Resolution of Presidential Candidate Eligibility Controversy
Momentum Builds Toward Presidency Ahead of Super Tuesday
Judicial Risks Remain
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on the 4th (local time) that it recognizes former President Donald Trump's eligibility to run for president, despite allegations that he incited the Capitol riot. Trump, who has been embroiled in disputes over his presidential candidacy qualifications, has now been given a boost in his bid for the presidency by this decision.
The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously decided, with all nine justices agreeing, that former President Trump is eligible to run for president.
This ruling overturns the decision made last December by the Colorado Supreme Court. At that time, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled that former President Trump incited supporters to riot at the Capitol on January 6, 2021, in an attempt to overturn the election results, which violated Section 3 of the 14th Amendment that prohibits holding office for those engaged in insurrection. Accordingly, it decided that Trump could not run in the state's presidential primary, and Trump appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
In a 13-page opinion issued that day, the Supreme Court stated, "State governments do not have the authority to apply Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to federal officials, especially the presidency." It further explained, "The responsibility to apply Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to federal officials and candidates lies with Congress, not state governments," and declared that the Colorado Supreme Court's ruling was invalid.
The Supreme Court's ruling only addressed who holds the authority to enforce the constitutional provision. Regarding this, The New York Times (NYT) assessed, "All opinions focused on legal issues, and no one took a position on whether former President Trump actually engaged in insurrection, as the Colorado court had ruled." It is analyzed that the court refrained from judging Trump's involvement in the insurrection to avoid further political repercussions.
Immediately after the ruling, former President Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social, which he created, "BIG WIN FOR AMERICA!!!" Later in the afternoon, at a press conference held at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, he emphasized, "No one, whether a frontrunner or a disappointing candidate, can be removed from the race," adding, "Voters can exclude certain individuals from the race very quickly, but the courts should not do so." He also stressed that this ruling is "a very important matter that will be talked about for the next 100 or 200 years."
With the Supreme Court siding with former President Trump, the controversy over his eligibility to run for president has come to an end. Previously, the states of Maine and Illinois had also ruled that Trump was ineligible to run for president. However, this ruling resolves the legal risks related to his candidacy stemming from attempts to overturn the election results.
Most importantly, the Supreme Court issued this ruling before the scheduled "Super Tuesday" on the 5th, removing election uncertainties. On the 5th, simultaneous Republican primaries will be held in 16 regions including California and Texas, where 874 delegates, accounting for 36% of the total, will compete between former President Trump and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley. With the Supreme Court ruling, Trump is expected to remove a major obstacle on his path to the presidency and secure his place in the general election on Super Tuesday.
However, Trump's judicial risks have not been completely resolved. He has been criminally indicted four times on 91 charges, and civil lawsuits are also ongoing, so legal risks remain.
Regarding this, at the press conference, former President Trump argued, "The president should be granted full immunity." He is currently indicted by prosecutors for inciting the Capitol riot, and the Supreme Court is also expected to rule on whether Trump is entitled to immunity.
The Washington Post (WP) evaluated, "Former President Trump has achieved a clear victory at the Supreme Court, but his legal risks ahead of four criminal trials may just be beginning."
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