Some Republican officials outraged by the
Colorado Supreme Court's decision to boot Donald Trump off the state's primary ballot have suggested doing the same to President Biden in their states.
Trump was disqualified by a 4-3 decision on Tuesday after the Centennial State's highest court
concluded that the 77-year-old's actions on Jan. 6, 2021, "constituted overt, voluntary and direct participation in the insurrection" by his supporters at the US Capitol.
Many Republicans peddling the tit-for-tat idea suggested it as a thought experiment to give Democrats a taste of their own medicine, rather than a serious legal undertaking.
"Seeing what happened in Colorado makes me think — except we believe in democracy in Texas — maybe we should take Joe Biden off the ballot in Texas for allowing 8 million people to cross the border since he's been president, disrupting our state far more than anything anyone else has done in recent history," Lone Star State Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick told Fox News' Laura Ingraham Tuesday night.
While condemning the Colorado decision, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis pondered aloud what the limiting principle would be for that policy.
"Could we just say that Biden can't be on the ballot because he let in 8 million illegals into the country, and violated the Constitution?" he asked Wednesday at a campaign event in Iowa.
"I think the US Supreme Court is going to reverse that," he said. "They're doing all this stuff to basically solidify support in the primary for him, get him into the general. And the whole general election is going to be all this legal stuff."
"What is absolutely wild about this opinion from the Colorado Supreme Court is that it contains no limiting principle," former Trump attorney Jenna Ellis posted on X.
"Republicans should immediately file suit in Colorado to remove Biden from the ballot, citing his failure to secure the border and allowing an invasion falls within the Court's broad definition of 'engaging in insurrection,'" she added. "Challenge this nonsense."
Ellis was involved with Trump allies' legal efforts to challenge the 2020 election results. She entered a
guilty plea in Fulton County, Ga., over those machinations back in October.
"One could argue that since Biden made a deal with Iran to free up their billions of dollars in funds, that he gave aid and comfort to the enemy … and if you have no legal standard, then you have to accept any judge that says that. Right?"
asked public health policy analyst Pradeep Shanker. "The standard obviously was always meant to be some … standard, like conviction (in court or impeachment). Otherwise, there is no legal standard or due process.
"And Democrats would have to accept that if a judge finds that, well … then too bad for Biden, he is ineligible. Right?" Shanker added. "Because apparently there is no legal standard."
"If Colorado is taking Trump off the ballot, Florida and Texas should take Biden off the ballot," conservative influencer Rogan O'Handley said. "Allowing 8M+ illegal aliens into America is the greatest form of insurrection[.] See how slippery this slope gets?"
4
Four justices on Colorado's Supreme Court voted to disqualify Donald Trump from the state's ballot.
"REMOVE BIDEN FROM THE FLORIDA BALLOT NOW!" Anthony Sabatini, a GOP contender for Florida's 11th District, posted on X.
"All red states should immediately petition their courts to remove Biden from the ballot," conservative commentator Peachy Keenan agreed.
"Every Republican state AG should be filing to remove Joe Biden from the ballot this morning … The insurrection and blood at the Southern border is on him," commentator Gunther Eagleman said.
Fallout from Colorado
The Disqualification Clause in the 14th Amendment has never been successfully invoked against a major presidential contender in US history.
In its decision, the Colorado Supreme Court stayed the ruling until Jan. 4, 2024, allowing for a certain Supreme Court appeal.
"Unsurprisingly, the all-Democrat-appointed Colorado Supreme Court has ruled against President Trump, supporting a Soros-funded, left-wing group's scheme to interfere in an election on behalf of Crooked Joe Biden," Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a lengthy statement.
"Democrat Party leaders are in a state of paranoia over the growing, dominant lead President Trump has amassed in the polls. They have lost faith in the failed Biden presidency and are now doing everything they can to stop the American voters from throwing them out of office next November," he added.
The Post contacted the Biden campaign for comment.
Trump is the runaway 2024 GOP front0runner and has topped Biden in most recent polling.
Colorado's GOP primary contest was slated for March 5, 2024. Republicans in Colorado are
considering switching to a caucus system if the court ruling is upheld.
thehill.com
