In a blistering indictment of the Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling on the disqualification of former President Trump under the 14th Amendment’s insurrection clause, retired federal judge J. Michael Luttig delivers a scorching rebuke. Pulling no punches, Luttig accuses all nine justices of “dangerously betraying” democracy with their decision, as he lays bare the Court’s failure to uphold the fundamental principles of American governance.
Various challenges were lodged by voters and advocacy groups across the nation seeking to bar Trump from the ballot, citing his involvement in the Capitol attack of January 6, 2021. However, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Trump, asserting that only Congress holds the authority to enforce the 14th Amendment for disqualification of federal candidates.
Luttig, a stalwart conservative jurist, leaves no room for ambiguity as he denounces the Court’s ruling, declaring it a grievous blow to the essence of American democracy. He vehemently condemns the Court’s stripping away of Section 3 of the 14th Amendment’s potency, lamenting the transformation of a once-vital safeguard into a hollow shell of its former self.
Refuting claims that disqualifying Trump would be anti-democratic, Luttig delivers a knockout blow by asserting that it is the insurrection itself, not the act of disqualification, that poses the true threat to democratic principles. He forcefully argues that the Court’s failure to invoke the disqualification clause in the past does not diminish its significance but rather underscores its success in thwarting existential threats to the nation until now.
Despite his prior involvement in the case through an amicus brief, Luttig pulls no punches as he reiterates his unwavering support for upholding the Colorado decision. With surgical precision, he excoriates the Court for abandoning its duty to interpret the Constitution as intended, instead cementing its image as a politicized entity devoid of impartiality.
In conclusion, Luttig warns that the Supreme Court’s decision comes at a precarious moment in American history, where the nation and its Constitution require the Court’s steadfast commitment to adjudicating the law, free from political influence.
