California decides to keep Donald Trump on GOP presidential primary ballot
Donald Trump
Donald Trump has escaped being removed from the presidential primary ballot of yet another state. Despite requests for his removal, California's Secretary of State, Dr Shirley Weber, has declined to remove the 2024 Presidential hopeful.
On Thursday (Dec 28), Weber's office released a list of certified candidates, which included Trump's name. However, the California Secretary of State has yet to comment on her decision to include Donald Trump in the state ballot.
A narrow save
California's decision comes just hours after Maine disqualified the Republican leader from the primary ballot. Before that, Colorado had barred Trump from the ballet, which the Republicans are appealing in the US Supreme Court.
According to CBS News, Webber's decision comes despite an open letter by the state's Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, who asked her to explore "every legal option" to remove Trump from the state's 2024 presidential primary ballot.
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In response to last week's letter, Webber only said that her decision would be guided by her office's "commitment to and respect for the rule of law."
"Removing a candidate from the ballot under Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment is not something my office takes lightly and is not as simple as the requirement that a person be at least 35 years old to be president," she added.
After the two strikes, California's decision comes as a relief for Trump.
Colorado and Maine's reasoning
The two states took this step over the ex-president's alleged role in the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol. On that 'dark day,' a violent mob of Trump supporters stormed the Washington Capitol building in an attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, where Joe Biden had defeated the Republican leader.
Announcing its decision, Colorado had invoked the "insurrection clause" which the state's supreme court said was violated by Trump. Following the lead, Maine's Secretary of State Shenna Bellows on Thursday said: "The US Constitution does not tolerate an assault on the foundations of our government, and Section 336 requires me to act in response."
"Given the compressed timeframe, the novel constitutional questions involved, the importance of this case, and impending ballot preparation deadlines, I will suspend the effect of my decision until the Superior Court rules on any appeal, or the time to appeal …has expired," wrote Bellows, a Democrat, in her decision.
(With inputs from agencies)
