The Colorado Secretary of State who wanted the Supreme Court to remove Donald Trump from her state’s ballots admitted she was disheartened that the high court unanimously ruled in favor of the former president.
Jena Griswold, the Colorado Secretary of State, said she still had hope that Congress could pursue insurrection charges against the former president.
She had previously urged the Supreme Court to keep Trump off the ballot so ‘votes are not wasted on ineligible candidates.’
During an interview shortly after the Supreme Court voted 9-0 in favor of former President Trump, she admitted she was defeated by the ruling.
‘My larger reaction is disappointment,’ she said. ‘I do believe that states should be able under our constitution to bar oath-breaking insurrectionists.’
Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold said she was disappointed by the Supreme Courts ruling Monday
Former President Donald Trump held a press conference after the ruling saying the Supreme Court was correct in their ruling, before adding case was politically motivated
The case hinged on whether Trump should be taken off the ballots for participating in an ‘insurrection’ on January 6, 2021.
The Colorado Supreme Court had decided that he did, and that therefore he should be barred from holding elected office under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment.
But the Supreme Court disagreed.
‘Responsibility for enforcing Section 3 against federal officeholders and candidates rests with Congress and not the States,’ the justices wrote in their ruling.
‘The judgment of the Colorado Supreme Court therefore cannot stand. All nine Members of the Court agree with that result.’
Despite the defeat, Griswold said she still has hope that Trump could be removed from ballots.
‘Ultimately, this decision leaves the door open for Congress to act to pass authorizing legislation.’
Griswold expressed she still has hope that Congress could decide Trump partook in an insurrection, which would therefore disqualify him from running
She was referencing how the Supreme Court kicked the decision of whether Trump partook an insurrection to Congress.
Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., meanwhile, said in an interview Monday he was looking to ‘revive’ legislation in the House to that would determine whether Trump committed an insurrection, adding credence to Griswold’s claim.
Congress, however, has yet to determine whether or not Trump committed an insurrection and doing so is unlikely to happen under Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson.
‘We know that Congress is a nearly a non-functioning body,’ Griswold said.
‘So ultimately, It will be up to the American voters to save our democracy in November.’
The Supreme Court’s decision Monday also ensured that Trump would appear on ballots in Maine after its Secretary of State previously ruled the former president was not allowed to be on ballots due to his behavior on January 6.