appearance, including in Maine, effectively moot.
The Supreme Court, which includes three justices nominated by Trump, has historically been loath to get involved in political questions, but it is taking centre stage in this year’s White House race.
