National Republican Senatorial Committee Files Amicus Brief in Trump Ballot Access Case that Emphasizes the Difference Between Running for Office and Holding the Office

On January 3, 2024, U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-Montana) and the National Republican Senatorial Committee filed this amicus brief in Anderson v Griswold, the Colorado ballot access case involving former President Donald Trump.

The main point the amicus makes is to emphasize the difference between holding the office (which section 3 deals with, for insurrectionists) and running for office.  A second point in the amicus is to stress the freedom of association right of the  Republican Party to determine its own nominee without government interference.

Pennsylvania Lawsuit Filed to Bar Congressman Scott Perry from the Republican Primary Ballot on Section Three Grounds

On January 2, a Pennsylvania voter filed a lawsuit in Commonwealth Court to keep Congressman Scott Perry from appearing on the Republican primary ballot.  Perry is running for re-election, and represents the Tenth District, including Harrisburg and York.  The lawsuit says that Perry engaged in insurrection.  Here is the Lawsuit.  Thanks to Political Wire for this news.

Colorado Secretary of State Asks U.S. Supreme Court to Hear Ballot Access Case

On January 2, the Colorado Secretary of State asked the U.S. Supreme Court to hear Anderson v Griswold, the Trump ballot access case.  The Secretary of State is ostensibly neutral on some of the issues in the case, but she is not neutral on the question of whether the Republican Party’s freedom of association rights were violated by removing Trump from the ballot.  She argues that a party has no right to have an ineligible candidate placed on its primary ballot.  Here is her filing.