The Colorado Supreme Court has ruled that former President Donald Trump cannot appear on the ballot, invoking the 14th Amendment for his supposed role in January 6th. Rather than discourage Republicans, the ruling has roused them, with many elected officials across multiple states standing in solidarity with the former President, saying it this was blatant election interference by all-Democrat judges against the most popular candidate running, and will be overruled by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Senator Rick Scott (R-FL), recently endorsed by Trump for reelection, called the ruling "insane" and said, "If this is the path that radical Dems choose to weaponize the courts against conservatives, we are no better than the socialist regimes in VZ & Cuba."
This is insane. In the US, we don't allow political hacks to kick their 'enemies' off the ballot because they disagree with them. If this is the path that radical Dems choose to weaponize the courts against conservatives, we are no better than the socialist regimes in VZ & Cuba. https://t.co/05Hh5rxqUK
— Rick Scott (@ScottforFlorida) December 19, 2023
Similarly, Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) pointed out the hypocrisy of the decision, saying, "The U.S. has put sanctions on other countries for doing exactly what the Colorado Supreme Court has done today."
The U.S. has put sanctions on other countries for doing exactly what the Colorado Supreme Court has done today
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) December 19, 2023
Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL) said the ruling is "what dictators do" and reminded followers on X (formerly Twitter) that "The American people will decide their next president, not activist judges in Colorado," and expressing confidence that the U.S. Supreme Court will overturn the Colorado Court.
Democrats are trying to imprison their chief political opponent and have now apparently succeeded at removing him from the ballot. This is what dictators do.
I’m confident that the U.S. Supreme Court will not allow this egregious ruling to stand. The American people will decide… pic.twitter.com/j6KaGwErIy
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) December 20, 2023
Representative Daniel Webster (R-FL) made a similar statement to Rep. Gaetz that the people decide elections instead of judges, additionally calling Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) correct in saying, "This reckless decision to bar [Donald Trump]- the leading Presidential candidate - should warrant intervention from the U.S. Supreme Court.
@SpeakerJohnson is right. This reckless decision to bar @realDonaldTrump - the leading Presidential candidate - should warrant intervention from the U.S. Supreme Court.
The American people decide who is elected President, not liberal activists. https://t.co/KEPmVQDhfv
— Daniel Webster (@RepWebster) December 20, 2023
Representative Byron Donalds (R-FL), one of Trump's staunchest supporters among Florida Republicans, called the ruling "blatant disenfranchisement" and repeated a quote by Trump, "They’re not after me. They’re after you. I’m just in the way."
This is blatant disenfranchisement of millions of voters from the Colorado Supreme Court.
Trump says it best: They’re not after me. They’re after you. I’m just in the way.
TRUMP 2024. https://t.co/mcxKVfVbll
— Byron Donalds (@ByronDonalds) December 19, 2023
Representative Wesley Hunt (R-TX) said the Colorado judges "just took an open flame to the very concept" of democracy, ironically in defense of democracy. Additionally, he rhetorically asked "If Donald Trump is so unpopular with the American people, then why are we witnessing unprecedented election interference to stop him from winning next year?," meaning Trump is very popular.
The state of Colorado just removed Donald Trump from the 2024 ballot. An effort led by four Democrats. The very same Democrats who scream about “DEMOCRACY,” just took an open flame to the very concept.
If Donald Trump is so unpopular with the American people, then why are we…
— Wesley Hunt (@WesleyHuntTX) December 19, 2023
Representative Ronny Jackson (R-TX) seemingly aped Trump's own way of writing with frequent usage of all-caps:
"UNBELIEVABLE! This is what the last days of this nation look like!! What the partisan Colorado Supreme Court has done is CORRUPT, OUTRAGEOUS, and UN-AMERICAN!! They KNOW they can’t beat Trump so they’re RIGGING the election. THIS WON’T STAND! WE WILL BEAT THEM! TRUMP WILL BE BACK IN THE WHITE HOUSE!!," tweeted Rep. Jackson.
UNBELIEVABLE! This is what the last days of this nation look like!! What the partisan Colorado Supreme Court has done is CORRUPT, OUTRAGEOUS, and UN-AMERICAN!! They KNOW they can’t beat Trump so they’re RIGGING the election. THIS WON’T STAND! WE WILL BEAT THEM! TRUMP WILL BE BACK…
— Ronny Jackson (@RonnyJacksonTX) December 20, 2023
Representative Troy Nehls (R-TX) called the Colorado judges "a disgrace to our country" and called the ruling "more election interference."
The Colorado Supreme Court has removed President Trump from the ballot under the 14th Amendment.
These justices are a disgrace to our country. The court’s ruling is just more election interference.
America stands with President Trump.
— Congressman Troy E. Nehls (@RepTroyNehls) December 19, 2023
Representative Paul Gosar (R-AZ) echoed Rep. Hunt by saying, "The [Democrats] know they can't beat Trump, so they remove him and disenfranchise the voters of CO. A new low for our country. SCOTUS must end this election interference madness."
The dems know they can't beat Trump, so they remove him and disenfranchise the voters of CO. A new low for our country. SCOTUS must end this election interference madness.
— Rep. Paul Gosar, DDS (@RepGosar) December 20, 2023
In a statement reported by Fox, Trump campaign spokesman Stephen Cheung said the leftwing judges supported " a Soros-funded, left-wing group’s scheme to interfere in an election on behalf of Crooked Joe Biden by removing President Trump’s name from the ballot and eliminating the rights of Colorado voters to vote for the candidate of their choice," saying Democrat leadership is in "a state of paranoia" about Trump's momentum in the primary and thus "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."
Even former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a vicious critic of Trump, condemned the Colorado ruling, saying that "I do not believe Donald Trump should be prevented from being President of the United States, by any court. I think he should be prevented from being the President of the United States by the voters of this country."
Moreover, he called it "bad for the country" and pointed out that Trump has not been charged with insurrection, much less stood trial. "So I know it will be counterintuitive to a lot of people who listen to me about Donald Trump, but I hope it just goes to prove you. I don't hate him at all. I just think what he's done is horribly wrong and that he has reserved the right that we would give him as voters to lead us again."
You know what Colorado's Supreme Court did was egregious when even Trump's most vocal opponent in the primary condemned it.
