For Immediate Release:
January 5, 2024
For press inquiries only, contact:
Amanda Priest (334) 322-5694
Cameron Mixon (334) 242-7491
(Montgomery) – Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall this morning filed a brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to review the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision to exclude President Donald Trump from the ballot for that state’s presidential primaries. This afternoon, the Supreme Court agreed to hear Trump’s case on an expedited basis.
“The Constitution, not the Colorado Supreme Court, decides who can run for President,” stated Attorney General Marshall. “If allowed to stand, this partisan ruling will create chaos and degrade confidence in the integrity of our electoral process. I applaud the quick response by the Justices to review this decision immediately and stop Colorado’s attempt to disenfranchise millions of its citizens.”
The coalition of 27 states argued that under the Fourteenth Amendment, “Congress will decide whether a particular person is qualified to hold office.” “The structure of the Constitution, relevant history, and authority from this Court confirm as much. The Court should grant the Petition to prevent state courts from usurping Congress’s exclusive power.”
The lawsuit was originally filed by six Colorado voters who insisted Trump is disqualified from office under a Civil War-era clause in the Fourteenth Amendment because of his alleged connection to events at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. A district judge ruled the insurrection clause does not apply to the presidency and allowed Trump to be on the ballot. The Colorado Supreme Court then reversed, barring Trump from the GOP primary ballot. The U.S. Supreme Court will hold oral argument in the case on February 8, 2024.
The West Virginia and Indiana-led brief was joined by Alabama as well as Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming along with the Arizona Legislature.
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