A total of 87 Republicans in Congress did not sign an amicus brief filed on Thursday in support of Donald Trump’s appeal to the Supreme Court in his push for inclusion on the primary ballot in Colorado.
Trump, the front-runner in the 2024 GOP presidential primary, has been kicked off the ballot in Colorado. The state’s Supreme Court ruled in December that the former president was barred from running for office due to his actions surrounding the January 6, 2021, siege on the U.S. Capitol.
Trump supporters on that day stormed the Capitol in Washington, D.C., aiming to halt certification of President Joe Biden’s 2020 win following Trump’s claims that the election was stolen via widespread voter fraud. However, there is no evidence of such fraud. Trump has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing over January 6, saying the criminal felony charges filed against him are due to a political witch hunt.
Colorado’s Supreme Court ruled that under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which states that anyone who engages in an insurrection is banned from holding public office in the future, Trump is prohibited from the state’s presidential primary ballot. Maine has also barred Trump from its primary ballot, with similar reasoning.
Trump’s campaign called Colorado’s decision “completely flawed” and appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which will hear the case and decide whether Trump should remain banned from the state ballot. Oral arguments are set to begin February 8.
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To show support for Trump in his appeal, 179 Republicans in Congress signed an amicus brief filed on Thursday, including 42 senators and 137 representatives.
The brief states, “as members of Congress, amici have a strong interest in vindicating and protecting the role of Congress in the context of Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment.”
“Further, as elected officials, amici have a strong interest in ensuring that the rules for eligibility for federal office are clear, objective, and neutral, rather than malleable and conveniently applied to ensnare political opponents,” the brief said.
Some notable supporters of the brief are Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Senate Republican Whip John Thune of South Dakota, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer.
There were seven GOP senators who did not sign their names in support of Trump’s appeal: National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Steve Daines of Montana, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Mitt Romney of Utah and Todd Young of Indiana.
There were also 80 House Republicans whose names were not on the brief, including House Republican Conference Vice Chair Blake Moore of Utah, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Matt Gaetz of Florida, Nancy Mace of South Carolina and Byron Donalds of Florida.
A spokesperson for Gaetz told Newsweek via email on Thursday, “Congressman Gaetz is fully supportive of the amicus brief and offered to sign on.”
Newsweek also reached out to Trump’s campaign and to the offices of Boebert, Greene and Donaldsvia email for comment Thursday, as well as Mace’s office via phone.
The following House Republicans also did not sign it:
- Don Bacon of Nebraska
- James Baird of Indiana
- Troy Balderson of Ohio
- Vern Buchanan of Florida
- Ken Buck of Colorado
- Larry Bucshon of Indiana
- Mike Carey of Ohio
- Lori Chavez-DeRemer of Oregon
- Juan Cisconmani of Arizona
- Michael Cloud of Texas
- Tom Cole of Oklahoma
- Eli Crane of Arizona
- Anthony D’Esposito of New York
- Monica De La Cruz of Texas
- Scott DesJarlais of Tennessee
- Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida
- John Duarte of California
- Drew Ferguson of Georgia
- Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania
- Russ Fulcher of Idaho
- Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin
- Andrew Garbarino of New York
- Mike Garcia of California
- Tony Gonzales of Texas
- Jenniffer González Colón of Puerto Rico
- Glenn Grothman of Wisconsin
- French Hill of Arkansas
- Richard Hudson of North Carolina
- Wesley Hunt of Texas
- Darrell Issa of California
- Bill Johnson of Ohio
- David Joyce of Ohio
- John Joyce of Pennsylvania
- Thomas Kean of New Jersey
- Jennifer Kiggans of Virginia
- Kevin Kiley of California
- Young Kim of California
- David Kustoff of Tennessee
- Darin LaHood of Illinois
- Nick LaLota of New York
- Doug LaMalfa of California
- Robert Latta of Ohio
- Jake LaTurner of Kansas
- Michael Lawler of New York
- Laurel Lee of Florida
- Julia Letlow of Louisiana
- Barry Loudermilk of Georgia
- Frank Lucas of Oklahoma
- Nicole Malliotakis of New York
- Thomas Massie of Kentucky
- Michael McCaul of Texas
- Patrick McHenry of North Carolina
- Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa
- Marcus Molinaro of New York
- Nathaniel Moran of Texas
- James Moylan of Guam
- Greg Murphy of North Carolina
- Dan Newhouse of Washington
- Zach Nunn of Iowa
- Andrew Ogles of Tennessee
- Gary Palmer of Alabama
- Scott Perry of Pennsylvania
- Hal Rogers of Kentucky
- Matthew Rosendale of Montana
- Chip Roy of Texas
- Maria Elvira Salazar of Florida
- David Schweikert of Arizona
- Keith Self of Texas
- Pete Sessions of Texas
- Michael Simpson of Idaho
- Christopher Smith of New Jersey
- Lloyd Smucker of Pennsylvania
- Victoria Spartz of Indiana
- Michelle Steel of California
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.