Report: California Lt. Gov. Makes Glaring Error While Trying To Remove Trump From Ballot

California’s Democratic Lieutenant Governor, Eleni Kounalakis, recently made a significant error in her attempt to influence the state’s electoral process to bar former President Donald Trump.

In a letter addressed to the Secretary of State, Kounalakis urged the exploration of “every legal option to remove former President Donald Trump from California’s 2024 presidential primary ballot.” This move followed a controversial decision by the Colorado Supreme Court.

The Colorado Supreme Court, in a narrow 4-3 ruling, declared Trump ineligible for the state’s ballot, citing a violation of the 14th Amendment’s “insurrectionist ban.” This decision, however, is temporarily on hold, pending an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, with a resolution required by January 5 to meet the statutory deadline for setting the list of candidates for the Republican primary.

Kounalakis, seizing the momentum from Colorado’s ruling, stated, “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,” Kounalakis added. She argued that California has an obligation to assess Trump’s eligibility for the ballot based on the reasons outlined in the Colorado case.

However, Kounalakis’s argument contained a glaring factual inaccuracy. She erroneously stated, “The constitution is clear, you must be 40 years old and not be an insurrectionist.” The U.S. Constitution, in reality, sets the presidential age requirement at 35 years, not 40.

In contrast, Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Brian Boatright, who dissented from the majority opinion, argued that Colorado’s election law “was not enacted to decide whether a candidate engaged in insurrection.” He expressed his view that, without a conviction related to insurrection, disqualifying a candidate under the Fourteenth Amendment is not a valid action under Colorado’s election code. This dissent highlights the complexity and contentious nature of the legal arguments surrounding the eligibility of candidates based on alleged insurrectionist activities.

Scroll down to leave a comment and share your thoughts.