Illinois judge removes Trump from state's primary ballot; Trump appeals ruling

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - On Wednesday evening, a judge in Illinois removed Donald Trump from the state’s ballot even though early voting in that primary is already underway.

Illinois joined Colorado and Maine in ruling Trump ineligible to run for president in their state. Illinois Judge Tracie Porter agreed with voters who had petitioned the court that Trump is not qualified to appear on the state’s ballots because he has violated the 14th amendment of the U.S. Constitution. That is the section with the clause rejecting anyone who engaged in insurrection.

However, Judge Porter put a temporary stay on her decision, in part to give Donald Trump the chance to appeal. Later Wednesday night, Trump appealed the ruling to the Appellate Court of Illinois. A Trump campaign spokesman quickly put out a statement promising exactly that, calling it an unconstitutional ruling from an activist judge.

Earlier in February, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in a similar case concerning Colorado. And the justices just agreed to hear arguments in the appeal brought over Special Counsel Jack Smith’s prosecution. That is about whether the former president is immune from criminal prosecution.

Trump has maintained these and other court cases are all just a witch hunt by Democrats.

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