A recent announcement on the Supreme Court’s website suggests that at least one opinion could be issued on Monday. With this news, rumours will fly that the justices are getting ready to rule on whether or not Trump may be on the Colorado presidential ballot.
The court’s decision-making process is completely secretive. But before Coloradoans go to the polls this week for the Super Tuesday primary, the justices may want to settle the Trump case.
The ballots were printed weeks ago, so Trump’s name will be on the Colorado ballot regardless. However, if the justices determined that the former president was unqualified to serve, there was no assurance that voters who selected him would have their choice counted until the court issued a verdict. The question of whether or not Trump’s name can appear on November general election ballots is also at issue.
Other states with comparable challenges may also have their cases decided by the verdict. Trump was taken from the ballot in Illinois by a judge on Wednesday; but, the judgement was postponed to allow the former president time to appeal.
An appeal challenging Trump’s eligibility under the “insurrectionist clause” of the 14th Amendment was heard by the Supreme Court on February 8. Six Colorado voters asserted that his statements on January 6, 2021, preceding the assault on the US Capitol, prohibited him from running for office.
At least some of the judges, including Trump’s conservative and liberal colleagues, seemed to have reservations about the assertion and support his stance throughout those arguments.
