Michigan Supreme Court Rejects Attempt To Remove Trump From Ballot

The Michigan Supreme Court announced on Wednesday that they rejected an attempt to remove Donald Trump from the 2024 ballot, in part because of a recent decision in Minnesota as well as the rejection of such an action by Californian leaders earlier this week.

For months, the question if Trump should be on some state ballots because of the insurrectionist clause of the 14th amendment has been challenging states across the country. In early November, the Minnesota Supreme Court rejected such a claim because there was no state statute that prohibited such an action.

“There is no state statute that prohibits a major political party from placing on the presidential nomination primary ballot, or sending delegates to the national convention supporting, a candidate who is ineligible to hold office,” said the court in November. “There is no error to correct at this stage.”

However, a month later on December 19th, the Colorado Supreme Court controversially ruled 4-3 to ban Trump from the ballot. Spurred by the decision, Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis wrote a letter to Secretary of State Shirley Weber urging her to do everything to keep Trump off the California ballot in 2024. While Kounalakis expected to have major support coming her way as a result, Kounalakis received more flak by  having a fresh recall effort being put out against her.

Then, both Governor Gavin Newsom and Secretary Weber announced they also opposed efforts to remove Donald Trump’s name from the California ballot.

“There is no doubt that Donald Trump is a threat to our liberties and even to our democracy,” Newsom said in a statement before Christmas, “but in California, we defeat candidates at the polls. Everything else is a political distraction.”

Weber added in a letter to Kounalakis, “There are complex legal issues surrounding this matter. The former President’s conduct tainted and continues to sow the public’s mistrust in government and the legitimacy of elections, so it is more important than ever to safeguard elections in a way that transcends political divisions.”

Notably, in the California Assembly, three Republican members also sent a letter to the Secretary of State, calling on Weber to ignore Lt. Gov. Kounalakis’ letter, informing the SOS that she does not have the unilateral authority to remove a Candidate for the Office of the President from the California ballot.

Michigan’s decision follows announcements by Newsom, Weber rejecting removing Trump from ballot

With Minnesota setting an early precedent, and with the majority of California lawmakers refusing to back a motion to ban Trump from the ballot, Michigan’s court rejected the 14th amendment claim on Wednesday, keeping Trump on the ballot.

“The Michigan Supreme Court has strongly and rightfully denied the Desperate Democrat attempt to take the leading Candidate in the 2024 Presidential Election, me, off the ballot in the Great State of Michigan,” Trump posted on Truth Social on Wednesday. “This pathetic gambit to rig the Election has failed all across the Country, including in States that have historically leaned heavily toward the Democrats. Colorado is the only State to have fallen prey to the scheme.”

While some lawsuits and efforts still remain on states such as Oregon and Maine, the decisions in Minnesota and Michigan, as well as California’s refusal, is expected to continue influencing states. In addition, an appeal to the Colorado decision could also restore Trump to the Colorado ballot in time for the state primary.

“More and more people are realizing that going after the 14th amendment isn’t the way to go,” said Laura Glover, a political science professor and researcher who focuses on elections, to the Globe. “The Michigan decision comes right from the Minnesota decision. But more importantly is what California did. A few well known lawmakers tried to push for it, and look what happened. A bipartisan force, including the Governor, came out and said that it isn’t happening. After Minnesota, no one really backed off, especially that group, Free Speech for People, that brought up these suits.”

“But after Newsom, a lot of states kind of receded back a bit. And that led to Michigan. Besides Colorado, nothing is really going the way people wanting Trump off the ballot were hoping for. California and now Michigan are only further proof of this.”

More suits and state leadership decisions regarding Trump on the 2024 ballot are likely to come in soon.