An Illinois judge has removed former president Donald Trump from the state’s ballot based on the so-called “insurrectionist ban” in the 14th Amendment.
The surprise move has been paused, though, giving Trump a short period to appeal.
This comes as Colorado’s anti-Trump ruling is pending before the US Supreme Court – which is expected to reject arguments that Trump should be banned from ballots.
Cook County Circuit Judge Tracie Porter made the unexpected decision on Wednesday and heavily relied on the prior finding by the Colorado Supreme Court, calling the state’s “rationale compelling.”
Porter wrote on Wednesday: “The court also realizes the magnitude of this decision and its impact on the upcoming primary Illinois elections. The Illinois State Board of Election shall remove Donald J. Trump from the ballot for the General Primary Election on March 19, 2024, or cause any votes cast for him to be suppressed.”
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In a statement following Porter’s ruling on Wednesday, Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said: “Today, an activist Democrat judge in Illinois summarily overruled the state’s Board of Elections and contradicted earlier decisions from dozens of other state and federal jurisdictions.
“This is an unconstitutional ruling that we will quickly appeal. In the meantime, President Trump remains on the Illinois ballot, is dominating the polls and will Make America Great Again!”
Porter’s decision comes one month after the Illinois State Board of Elections dismissed an effort to ban Trump from the state’s ballot due to his role in the January 6 US Capitol riot.
The election board had tossed the anti-Trump case because it said it did not have jurisdiction to review the matter.
Illinois has become the third state to kick Trump off a state ballot, following Colorado and Maine.
Trump has already appealed the judges’ decisions in each case.
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The State Board of Election had previously decided that Trump was eligible for the ballot because he did not “knowingly” file a false statement of candidacy, but Porter wrote in her ruling that their decision was “without basis and contrary to existing Illinois law.”
Porter paused her ruling because she expects Trump to file an appeal.
In a statement following Porter’s ruling on Wednesday, Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said: “Today, an activist Democrat judge in Illinois summarily overruled the state’s Board of Elections and contradicted earlier decisions from dozens of other state and federal jurisdictions.
“This is an unconstitutional ruling that we will quickly appeal. In the meantime, President Trump remains on the Illinois ballot, is dominating the polls and will Make America Great Again!”
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