Colorado Laws Hold Key Differences
Justice Elizabeth Welch of the Michigan Supreme Court delivered the court’s ruling on Wednesday, stating that Colorado’s election laws have significant differences from Michigan’s laws. These differences directly impact the appellants’ eligibility for relief regarding the presidential primary election in Michigan. The court’s decision was met with a response from former President Donald Trump, who took to Truth Social to express his satisfaction with the outcome. He described the attempt by Democrats to remove him from the ballot in Michigan as desperate.
Political Parties Subject to the United States Constitution
Justice Welch further explained that the appellants argued that political parties are considered state actors when presenting candidates for the presidential primary, making them subject to the United States Constitution. The appellants also informed the court that a majority of the Colorado Supreme Court had held Trump disqualified from holding the office of President under Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment. This ruling led to the determination that listing him as a candidate on the Colorado Republican presidential primary ballot in 2024 would be wrongful under the Colorado Election Code. Trump has expressed his intent to seek leave to appeal in the United States Supreme Court.
No Analogous Provision in Michigan Election Law
Justice Welch pointed out that the appellants failed to identify a comparable provision in the Michigan Election Law that requires presidential candidates to attest to their legal qualification to hold the office. She emphasized that Colorado’s ruling relied on a comprehensive evidentiary proceeding in a trial court to address complex legal questions. Although the effect of the Colorado decision has been temporarily stayed, Trump alleged that the attempt to rig the election had failed nationwide, with Colorado being the sole state affected.
Disqualification Lawsuits Pending in Other States
While the Michigan Supreme Court ruling settled the matter in that state, disqualification lawsuits are still pending in other states, including Texas, Nevada, and Wisconsin. These lawsuits aim to address Trump’s eligibility to appear on the presidential primary ballot. The outcome of these cases remains to be seen.
Fox News’ Adam Sabes, Bill Mears, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.