The former president was banned from appearing on the Republican presidential primary ballot for his role in the attack on the US Capitol.
A judge in the US state of Illinois banned former President Donald Trump from appearing on the Illinois Republican presidential primary ballot due to his role in the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
However, Cook County Circuit Judge Tracie Porter delayed the taking effect of her ruling, issued Wednesday, in light of an expected appeal by Trump.
In his ruling, Porter sided with Illinois voters who argued that the former president should be disqualified from the state's March 19 primary and Nov. 5 general election for violating the anti-insurrection clause of the 14th. Amendment to the United States Constitution.
The final outcome of the Illinois case and similar challenges will likely be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court, which heard arguments related to Trump's election eligibility on Feb. 8.
Porter said he was suspending his decision pending his appeal to the Illinois appeals courts and a possible ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court.
The advocacy group Free Speech For People, which led the Illinois disqualification effort, hailed the ruling as a “historic victory” in a statement.
A campaign spokesman for Trump, the national favorite for the 2024 Republican nomination, said in a statement that this was “an unconstitutional ruling that we will quickly appeal.”
Colorado and Maine previously removed Trump from their state ballots after determining that he is disqualified under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution.
Both decisions are on hold while Trump appeals.
Section 3 excludes from public office anyone who has taken an oath to support the Constitution of the United States and then has “engaged in an insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to its enemies.”
On January 6, 2021, Trump supporters attacked police and invaded the Capitol in an attempt to prevent Congress from certifying Democrat Joe Biden's 2020 election victory. Trump previously gave an incendiary speech to his supporters, telling them that They would go to the Capitol and “fight like hell.” Then, for hours, he did not heed requests to urge the mob to stop.
The Supreme Court is currently weighing Trump's challenge to his disqualification in Colorado.
The Washington justices were skeptical of the decision during oral arguments in the case, expressing concern about states taking sweeping steps that could affect national elections.
