Hi there everyone it's four o'clock in New York on the very same day that the

disgraced ex-president was supposed to go on

trial in a federal courthouse for his efforts to end democracy as we know it,

that little January 6 insurrection.

The highest court in the land today kept him on the ballot in a ruling that dodges the facts of January 6 and Trump's role in it.

But instead, the Supreme Court handed Trump a second gift in as many weeks on a

constitutional technicality. In an unsigned opinion the justices say that

states do not have the power to bar candidates from running for federal office.

They say this, quote, because the Constitution makes Congress rather than the states responsible

for enforcing section 3 against federal officeholders and candidates, we reverse.

They're referring to the decision by the Colorado State Supreme Court.

Now that court found that Trump did engage an insurrection by trying to overturn the will of the voters

by any means possible including violence and that section 3 of the 14th

amendment does in fact apply to the presidency. Now the Supreme Court's decision today does not touch on either the question of whether

Trump is or is not an insurrectionist or whether the text of Section 3 applies to him. Instead, it says that only Congress has the power to do anything

or to enforce the 14th Amendment. And as Colorado Secretary of State Janet Griswell

points out in her reaction to today's ruling, quote,

if we had a functioning Congress, we would not be in the situation we're in today

with American democracy.

In a separate opinion, the three liberal justices blasted the majority on the Supreme Court for closing the door and the possibility

a federal court's disqualifying Trump or any other candidate who would engage in an insurrection.

Writing this, quote, Section 3 serves an important, though rarely needed role in our democracy.

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