The Supreme Court refused to consider a case that seems to apply a double standard for Donald Trump compared to other private citizens in the country. The conservative-majority high court upheld a ban preventing former New Mexico official Couy Griffin from seeking office in the state again due to his criminal history. Griffin was convicted in 2022 for misdemeanor offenses related to the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, leading to his removal as county commissioner.
This marks the Supreme Court’s first ruling on the Fourteenth Amendment since rejecting a Colorado decision earlier this month to exclude Trump from the state’s GOP presidential primary ballot. It is also the first instance of the “insurrectionist clause” being used to disqualify someone from office since its inception after the Civil War to prevent ex-Confederates from regaining high positions. By applying the Fourteenth Amendment against Griffin, the Supreme Court indirectly implies that the January 6 incident was 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 the ballot, SCOTUSblog, Fri, 02 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT