Ohio leaders react to Colorado Supreme Court barring Trump from state ballot

OHIO — Ohio leaders are reacting to the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision to remove former President Donald Trump from their state’s 2024 presidential ballot.

>>PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Colorado Supreme Court: Trump barred from state ballot under insurrection clause

They ruled 4-3 that the former president is ineligible because of the 14th Amendment’s insurrectionist ban, The New York Times reported.

“We conclude that because President Trump is disqualified from holding the office of President under Section Three (of the 14th Amendment), it would be a wrongful act under the Election Code for the Secretary to list President Trump as a candidate on the presidential primary ballot,” the court’s majority wrote in its opinion, according to The Denver Post. “Therefore, the Secretary may not list President Trump’s name on the 2024 presidential primary ballot, nor may she count any write-in votes cast for him.

“We do not reach these conclusions lightly. We are mindful of the magnitude and weight of the questions now before us. We are likewise mindful of our solemn duty to apply the law, without fear or favor, and without being swayed by public reaction to the decisions that the law mandates we reach.”

>>RELATED: What is Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution?

According to the Constitution Center web page, here is the full text of Section Three of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

“No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.”

State officials said the issue must be settled by Jan. 5, the deadline for Colorado to print its presidential primary ballots, according to The Denver Post. The Colorado primary is on March 5, 2024.

Trump’s campaign said he will appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, according to the Times.

>>RELATED: Donald Trump banned from Colorado ballot in historic ruling by state’s Supreme Court

Several Ohio leaders took to social media on Tuesday to respond to the ruling.

Among those was Miami Valley Congressman Jim Jordan, the head of the House Judiciary Committee.

“The ‘pro-democracy’ party at work. How ridiculous,” he wrote on social media.

>>RELATED: Colorado Supreme Court justices question whether the state can bar Trump from the 2024 ballot

Ohio Senator J.D. Vance also reacted to the ruling on social media. He called on the U.S. Supreme Court to take the case and “end this assault on American voters.”

“Apparently, democracy is when judges tell people they’re not allowed to vote for the candidate leading in the polls? This is disgraceful.”

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David Pepper, a former member of the Hamilton County Commission and chair of the Ohio Democratic Party, praised the ruling. He said, “The disqualification clause was added to protect democracy.”

“It is a pro-democracy protection, there so that lawless politicians don’t try to subvert democracy. And if they do try, so they don’t get a SECOND try to do it again.”

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Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, Republican for the U.S. Senate, said on social media that he will “continue to stand with President Trump.”

“President Trump’s enemies are using unprecedented and shocking legal maneuvers in an attempt to silence the voices of patriotic Americans. This is exactly why I filed a brief with the Colorado Supreme Court condemning the district court’s ruling.”

News Center 7 will continue updating this story as more statements are released.

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