Reproduction: Flip
Donald Trump, former President of the United States
Former President of the United States Donald Trump filed an appeal with the Supreme Court of the United States this Thursday (18), demanding that he be allowed to enter the presidential race this year. The appeal comes after the Colorado Supreme Court blocked Trump's name from appearing on the state's ballot. The reason for this is a constitutional provision that provides for the right of veto from holding public office to people associated with the attacks on the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
In the 59page petition filed by Trump, the former president claims that the Colorado court overstated its decision. “The Supreme Court must put a swift and decisive end to this effort to disqualify ballots, which threatens to disenfranchise tens of millions of Americans and which promises to unleash chaos and confusion if other state courts and state officials follow suit.” said the businessman.
If the Supreme Court rules in favor of Trump, the decision would result in the failure of several states' efforts to block the businessman with the same privileges from running in the election. Trump is the main name that will take the place of the Republicans in the presidential race.
The Colorado Supreme Court's decision took into account Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which came into effect shortly after the Civil War. It states that a person who has taken an oath to support the Constitution and then “participated in insurrection” is ineligible for election, barring them from returning to public office. The clause is very broad and does not provide any explanation as to how and when it is to be applied.
In his defense, Trump claims that he did not participate in an insurrection, that the clause cannot be applied to the office of president and that it is the duty of Congress to pass laws to apply the disqualification.
“Raising concerns about the integrity of the recent federal election and pointing out reports of fraud and irregularities is not an act of violence or threat of violence,” Trump’s appeal says. He adds: “And giving an impassioned political speech and metaphorically telling supporters to fight 'like hell' for their beliefs is not an insurrection either.”
For the businessman, the Supreme Court “cannot tolerate a regime that makes a candidate’s fitness for office dependent on a court’s assessment of dubious expert testimony or claims that President Trump has telepathic powers.”
According to the former president's interpretation, the clause only says that the citizen cannot run for office, but does not speak of running for office or being elected.