The Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal from a former New Mexico county commissioner who was kicked out of office over his participation in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

Former Otero County commissioner Couy Griffin, a cowboy pastor who rode to national political fame by embracing then-President Donald Trump with a series of horseback caravans, is the only elected official thus far to be banned from office in connection with the Capitol attack, which disrupted Congress as it was trying to certify Joe Biden’s 2020 electoral victory over Trump.

At a 2022 trial in state district court, Griffin received the first disqualification from office in over a century under a provision of the 14th Amendment written to prevent former Confederates from serving in government after the Civil War.

Though the Supreme Court ruled this month that states don’t have the ability to bar Trump or other candidates for federal offices from the ballot, the justices said different rules apply to state and local candidates.

  • newtraditionalists@kbin.social
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    8 months ago

    If states could remove candidates from federal elections, there would never be a Democrat on a federal ballot in a red state ever again. Literally, never again. It’s frustrating, but I actually think the court made a good call here.

    • Dkarma@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      Elaborate. How will the GOP present actual proof when Dems haven’t ever done an insurrection?

      Go.

      • The_Lopen@sh.itjust.works
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        8 months ago

        First, have they ever presented good evidence of anything?

        Second, who would they present it to? There’s no governmental agency or regulatory body in charge of disqualifying for insurrection. The only precedent we have for this is Confederates trying to run for office after the civil war, but that precedent got botched.

        10/10 condescending attitude tho

    • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      Which then destroys any legitimacy the GOP has and those states results can be discarded during certification. Which, ironically is what Trump wanted to have happen on January 6th.

      States can, right now, just suspend elections and have the legislature or governor appoint people. But you don’t see that happening for the same reason you wouldn’t see red states ban every democratic candidate.