West
Trump backed by 27 states in Supreme Court fight, who warn of 2024 'chaos' if he's removed from ballot
More than two dozen states have filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court, urging the nation’s highest court to keep former President Trump on the Colorado Republican presidential ballot and warning that failing to do so could throw the 2024 presidential election “into chaos.”
The attorneys general of Indiana, West Virginia and 25 other states, warn the court that the move by the Colorado Supreme Court to declare Trump an “insurrectionist” under the Fourteenth Amendment “has vast consequences that reach far beyond Colorado.”
The nation’s highest court will hear arguments on February 8 and set a January 18 deadline for similar briefs. The justices issued an administrative stay that orders the Colorado Secretary of State to put the former president’s name on the GOP primary ballot, at least until the case is decided.
SUPREME COURT TO DECIDE IF TRUMP BANNED FROM COLORADO BALLOT IN HISTORIC CASE
Former U.S. President Donald Trump waves to the crowd on the field during halftime in the Palmetto Bowl between Clemson and South Carolina at Williams Brice Stadium on November 25, 2023, in Columbia, South Carolina. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
The state court ruled that Trump had engaged in an insurrection for his role in January 6, 2021, riots at the U.S. Capitol. The Fourteenth Amendment, adopted in 1868 after the Civil War, bars people who “engaged in insurrection” from holding public office.
The states argue that state-imposed restrictions have a national consequence in this instance and the ruling “threatens to throw the 2024 election into chaos.”
“Voters who may wish to cast their ballots for former President Trump cannot know whether he ultimately will be excluded from the ballot in their State or others. They may wonder whether a little non-mutual offensive collateral estoppel is all it takes for former President Trump to be excluded from ballots across the Nation,” they say.
They also argue that the court’s decision on what constitutes an insurrection is “standardless and vague” and denied the former president an opportunity for due process, including calling witnesses and the discovery process.
“The Colorado Supreme Court has cast itself into a ‘political thicket,’ . . . and it is now up to this Court to pull it out,” they say.
The states warn that if the Colorado decision is allowed to stand, the confidence in the integrity of the electoral process will be harmed.
TRUMP ASKS SUPREME COURT TO KEEP NAME ON COLORADO BALLOT
“Many Americans will become convinced that a few partisan actors have contrived to take a political decision out of ordinary voters’ hands,” they warn.
The brief also argues for immediate action as the court “should not let the uncertainy persist” and warns that additional confusion could build if more states remove Trump from the ballot as the primaries and caucuses near.
“Any damage may already have been done by the time another case raising similar issues makes its way back to this Court. And the longer litigation over a national candidate’s eligibility persists, the more uncertainty and confusion will spread. Voters need an answer in time to judiciously weigh the merits of competing candidates before casting their ballots, not after voting has begun,” the states say.
BIDEN MARKS THREE YEARS SINCE JAN. 6 BLASTING TRUMP, SAYING HE IS ‘TRYING TO STEAL HISTORY’
The brief also argues that, if allowed to stand, other potential disqualifications could arise in the future, asking whether a president could be stopped from running for re-election due to a wartime mistake construed as giving “aid or comfort” to enemies.
“The Court should act now to stop all these ‘strange, far-reaching, and injurious results’ from spinning out of control,” the states say.
Finally, the brief argues that the decision for who is qualified to serve as president is up to the voters, not to the courts.
“If the voters find former President Trump qualified, and Congress concurs, then the Constitution does not contemplate a time for the judiciary to second-guess that call. Rather, the Constitution gives Congress the sole and final authority to determine whether the President can continue to serve, as many courts have said.”
Fox News’ Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Bill Mears and Shannon Bream contributed to this report.
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SAN FRANCISCO – Even as votes continue to be counted in California’s gubernatorial primary, one candidate spent part of Wednesday campaigning in the Bay Area.
Hilton looks ahead to November
Some were surprised to see Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton in San Francisco. With the primary election behind him, Hilton visited Osmanthus Dim Sum Lounge to meet with voters and begin laying the groundwork for a potential fall campaign.
Hilton acknowledged that ballots are still being counted and criticized the pace of the process, saying results should be available more quickly. Still, he expressed confidence that he will finish among the top two candidates and advance to the November election.
“This is my plan to grow my support,” Hilton said, gesturing to supporters gathered inside the restaurant. “To be out with the people of California desperate for change.”
Former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, another leading candidate, also projected confidence on election night.
“I take nothing for granted. There are lots of ballots to be counted; it appears we are on track to advance to November,” Becerra said.
Voters voice concerns
What they’re saying:
Among those attending Hilton’s event was Nelson Lum, a former San Francisco police officer who said he wanted to hear the candidate’s views on crime.
“It’s not an endorsement of anybody at this point,” Lum said. “I’m certainly not going to exclude anyone because I want to hear their views.”
Meina Young, with the Business and Housing Network, said she attended to discuss issues she sees as burdensome regulations in the rental housing market.
“I want to make our voices heard, and I feel that Steve has been very good,” Young said. “This is our second time meeting with him.”
Small protest outside event
Outside the restaurant, a small group of protesters gathered after noticing signage for the event. They said they are concerned San Francisco is becoming more welcoming to Republican candidates.
“We’re here today because we know San Francisco is a Democratic, progressive city,” said Romalyn Schmaltz. “We’re not going to just let a Republican come here and fundraise in our neighborhood without saying something.”
Counting continues
What’s next:
Ballots are still being counted statewide. More than 23 million ballots were mailed to California’s registered voters for the primary election.
The extended counting process often fuels accusations of irregularities. Election officials and supporters of the system, however, say the process takes time to ensure every eligible ballot is counted accurately.
On this day 52 years ago, the Pacific Northwest’s upper-left city of Seattle was granted an NFL Franchise. NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle announced the news that they would join the league as an expansion franchise in 1976 and would be the league’s 28th, alongside the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The name “Seahawks” was chosen from a survey with over 20,365 entries. This tweet from @HawkMania shows an article from the now-online and former print local newspaper, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. They were known for the big globe with an eagle on top that resided on top of their building in downtown Seattle, and as it says on their front page here, a staple in the community since 1863.
The article mentions Seattle drafting Archie Griffin as a possibility, who was the two-time Heisman Trophy winner for Ohio State and the massive hotshot prospect back then. It mentions the Nordstrom family, represented by Lloyd Nordstrom, as the majority owners, and Herman Sarkowsky as the chief operating officer. Sarkowsky says he thinks the team will pick high in 1976 before they play their inaugural season, and they did, taking defensive tackle Steve Niehaus 2nd overall (Griffin ended up going 24th to the Cincinnati Bengals). Ironically, the article mentions the Portland TrailBlazers as well and their ability to draft Bill Walton early on, the NBA franchise which the Seahawks’ most prominent owner Paul Allen also owned.
It’s great to look back on the history of the franchise, and the sport overall. In 2026, it’s one of the few institutions that preserves memories well enough to stay in touch with its roots. Seattle and the Seahawks have grown up together as an American sports city and franchise, and 52 years ago today was one of their most important turning points.
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