Feb 28, 2024,07:50pm EST
A Cook County judge has ruled that former President Donald Trump must be removed from Illinois’ ballot due to his involvement in the January 6 Capitol attack, marking the third state, following Maine and Colorado, to remove him from ballots.
KEY FACTS Cook County Circuit Judge Tracie Porter based her decision on the 14th Amendment’s “Insurrectionist Ban,” linking Trump’s actions during the Capitol attack to his removal from the ballot. The ruling is temporarily on hold pending a likely appeal. Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung criticized the decision, calling it “an unconstitutional ruling” that they plan to appeal promptly. Illinois’ Republican primary is scheduled for March 19.
CHIEF CRITICS Trump’s legal team argues that states cannot prevent him from running for office under the 14th Amendment, contending that the amendment only prohibits individuals from holding office. They suggest that Congress should address the issue.
KEY BACKGROUND The decisions to remove Trump from the ballots in Maine and Colorado are currently pending as the Supreme Court has not yet issued a ruling on the appeal to the Colorado case. During oral arguments, Chief Justice John Roberts indicated reluctance to remove Trump from state ballots, expressing concerns that allowing Colorado to disqualify Trump could set a precedent for other states to do the same, potentially leading to elections decided by only a few states.