This is a victory for Donald Trump. The Supreme Court of the United States took everyone by surprise on Monday March 4, on the eve of Super Tuesday. She unanimously rejected a Colorado decision declaring the ex-president ineligible because of his role in the assault on the Capitol on January 6, 2021. “Because the Constitution gives Congress, not the states, responsibility for enforcing Section 3 against federal officeholders and nominees, we are reversing course.”wrote the Supreme Court in its decision. Donald Trump’s name can therefore remain on the ballots for the Republican primary in this western state. On his social network, Truth Social, Donald Trump welcomed“A GREAT VICTORY FOR AMERICA!!! »
The Colorado Supreme Court had, in fact, declared the former Republican president ineligible for the 2024 American presidential election on December 19, due to the role he played in the attack on the Capitol. She had ordered the withdrawal of ballots in her name for the Republican primaries in this state, Tuesday March 5. Colorado justice considered that the acts committed by Donald Trump on January 6, 2021 fell within the scope of section 3 of 14e amendment.
This amendment, adopted in 1868, then targeted supporters of the Southern Confederacy, defeated during the Civil War (1861-1865). It excludes from the highest public functions anyone who has engaged in acts of “rebellion” after taking an oath to defend the Constitution.
On January 3, the former Republican president asked the Supreme Court of the United States to invalidate the Colorado decision. During the debates on February 8, the Court, for the first time in its history, looked into this article.
Judges avoid qualifying Donald Trump’s actions
Most judges, regardless of their orientation, were careful not to venture into the minefield of qualifying Donald Trump’s actions during the assault on the Capitol, but they insisted on the legal obstacles and the potential fallout. of a confirmation of the Colorado decision.
In this hypothesis, the President of the Court, the conservative John Roberts, was concerned about a possible chain reaction by which the states controlled by the Republicans would in turn disqualify the Democratic candidate. “A handful of states would find themselves deciding the outcome of the presidential election. This would be a particularly frightening consequence”he estimated. “Why should a single state decide who will be president of the United States? »also objected progressive Justice Elena Kagan.
Donald Trump was also excluded from the primary ballot in Illinois and Maine. But these decisions were suspended pending the Supreme Court’s decision.
Targeted by four separate criminal proceedings, the big favorite in the Republican primaries for the November presidential election is seeking through his multiple appeals to go to trial as late as possible, in any case after the vote.