Dec 22, 2023 3 min read

By Oren Spiegler

“Historic” is the word that is being used most often to characterize the bold and courageous decision by the Colorado Supreme Court to bar Donald Trump from that state’s presidential ballot on the basis that he violated Clause 3, Article 14 of the United States Constitution by being a driving force in an insurrection. The decision is one which required bravery because Trump has a history of attempting to jeopardize the lives of those who have crossed him, aiming much of his vitriol toward the families of his enemies.

Trump instigated one dirty scheme after another in an effort to retain the presidency in 2020 because he was unwilling to admit that he had legitimately lost despite being told over and over again by members of his legal team, including Attorney General William Barr, that he had indeed been legitimately beaten by Joe Biden.

After all else failed, including dozens and dozens of frivolous court challenges, he summoned a crowd which was in the tens of thousands to the Capitol for a demonstration that he promised would be “wild”, and was it ever. The organizers of the rally had not indicated that there would be a subsequent march to the Capitol to attempt to disrupt the certification of the election for Joe BIden.

Trump created one of the worst and most disgraceful days in the history of our country. He had every opportunity to call off his dogs once the rampage began, but sat on his hands for three hours, enjoying what was taking place: the mob, many members of which waved Confederate flags and slung racial epithets at Black law enforcement officers, overrunning and inflicting injury on more than 150 police officers as the Capitol was desecrated.

We know that the former president has no regard for the Constitution. In fact, he has demanded that it be set aside so that he could be restored to the presidency. But if the document means what it says, someone who played a key role in an effort to overthrow the government is not eligible to become its leader regardless of whether a cult of tens of millions wants him to be.

Now the focus of attention turns to the United States Supreme Court, to which the Colorado decision is immediately being appealed. This is a court which refused to entertain any of Trump’s prior efforts to claim with no evidence whatsoever that fraud marred the 2020 election and that he was the rightful winner. I would certainly expect the court to take the case and for Justice Clarence Thomas, whose wife is a well-known election denier, and perhaps Justice Samuel Alito to be in Trump’s camp as they have been before. Will the other justices honor their duty to uphold the Constitution?

Whatever decision they reach will be monumental and will disappoint and anger tens of millions. The justices are in a difficult spot. May a majority of them remember that they have reached the pinnacle of their careers in positions which mandate that they will act in concert with the law and the Constitution.

A former president who respects and honors neither the law nor the Constitution must not be permitted to again become the leader of the free world.

Oren Spiegler is a Peters Township resident.