Democrats aren’t giving up, even after the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously rejected Colorado’s request to exclude Donald Trump from the state ballot on Monday. They just cannot tolerate letting democracy run its course, as polls indicate that Joe Biden is behind Trump in both national and battleground state surveys.Representative Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) quickly emphasized to the cheering CNN crowd that the struggle to keep Trump off the ballot is far from finished, following the Supreme Court’s majority decision.
“I’m working with many colleagues, like Debbie Wasserman-Schultz and Eric Swalwell, to bring back legislation that established a procedure to decide if an insurrectionist is ineligible under Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment,” the speaker stated. “And the House of Representatives has already spoken upon it, impeaching Donald Trump for instigating and engaging in an uprising.”
The Atlantic revealed last week that if Trump wins but Democrats retake the House, the new Democratic House majority may refuse to certify the election results, even though such legislation has little chance at this time with Republicans in charge of the chamber.
“Democrats would have to decide between honoring the wishes of the electorate that chose a candidate they firmly feel is ineligible and going against that will.” Their decision might be crucial because, even if Trump retakes the presidency on the same day, Democrats have a good chance of taking control of Congress in November, as shown by their triumph in a New York House special election last week. They could have the votes to stop him from entering office if that occurs.” Senior House Democrats stated in interviews that they would only declare Trump’s victory if the Supreme Court upheld his eligibility. However, both liberal and conservative justices appeared to be ready to sidestep the issue of his eligibility entirely and leave it up to Congress to make the final decision during oral arguments.”
In an interview with The Atlantic, Raskin said he was unsure of how he would vote in this situation.
“As we discussed potential outcomes, Raskin brought up the violence of January 6. Serving with Schiff on the January 6 committee, Raskin told me, “In the hypothetical you suggest, there was blood all over the Capitol.”
“Edward Foley, Benjamin Ginsberg, and Richard Hasen, three legal experts, cautioned the justices in an amicus brief that if they did not decide on Trump’s eligibility, “it is a certainty” that members of Congress would attempt to exclude him on January 6, 2025. The academics cautioned that severe political unrest and bloodshed may follow. Raskin considered that idea as well. He acknowledged that if Trump prevails, the danger of violence may affect the Democratic Party’s decisions. However, it wouldn’t necessarily deter them from attempting to disqualify him, Raskin continued. “We may decide that’s something we should plan ahead for.”
Democrat Rep. Jamie Raskin immediately goes on CNN to announce he and Eric Swalwell are working to "revive legislation" to force President Trump off the ballot pic.twitter.com/QcYhBQn0JK
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) March 4, 2024
It’s clear that Raskin is committed to stopping Trump, and Democrats are actively preparing for a Trump victory despite the polls suggesting that it is nearly a given.
Thus, do not for a moment believe that this is the end. The fight over Trump’s eligibility is, in a sense, still ongoing.
Author: Steven Sinclaire
