Washington, United States

The Colorado Republican Party on Wednesday (Dec 27) urged the US Supreme Court to intervene after Colorado's topmost court barred Donald Trump from appearing on the state's primary ballot in 2024, said an attorney for the Republican group.

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The appeal comes after the Colorado Supreme Court disqualified the former United States president over his involvement in the US Capitol riots.

The court banned Trump under a US constitutional provision which prohibits officials who engage in "insurrection or rebellion" from holding public office. 

The representative of the Colorado Republican Party is Jay Sekulow from the conservative litigation firm the American Center for Law and Justice.

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Michigan Supreme Court rejects attempt to ban former Trump from 2024 ballot

The Michigan Supreme Court on Wednesday (Dec 27) rejected an attempt to disqualify Trump from appearing on the state's Republican primary ballot in 2024 over his involvement in the Jan 6, 2021 storming of the US Capitol by his supporters.

This bid was the latest in a series of moves to bar Trump from appearing on ballots in multiple states under the 14th Amendment

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However, Michigan's high court, in a brief ruling said that it was "not persuaded that the questions presented should be reviewed by this court" ahead of the state's February 27 presidential primary.

The ruling came almost a week after Colorado's Supreme Court disqualified Trump from the state's primary ballot over being involved in the Capitol riot which he has been accused of inciting.

Hailing the Michigan decision, Trump slammed the move calling it a "Desperate Democrat attempt" to frame a plot against him as he plans on running for US presidential elections scheduled in 2024.

"This pathetic gambit to rig the Election has failed all across the country, including in States that have historically leaned heavily toward the Democrats," he posted on Truth Social, his social media platform.

The Colorado Supreme Court had put a stay on its decision until January 4 stating that Trump would stay on the ballot if he appealed.

Trump, who is the frontrunner for the Republican 2024 presidential nomination, is expected to file his own appeal.  

Granting the Colorado case for consideration would propel the country's top court into the centre of the presidential race, as any judgment it makes on whether Trump was involved in insurrection and on his eligibility could be binding on lower courts nationwide.

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'Court's decision disappointing', says election lawyer Mark Brewer

The Michigan lawsuit was filed earlier in September this year by liberal-leaning Free Speech For People.

"The court's decision is disappointing but we will continue, at a later stage, to seek to uphold this critical constitutional provision designed to protect our republic," election lawyer Mark Brewer, who joined the group in the lawsuit, said in a statement.

"Trump led a rebellion and insurrection against the Constitution when he tried to overturn the 2020 presidential election and he is disqualified from ever seeking or holding public office again."

Justice Elizabeth Welch, who is out of the four Democratic-nominated justices on the seven-member panel, acknowledged the Colorado decision.

However, Welch said that the state's election law varied from Michigan's "in a material way" in requiring candidates to be "qualified" to run.

"The appellants have identified no analogous provision in the Michigan Election Law that requires someone seeking the office of President of the United States to attest to their legal qualification to hold the office," Welch said.

(With inputs from agencies)