Trump Stays on Oregon Ballot Amid 14th Amendment Dispute

Oregons Supreme Court has allowed former President Donald Trump to remain on the states primary ballot, citing an ongoing legal battle in Colorado over his eligibility to hold office under the 14th Amendment.

The Oregon Supreme Court has decided to keep former President Donald Trump on the state's primary ballot, choosing not to intervene in the legal dispute over whether he is disqualified from holding office until the US Supreme Court rules on a similar case from Colorado.

Legal Challenges Under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment

Oregon is one of several states where liberal groups have filed lawsuits to remove Trump from the ballot based on Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. This Civil War-era provision prohibits individuals who have "engaged in insurrection" from holding public office.

Colorado's Ruling and Pending Appeal

So far, only one of these lawsuits has been successful. In Colorado, a court ruled last month that Trump's actions during the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol disqualified him from the presidency. However, this ruling is currently on hold as Trump has appealed to the US Supreme Court.

Oregon Court's Decision and Future Implications

The Oregon Supreme Court acknowledged that the US Supreme Court's ruling on the Colorado case may provide a definitive resolution to the issue. However, the court stated that the plaintiffs in the Oregon lawsuit could refile their case after the US Supreme Court's decision on the Colorado appeal.

Until the US Supreme Court rules on the Colorado case, the Oregon Supreme Court has declined to consider the lawsuit filed by five Oregon voters and organized by the liberal group Free Speech For The People. The nation's highest court has never ruled on Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which had fallen into disuse after the 1870s when most former Confederates were allowed back into government through congressional action.