Supreme Court clears Trump for 2024 ballots despite Capitol riots role

The U.S. Supreme Court delivered a pivotal decision on Monday, stating that former President Donald Trump cannot be barred from 2024 ballots due to his role in the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. The case originated from Colorado's attempt to exclude Trump from its ballots under a section of the 14th Amendment prohibiting individuals involved in insurrection from holding office.

In a per curiam ruling, the court asserted that the enforcement of Section 3 of the 14th Amendment against Trump is within the jurisdiction of Congress, not individual states. The decision emphasized that while states can disqualify individuals from state offices, they lack constitutional authority to enforce Section 3 regarding federal positions, especially the presidency.

No dissents were recorded, although the court's three liberal justices issued a concurring opinion, agreeing with the outcome but not all arguments presented in the per curiam opinion.

This landmark decision, just ahead of Super Tuesday, overturns Colorado's Supreme Court ruling against Trump and prevents other states from utilizing the 14th Amendment to prevent the former president from appearing on 2024 ballots.

It marks the first instance of the Supreme Court addressing the proper application of Section 3 of the 14th Amendment and the first time since Bush v. Gore in 2000 that the court has played a significant role in a presidential election.

A separate case involving Trump, slated for next month, will explore whether the ex-president can face criminal charges related to alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. Trump's legal team contends that he should be immune from prosecution, citing official presidential duties and his lack of impeachment and conviction by the House and Senate.

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in the immunity case in late April.

Source: Deseret News