California's Rushed Request to Remove Trump from Ballot has Flaws

Author’s note: This article is summarized from various sources, and attributions are linked within.

U.S. ConstitutionPhoto byAnthony GarandonUnsplash

When California passes major policies, the rest of the country pays attention. Often California leads the way when it signs new requirements into law. Examples are the push for zero emission vehicles, increase in minimum wages or fast food, or the pork laws. When California passes laws, other states often follow suit

In this case though, Colorado led the way to try to get Former President Trump removed from the state primary ballot. The Colorado Supreme Court allowed Trump’s name to be removed from the state primary ballot citing “Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which disqualifies those who engage in insurrection.” Though a landmark decision in the Civil War-era, using this provision in current times is “unprecedented, and it marks the first time a court has found him (Trump) to be ineligible to return to the White House due to his conduct surrounding the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.” Further, “Never before has a court determined that a presidential candidate is disqualified under the clause.”

Politicians are pushing for this decision to be reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court but in the meantime, California didn’t waste any time jumping on the bandwagon.

Unfortunately in the rush to keep up with Colorado, and get Calfornia to also remove Trump as a competitor on the primary ballot, Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis’ confidence was outshined by ignorance. Kounalakis urged “California's Secretary of State to explore every legal option to remove former President Donald Trump from California's 2024 presidential primary ballot.”

Kounalakis went further to make her point and incorrectly quoted material which made her, and the state of California look foolish. “’The constitution is clear: you must be 40 years old and not be an insurrectionist,’ Kounalakis incorrectly wrote in a letter to California Secretary of State Shirley Weber.” In fact, "Article II of the U.S. Constitution establishes the minimum age of a president as 35, not 40.”

If she’d read the amendment before quoting it would have saved her a lot of embarrassment. The true age requirement being 35 has no applicability to the point at hand, of keeping Trump from a second term at the White House. He's met the minimum age requirement.

MSN said of this gaffe, “Small errors often highlight gargantuan stupidity and breathtaking tyranny."

Soon after, she resent the letter with correct information, while urging “an expedited decision” since the certified list of candidates for the March 5, 2024 primary election is due December 28., 2023.

Per Trump’s campaign team, he will appeal the Colorado decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Despite what happens to Trump in or out of court, he continues to lead other presidential hopefuls by more than double, despite never attending any debates. Primary or not, the voters will ultimately decide on their new leader.