image copyrightGetty Images
time ago
The US Supreme Court on Thursday held a hearing in Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the state of Colorado, which banned Trump’s name from being included on the ballot in the presidential election. It is not yet known when the decision will be announced, but journalists and lawyers who followed the hearings are already almost completely confident that it will be in favor of the ex-president.
In December, the Colorado Supreme Court banned the inclusion of Donald Trump’s name in the list of candidates for the US presidency, citing an article of the US Constitution that prohibits rioters from holding public office.
The judges in Colorado, like many of Trump’s critics, believe that he tried to overturn the results of previous elections through illegal means and incited his supporters to storm the Capitol in January 2021.
“The majority of Supreme Court justices seem uneasy at the idea that one single state could take such drastic action against the leading Republican candidate in the presidential election. […] After two hours of debate, it looks like the judges’ strong Conservative majority is set to side with Trump and keep him on the ballot, reports BBC correspondent Sam Cabral.
“The majority of Supreme Court judges appear inclined to overturn the state court’s decision to bar Donald Trump from running for president again,” echoed an AFP correspondent.
Journalists note that both conservative and liberal members of the Supreme Court asked pointed questions to the representative of the state of Colorado.
“The Colorado decision is over,” Boston University constitutional law professor Robert Tsai emphatically told the BBC.
“Having heard the oral arguments, it is difficult to imagine that this court would do anything other than overturn the decision of the Colorado Supreme Court,” Professor Tsai said.
What if everyone starts?
Chief Justice John Roberts, a judge with a reputation as a conservative, suggested that a ruling in Colorado’s favor could have dire consequences for the entire presidential election process.
“If Colorado’s position is supported, then, of course, disqualification procedures will begin [кандидатов] and on the other hand. I believe that quite a few states will say: whoever the Democratic candidate is, get off the ballot!” Judge Roberts said.
As a result, the outcome of the presidential election will be determined by just a few states.
image copyrightGetty Images
Photo caption,
Most of the nine US Supreme Court justices are considered conservatives who would be inclined to support a Republican candidate.
The Colorado representative was also pressed by Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan, a judge with a reputation as a liberal.
“I think the question you have to answer is why an individual state can decide who becomes president of the United States. Why can a single state decide not only for its citizens, but for the rest of the nation?” she asked.
Trump liked the hearings
Donald Trump gathered reporters at his Florida estate after the hearing and told them he hoped for a decision in his favor. Trump assessed the course of the hearings as “a very wonderful process.”
“Is it possible for a person who is everywhere [в опросах] is in the lead, take it and say: so, we won’t let you run for office? You know, I think that would be tough. But I leave this to the discretion of the Supreme Court,” the ex-president said.
Trump again called the Colorado court decision and other similar actions against him attempts by the Democratic Party to interfere in the election process.
When is the decision?
The Supreme Court previously decided to hear Trump’s lawsuit against Colorado on an expedited basis.
It’s unclear exactly when the ruling will be announced, but the justices may be looking at at least one specific date: the Colorado GOP primary on March 5.
Trump’s name will still appear on the ballot, if only because it is already being printed and will be sent out for mail-in voting in the coming days. But poll organizers will need to know whether to count votes for Trump.
2024-02-08 21:45:53
#Trump #ban #case #Supreme #Court #favors #expresident #BBC #News
