California Lieutenant Governor Calls for Trump to Be Removed from State Ballot By David Zimmermann
A California official is now calling for former president Donald Trump to be removed from California’s 2024 presidential-election ballot following the Colorado supreme court’s ruling that removed Trump from its state’s ballot.
In a letter dated Wednesday, California lieutenant governor Eleni Kounalakis (D.) urged California secretary of state Shirley Weber (D.) to “explore every legal option to remove former President Donald Trump from California’s 2024 presidential primary ballot,” given the Colorado supreme court’s decision. On Tuesday, the court voted 4–3 to disqualify Trump from appearing on the Centennial State’s ballot because he allegedly incited an insurrection on January 6, 2021.
“This decision is about honoring the rule of law in our country and protecting the fundamental pillars of our democracy,” Kounalakis wrote to Weber.
“California must stand on the right side of history,” Kounalakis added. “California is obligated to determine if Trump is ineligible for the California ballot for the same reasons described in [Anderson v. Griswold]. The Colorado decision can be the basis for a similar decision here in our state. The constitution is clear: you must be 35 years old and not be an insurrectionist.”
Under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, no person can assume public office if they “engaged in insurrection or rebellion” against the U.S. However, a district court concluded last month that the so-called insurrection clause “did not intend to include the President as ‘an officer of the United States’. . . [or] a person who had only taken the Presidential oath.”
The Colorado supreme court overturned that ruling. The new decision is stayed until January 4 pending the Trump campaign’s appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
If Trump remains off Colorado’s ballot in the 2024 presidential election, the state’s Republican Party said it would withdraw from the GOP primary and convert to a caucus system.
The California correspondence comes after Texas lieutenant governor Dan Patrick (R.) suggested taking President Joe Biden off the Lone Star State’s ballot due to his handling of the border crisis as payback for Trump’s removal from Colorado.
The list of presidential candidates for California’s March 5 primary election must be certified by December 28.
National Review contacted the press offices of both Kounalakis and Weber for comment. In response, Kounalakis’s office sent a press release and a link to the letter, while Weber’s office said it is currently reviewing the letter.
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