California Democratic Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis made a glaring mistake in her letter to the state’s Secretary of State in demanding former President Donald Trump be removed from the ballot.
The Colorado Supreme Court ruled 4-3 Tuesday that Trump violated the 14th Amendment’s “insurrectionist ban” and is ineligible to be on the ballot in the state. The ruling is on hold pending an appeal to the Supreme Court until Jan. 4. The issue must be settled by Jan. 5, when the statutory deadline is to set the list of candidates for the Republican primary.
Kounalakis jumped on the bandwagon and is now seeking to remove Trump as well.
“I urge you to explore every legal option to remove former President Donald Trump from California’s 2024 presidential primary ballot,” the letter begins. (RELATED: ‘Due Process Is Not A Loophole!’: CNN Analyst Fires Back At John Avlon After He Defends Ripping Trump Off Ballot)
“I am prompted by the Colorado Supreme Court’s recent ruling that former President Donald Trump is ineligible to appear on the state’s ballot as a Presidential Candidate due to his role in inciting an insurrection in the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. This decision is about honoring the rule of law in our country and protecting the fundamental pillars of our democracy.”
California Lt. Gov. @EleniForCA writes to Secretary of State Shirley Weber to “explore every legal option to remove former President Donald Trump from California’s 2024 presidential primary ballot.”
Letter here: pic.twitter.com/HoGZdjLmNy
— Christopher Cadelago (@ccadelago) December 20, 2023
“California must stand on the right side of history,” the letter continues. “California is obligated to determine if Trump is ineligible for the California ballot for the same reasons described in [the Colorado case.”
But Kounalakis then made a glaring, factually inaccurate statement.
“The Colorado decision can be the basis for a similar decision here in our state. The constitution is clear, you must be 40 years old and not be an insurrectionist.”
The Constitution provides three qualifications for presidency: the candidate must be a natural-born citizen, must have lived in the United States for at least 14 years and must be at least 35, not 40.
Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Brian Boatright, who dissented, argued Colorado’s election law “was not enacted to decide whether a candidate engaged in insurrection,” according to CNN. “In the absence of an insurrection-related conviction, I would hold that a request to disqualify a candidate under Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment is not a proper cause of action under Colorado’s election code.”