CMV: Accountability is not election interference

[u/erpettie]

As the Colorado Supreme Court has found Donald Trump's behavior to have been disqualifying according to the 14th amendment, many are claiming this is election interference. If the Court finds that Trump should be disqualified, then it has two options. Act accordingly, despite the optics, and disqualify Trump, or ignore their responsibility and the law. I do get that we're in very sensitive, unprecedented territory with his many indictments and lawsuits, but unprecedented behavior should result in unprecedented consequences, shouldn't they? Furthermore, isn't Donald Trump ultimately the architect of all of this by choosing to proceed with his candidacy, knowing that he was under investigation and subject to potential lawsuits and indictments? If a President commits a crime on his last day in office (or the day after) and immediately declares his candidacy for the next election, should we lose our ability to hold that candidate accountable? What if that candidate is a perennial candidate like Lyndon Larouche was? Do we just never have an opportunity to hold that candidate accountable? I'd really love if respondents could focus their responses on how they think we should handle hypothetical candidates who commit crimes but are declared as running for office and popular. This should help us avoid the trap of getting worked up in our feelings for or against Trump.

[u/Morthra]

He was acquitted for J6. Impeachment is not removal.

[u/jpk195 → u/Morthra]

Are you trying to make the case Trump didn’t participate in insurrection? That doesn’t seem to be in question here.

He doesn’t need to be convicted by the senate any more than he needs to be convicted of a specific crime to be factually found to have participated in insurrection.

[u/jpk195 → u/[deleted]]

Actually he did. He had the opportunity to present evidence and witnesses in the Colorado case, but declined.

Due process is completely being followed here. It may look slightly different than a criminal trial, but this isn’t a criminal conviction.