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Donald Trump. Alamy Stock Photo

US Supreme Court overrules decision to remove Donald Trump from Colorado ballot

Colorado’s state court had found that Trump’s role in the 6 January 2021, attack on the US Capitol disqualified him.

THE US SUPREME Court has ruled that Donald Trump can remain on the presidential primary ballot in Colorado, overturning a decision from the state’s court to remove him for allegedly engaging in insurrection.

The justices ruled a day before the Super Tuesday primaries that states, without action from Congress first, cannot invoke a post-Civil War constitutional provision to keep presidential candidates from appearing on ballots.

Trump appealed against a 4-3 ruling in December by the Colorado Supreme Court that marked the first time in history that Section 3 of the 14th Amendment was used to bar a presidential contender from the ballot.

Section 3 of the 14th Amendment bars anyone from holding public office if they engaged in “insurrection or rebellion” after once pledging to support and defend the Constitution.

The court found that Trump’s role in the 6 January 2021, attack on the US Capitol disqualified him under the clause.

The provision has been used so sparingly in American history that the US Supreme Court has never ruled on it.

Trump had been kicked off the ballots in Colorado, Maine and Illinois, but all three rulings were on hold awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision.

In a unanimous ruling today, the Supreme Court stated: “This case raises the question whether the States, in addition to Congress, may also enforce Section 3.

“We conclude that States may disqualify persons holding or attempting to hold state office. But States have no power under the Constitution to enforce Section 3 with respect to federal offices, especially the Presidency.”

The nine-judge court said that responsibility for enforcing Section 3 against federal officeholders and candidates “rests with Congress and not the States”.

“The judgment of the Colorado Supreme Court therefore cannot stand. All nine Members of the Court agree with that result.”

‘Big win for America’

In a post on his Truth Social platform following the unanimous ruling, Trump said: “BIG WIN FOR AMERICA!!!”

The Supreme Court, which includes three justices nominated by Trump, has historically been loath to get involved in political questions, but it is taking center stage in this year’s White House race.

Besides the Colorado case, the Supreme Court has also agreed to hear Trump’s claim that he is immune from criminal prosecution as a former president and cannot be tried on separate charges of conspiring to overturn the 2020 election.

Trump was impeached by the Democratic-majority House of Representatives for inciting an insurrection but was acquitted thanks to Republican support in the Senate.

He is also scheduled to go on trial in New York on 25 March on charges of covering up hush money payments to a porn star ahead of the 2016 election.

In yet another case, Trump faces federal charges in Florida of refusing to give up top secret documents after leaving the White House.

Trump is currently the frontrunner to capture the Republican nomination. He has now won every state nominating contest heading into Super Tuesday, when voters in 15 US states choose their preferred candidate for each party.

He is likely to face US President Joe Biden in November elections, pitting the two for the second time since 2020.

With reporting from AFP

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    Mute Robert Bell
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    Mar 4th 2024, 4:27 PM

    Gteat news, as expected though. Rematch against Frankenstein awaits.

    133
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    Mute 9QRixo8H
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    Mar 4th 2024, 6:15 PM

    Allan Lichtman who developed a system that correctly predicted every presidency for the last 40 years, has made the call that Biden will win. Even Fox reported it!

    And BOY are those Angry Patriots in their gold trump runners gonna be angry come Nov 5th!!!

    26
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    Mute Thomas Hanlon
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    Mar 4th 2024, 9:02 PM

    @9QRixo8H: he hasn’t made a prediction yet, he leans towards Biden but hast made a prediction yet

    16
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    Mute Mojo
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    Mar 4th 2024, 4:50 PM

    TRUMP 2024

    101
    G
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    Mute G
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    Mar 4th 2024, 4:47 PM

    Be will definitely be the next POTUS. He may be very unlikeable, but he will definitely do a better job than the confused incumbent.

    104
    G
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    Mute G
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    Mar 4th 2024, 6:19 PM

    @Jimmy Wallace: do you think so? I genuinely think he has been a disaster. The levels of unrest across the world have risen significantly since the Donald left office. I appreciate the way he left was disgraceful. The US is in a terrible state too. Highest debt of all time, a bonkers attitude to law and order and immigration.

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    Mute RJF
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    Mar 4th 2024, 9:05 PM

    @Jimmy Wallace: Please list with Facts ??

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    Mute John Moylan
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    Mar 4th 2024, 4:34 PM

    News shocker: Orange man’s friends find in favour of Orange man.

    85
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    Mute Cian Nolan
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    Mar 4th 2024, 4:40 PM

    @John Moylan: It was a Unanimous rulling tbf, including justices who likely loath Trump.

