Massachusetts high court justice denies appeal to take Trump off primary ballot
BOSTON - The highest court in Massachusetts has turned away a challenge to take former President Donald Trump off the Republican primary ballot.
Supreme Judicial Court Justice Frank Gaziano denied a petition asking the court to either declare Trump ineligible for the primary ballot, or order the State Ballot Law Commission to revisit the issue after it previously decided it lacked jurisdiction.
A civil rights group and local law firm have argued that Trump should not appear on the ballot because he violated a Constitutional clause that says anyone who "engaged in insurrection or rebellion" can't be president.
Gaziano wrote in his decision that the legal challenges have "come too soon."
"If there is any question whether the commission has the authority or jurisdiction to consider the petitioners' objections regarding Trump's eligibility to appear on the general election ballot, that question will not become ripe until, and if, he is selected as his party's nominee for President," he said.
Gaziano also said the U.S. Supreme Court may soon settle the issue of Trump's ballot eligibility.
"The unconstitutional '14th Amendment' cases are being defeated across the country on a near-daily basis, and we believe that a fair ruling from the United States Supreme Court will put theses ballot challenges out of their misery," said Trump Campaign Spokesperson Steven Cheung,
Where is Trump facing ballot challenges?
The Supreme Court agreed earlier this month to review a decision from Colorado's top court to keep Trump off the primary ballot because of his conduct related to the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Last week the Maine Supreme Judicial Court declined to weigh in on Trump's ballot eligibility. Secretary of State Shenna Bellows had declared that Trump was ineligible to appear on the ballot, but a judge put that decision on hold until the U.S. Supreme Court could rule on the Colorado case.