Today, Utah Attorney General Sean D. Reyes has joined an amicus brief asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear an appeal from a Colorado decision that kept former President Donald Trump off the ballot for that state’s Presidential Primary Elections.
The coalition of 27 states, including the Arizona Legislature, argues that “The Fourteenth Amendment…anticipates that Congress will decide whether a particular person is qualified to hold office under Section 3 (or at least determine the process for making that decision). 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 originating lawsuit was filed by six Colorado voters who insisted Trump is disqualified from office under a Civil War-era insurrection clause in the 14th Amendment because of his alleged involvement in the January 6 incident at the U.S. Capitol.
A district judge ruled that the insurrection clause does not apply to the presidency and allowed Trump to be on the ballot. Then, the Colorado Supreme Court barred Trump from the GOP primary ballot under the 14th Amendment.
Utah joined the West Virginia- and Indiana-led brief along with the Arizona Legislature and States of Alabama, 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, Virginia and Wyoming.