    123
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    Mute Rob Cahill
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    Mar 4th 2024, 4:53 PM

    @Cian Nolan: They all likely loath him, He’s not a very likeable person. Ah well back to it was robbed in the ballot box and not the courts.

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    Mute Ken Mc Carthy
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    Mar 4th 2024, 5:00 PM

    @Cian Nolan: in fairness, truth & peace was ALWAYS going to win in the end

    MAGA

    TRUMP2024

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    Mute jack
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    Mar 4th 2024, 5:30 PM

    Great decision for Democracy. Let the people decide who is to be president.

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    Mute Numinous20111
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    Mar 4th 2024, 5:57 PM

    @jack: Honestly…..I’d lay the most blame on the voters of the Western World. Regardless of candidate quality, we just have this great gift for not taking politics seriously enough to cast our votes with our eyes open and then taking responsibility for how we cast our votes. We need an election to oust this government the majority of us voted for. A few months later (after the election is held)….we need an election to oust this government the majority of us voted for. That’s not taking responsibility and learning.

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    Mute Ken Mc Carthy
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    Mar 4th 2024, 5:02 PM

    Looking forward to the results on super- Tues ……… the winning just continues for the President of Peace.

    MAGA

    TRUMP2024

    59
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    Mute Ken Mc Carthy
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    Mar 4th 2024, 4:59 PM

    All those democrat judges& attorneys that participated in the vile witch hunt must be quaking in their boots

    61
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    Mute Patrick Cadogan
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    Mar 4th 2024, 5:27 PM

    @Ken Mc Carthy: I don’t think so….

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    Mute Ken Mc Carthy
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    Mar 4th 2024, 5:30 PM

    @Patrick Cadogan: I appreciate the President of Peace wouldn’t stoop so low as to seek vengeance/ retribution for the perpetrators of the evil witch hunt & weaponizing the justice department…. but there may be others who believe they should face trial/ jail

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    Mute Dan Breen
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    Mar 4th 2024, 7:08 PM

    God bless President Trump, and God bless the supreme court.

    37
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    Mute Dan Skelton
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    Mar 4th 2024, 4:03 PM

    No one cares about the orange clown. He’s history.

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    Mute Todd Hebert
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    Mar 4th 2024, 4:32 PM

    @Dan Skelton: Sadly, I wish he was, and I can’t wait until he is, but as of right now, he may not be in the dustbin where he belongs.

    60
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    Mute Eric Gaffney
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    Mar 4th 2024, 9:57 PM

    What’s with all the lefties in this rag? Been listening for the last 7 years how he’s going to prison, gonna start WW3, is as bad as Hitler. Jesus wept. Nonetheless wars across the globe since his departure from the White House.

    26
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    Mute Dave Grant
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    Mar 4th 2024, 5:06 PM

    At the end of the day the dems do not care a jot if they win or loose, the money will keep rolling in, their jobs are safe, the wars will continue, zero shits will be given.

    30
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    Mute Pelagius Asturias
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    Mar 4th 2024, 5:44 PM

    US politics is a shambles, both Democrats and Republicans sides, and it seems our very own useless politicians here are trying to out do them.

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    Mute Numinous20111
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    Mar 4th 2024, 5:51 PM

    @Pelagius Asturias: I don’t like the Democratic Party, but the GOP’s agenda is the following. 1) Prove large government doesn’t work by obstruction of most meaningful Congressional processes. 2) Turn minority voter support into as many naked power grabs as possible. 3) Do what the supporters of Trump demand. 4) Reduce politics to Social Media bite-sized stunts. Now the Democratic Party for all its faults, limitations and lack of effective organisation can actually develop, progress and often enact meaningful legislation and at the very least conform to the fundamental precepts of the US Constitution.

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    Mute ben wu
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    Mar 4th 2024, 6:11 PM

    @Numinous20111:
    Case in point, the bipartisan immigration bill that would have given the GOP a lot of what they have been harping on about, but then had to reject it so that Trump could use the border as a talking point for November.

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    Mute David O Brien
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    Mar 4th 2024, 5:37 PM

    What a bloody shock.

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    Mute smatrix mantra
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    Mar 4th 2024, 8:02 PM

    I will just skip the 2024 episode completely and fast forward. Who will become president in 2028?

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    Mute Ken Mc Carthy
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    Mar 4th 2024, 8:07 PM

    @smatrix mantra: nikki hayley

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    Mute Thesaltyurchin
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    Mar 4th 2024, 8:45 PM

    I thought Republicans were all for State independence from federal government?… Well, if it suits I suppose.

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    Mute Karl Paul
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    Mar 4th 2024, 7:26 PM

    The law is optional now.

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    Mute An Other
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    Mar 5th 2024, 12:05 AM

    Tango’d turtle in a wig.

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