Former President Donald Trump filed an appeal to overturn a Democrat judge’s decision to remove him from the presidential ballot in Illinois.
The appeal was filed after Judge Tracie R. Porter of the State Circuit Court in Cook County ruled that the State Board of Elections should remove Trump from the ballot, claiming that he engaged in insurrection on January 6. Trump’s appeal asked the appeals court to “reverse and vacate the judgement,” according to Axios.
In a separate legal filing, lawyers for Trump asked the court to block the order to remove him off the ballot until the appeals court had ruled and extend the stay on the decision.
“Staying this judgment until the Illinois appellate courts finally decide this case would reduce the great risk of voter confusion and logistical difficulties for election officials,” the filing said. “Finally, Candidate notes the need for a very speedy decision on this motion. The Court’s current stay could be interpreted to expire, not withstanding the pending appeal, less than 48 hours from now.”
In response to Trump’s filing, Porter stayed the decision to remove Trump off the ballot as the case continues through the court system.
Porter wrote that her order “is stayed (and the Illinois State Board of Elections shall continue to include Candidate Donald J. Trump on the ballot for the March 19, 2024 General Primary Election) until the appeal is fully and finally resolved by the Illinois Appellate Court, First District, Illinois Supreme Court, and/or the U.S. Supreme Court.”
JUST IN: Cook Co. Judge Tracie Porter has clarified her ruling kicking Donald Trump off the IL ballot.
Given Trump’s appeal, her order is on hold until the case is resolved by higher courts. The election board “shall continue to include Candidate Donald J. Trump on the ballot.” pic.twitter.com/5bzsvMJPDG
— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) February 29, 2024
The Trump campaign has decried the initial ruling from Porter, saying that it was election interference.
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“The Soros-funded Democrat front-groups continue to attempt to interfere in the election and deny President Trump his rightful place on the ballot,” a spokesperson for the Trump Campaign said in a statement. “Today, an activist Democrat judge in Illinois summarily overruled the state’s board of elections and contradicted earlier decisions from dozens of other state and federal jurisdictions. This is an unconstitutional ruling that we will quickly appeal. In the meantime, President Trump remains on the Illinois ballot, is dominating the polls, and will Make America Great Again!”
Trump has now been kicked off the ballot in three states including Colorado, Maine, and Illinois. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court heard arguments about Colorado’s decision to remove Trump from the ballot. For now, the former president is still on the ballot in Colorado pending the Supreme Court’s decision, which will also expected impact Maine’s decision.
