The Supreme Court rejected a case that seemed to establish a double standard for Donald Trump and other citizens. On Monday, the conservative-majority court upheld a ban on former New Mexico official Couy Griffin from running for office in the state again due to his criminal history. Griffin was convicted in 2022 for his involvement in the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, leading to his removal as county commissioner.
The Supreme Court’s initial ruling on the Fourteenth Amendment comes after invalidating a Colorado decision that prevented Trump from participating in the state’s GOP presidential primary. This marks the first instance of the “insurrectionist clause” being invoked to disqualify an individual from holding office since its inception to prevent former Confederates from regaining prominent positions after the Civil War. By permitting the application of the Fourteenth Amendment in the case of Griffin, the Supreme Court indirectly implies that the events of January 6th constitute an insurrection.
“I just found out (through the media) that my appeal to the SCOTUS has been denied,” Griffin wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “Very disappointed. I don’t even know what to say. But I thank you for your prayers and for standing with me through this.”
The court’s decision follows the conviction of Griffin on misdemeanor charges related to his involvement in the attack on the U.S. Capitol, which resulted in his removal from his position as a county commissioner in New Mexico. The Supreme Court declined to review Griffin’s case, effectively upholding the lower court’s ruling without further commentary.
Griffin’s banishment from New Mexico politics did not deter him from eyeing more national roles within the GOP. He took to social media, expressing a desire to be considered for the role of Vice President under a future Trump presidency. His aspirations, however, have been quashed at the state level due to his prior misdemeanor convictions stemming from January 6.
Relevant articles:
– Supreme Court Upholds Insurrection Ban on Official Who’s Not Trump
– Supreme Court Lets New Mexico Ban ‘Cowboys For Trump’ Founder From State Office For Jan. 6 Riots, Forbes, Mon, 18 Mar 2024 18:32:15 GMT
– Supreme Court rejects appeal by former New Mexico county commissioner banned for Jan. 6 insurrection, Yahoo News Canada, Mon, 18 Mar 2024 13:42:18 GMT
– Supreme Court to decide whether insurrection provision keeps Trump off ballot, SCOTUSblog, Fri, 02 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT