Toobin on Trump Supreme Court win: ‘There were some pissed off justices’
Legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin noted the high tempers on the Supreme Court following its ruling that Colorado could not disqualify former President Trump from the ballot.
Tempers flare on the Supreme Court
Legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin highlighted the contentious atmosphere on the Supreme Court after its ruling that Colorado could not bar former President Trump from the primary ballot.
Toobin mentioned that while the court was unanimous in its decision, it was unusual for controversial cases to have unanimous rulings. He acknowledged that there were some visibly upset justices, indicating this from the paper the opinions were written on.
He noted that the three liberal justices did not dissent but criticized the five conservative justices for providing a roadmap for how the law should be applied instead of simply stating that Colorado's actions were wrong.
The ruling and its implications
The Supreme Court ruled unanimously that Colorado did not have the authority to disqualify Trump from the primary ballot under the 14th Amendment's insurrection clause.
Four Republican and two independent voters in Colorado, with support from watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, filed a lawsuit arguing that Trump's actions during the Capitol attack should disqualify him.
In their ruling, the court stated that states cannot unilaterally disqualify federal candidates from ballots, clarifying that enforcement of the insurrection clause requires congressional action.
Different opinions among the justices
While the ruling was unanimous, the three liberal justices, along with conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett, wrote a separate opinion expressing their disagreement with the majority's decision.
They argued that the majority went beyond what was necessary and ventured into deciding novel constitutional questions, which could lead to further controversy. Barrett emphasized the need for the Court to lower the national temperature rather than raise it.
However, despite their differences, Barrett emphasized that the unanimous outcome of the case should be the main takeaway for Americans.
