Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court in support of former President Donald Trump's efforts to remain on state ballots.
“President Trump's political opponents have sought to disqualify him from the election in several states because they fear they will not be able to defeat him in a free and fair election,” Ramaswamy said in the document. “Needless to say, the anguish of competing against a formidable opponent cannot justify disqualification under Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment. The consequences of upholding the Colorado Supreme Court's decision will extend far beyond the dispute over the President Trump's eligibility.
“Specifically, this Court's blessing of the state Supreme Court's interpretation of Section 3 will warp incentives for both state decision-makers and voters,” Ramaswamy added in the filing. “For secretaries of state and state supreme court justices, the path to national notoriety will be illuminated: To improve your credibility among co-partisans, simply invent a reason to declare a disfavored presidential candidate from the opposing party ineligible to run. for the position.”
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Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court on Thursday in support of former President Donald Trump's efforts to remain on state ballots. (Getty Images)
“For voters, the message will be equally clear: examine the records of disfavored candidates for speeches containing martial rhetoric, or even policies that had unintended consequences, and then file challenges under Section 3. The number of complaints from Section 3 will proliferate, as will the number of divergent results.”
The amicus brief was filed Thursday as the Supreme Court prepares to hear arguments on whether Trump should remain on Colorado's Republican presidential primary ballot. The judges said they will hear the case on an expedited basis and will present their arguments on February 8.
The magistrates issued an administrative suspension ordering the Colorado Secretary of State put the former president's name on the GOP primary ballot, at least until the case is decided. The high court said the writs must be submitted by January 31.
Supreme Court justices posing for an official photograph at the Supreme Court. (Photo by OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images)
Ramaswamy said Wednesday that he planned to file the amicus brief with the Supreme Court in the hopes that it would “overturn Coloarado's disastrous decision to try to keep Donald Trump off the ballot.”
SUPREME COURT WILL DECIDE WHETHER TRUMP IS BANNED FROM COLORADO BALLOT IN HISTORIC CASE
In the clip announcing the filing, Ramaswamy said the court should overturn Colorado's decision because it is “the right thing to do for this country.”
“I feel an obligation to do so as someone who understands the Constitution,” he said. “I believe that all other Republicans, including myself, should withdraw from any vote that forcibly removes Donald Trump from the primary.”
The Colorado Supreme Court decision was the first time in history that Section 3 of the 14th Amendment was used to prohibit a presidential contender of the ballot.
The state's highest court found that Trump “engaged in an insurrection” for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, protests at the U.S. Capitol.
The Colorado Supreme Court decision was the first time in history that Section 3 of the 14th Amendment was used to exclude a presidential contender, Trump in this case, from the ballot. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
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The historical audience will consider the meaning of the 14th amendmentwhich prohibits people who “participate in the insurrection” from holding public office.
The amendment was adopted in 1868, after the Civil War.
Fox News' Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.
