Michigan Supreme Court Rejects 14th Amendment Effort to Keep Trump Off Primary Ballot

Former President Donald Trump will appear on Michigan’s GOP primary ballot after the state’s supreme court declined to review the argument that he was disqualified under the 14th Amendment. 

Key Quotes: The majority Democratic court rejected an attempt to appeal a decision to leave Trump on the ballot, saying it was “not persuaded that the questions presented should be reviewed by this Court.” In dissent, Justice Elizabeth Welch said it was “important for this Court to issue a decision on the merits.” However, she noted, “Significantly, Colorado’s election laws differ from Michigan’s laws in a material way”; Michigan law does not require presidential candidates to “attest to their legal qualification to hold the office,” and Colorado, which just disqualified Trump from its ballot, does. A Michigan appeals court previously ruled that “whether Trump is disqualified is irrelevant to his placement” on Michigan’s ballot because the primary did not directly relate to the presidency, thus making the issue “not ripe.” 

For Context: Some argue that Trump is disqualified from holding government office under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment because he allegedly “engaged in insurrection or rebellion” on Jan. 6, 2021 after making an oath to the Constitution. Others disagree that Trump's Jan. 6 behavior amounted to an "insurrection or rebellion."

How the Media Covered It: Most coverage framed the ruling as expected and as a win for Trump. Some left and center-rated outlets highlighted a Michigan fake elector who expressed regret for his involvement in the attempt to change the election result.