Michigan Supreme Court Rejects Appeal Challenging Trump's Candidacy

Washington — The Michigan Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected an appeal from a group of voters in the state who challenged former President Donald Trump's candidacy for the presidency under the Constitution's "insurrection clause."

In a brief order, the state high court denied a request from four voters to review a Michigan Court of Appeals decision that allowed Trump to remain on the Republican presidential primary ballot. The Michigan Supreme Court, composed of seven justices, said it is "not persuaded that the questions presented should be reviewed by this court." The order was not signed, and a vote count was not noted.

One justice, Elizabeth Welch, dissented and wrote the only legal issue properly before the state supreme court is whether the lower courts erred in finding the Michigan secretary of state lacks the authority to exclude Trump's name from the presidential primary ballot. Welch wrote that she agrees with the Court of Appeals that Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson must place Trump on the primary ballot regardless of whether he is disqualified from holding office under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, known as the "insurrection clause."

The Michigan secretary of state is not legally required to verify the eligibility of potential presidential primary candidates, according to a recent statement by Judge Welch. The decision comes in response to a case involving Donald Trump, who was disqualified from holding office by the Colorado Supreme Court. While the Colorado court ordered Trump's name to be removed from the state's presidential primary ballot, the final decision has been postponed until January 4 to allow for an appeal.

This is a developing story and will be updated.