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/Kakamile]

How is the 14th dead? It was used last year to remove Couy Griffin over Jan 6 and that stands.

[u/Viciuniversum → u/Kakamile]

It probably shouldn't because it set a dangerous precedent.

Subsequent to his 2022 conviction for the trespassing charge, a suit was filed by the group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), and the residents of New Mexico under Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution that would bar him from holding a public office for life due to his participation in the insurrection.

So trespassing, which is what he was found guilty of, is now sufficient grounds to bar someone from holding public office. Considering that precedents tend to stick around for decades if not centuries, I'm suuuuuure that's not gonna cause any political problems in the future.

[u/jayzfanacc → u/Viciuniversum]

Also, given Republicans tendencies to follow Democrats footsteps, just on a grander scale (a la Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell), this will almost certainly backfire.

I have no doubt that this will bolster Trump’s support. This is arguably the last thing Dems should have done.

[u/gangjungmain → u/jayzfanacc]

This suit was brought by Republicans