PORTLAND, Oregon – Oregon is facing a decision on whether former President Donald Trump is eligible to appear on its 2024 ballot. The Oregon Supreme Court has declined to hear a case challenging Trump’s eligibility, opting to wait for a pending U.S. Supreme Court decision on the matter. The case revolves around the interpretation of the 14th Amendment of the Constitution, which forbids any person who engaged in insurrection or rebellion from holding office. The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on the matter on Feb. 8, and Oregon’s presidential primary ballots must be finalized by March 21. So far, other states such as Colorado and Maine have removed Trump from their GOP primary ballots, while states like Minnesota, Michigan, Arizona, and California have chosen to keep him on their primary ballots.
In a separate legal development, a judge in New York has ordered Trump to pay the New York Times nearly $400,000 in compensation for the legal fees it incurred during his failed 2021 lawsuit against the newspaper. Trump sued the New York Times and his niece, Mary Trump, over a Pulitzer Prize-winning 2018 story that focused on his inherited wealth and his family’s tax practices. The lawsuit against Mary Trump will proceed separately.
These legal developments surrounding Trump’s eligibility for the 2024 ballot and the New York Times lawsuit highlight the ongoing legal challenges the former president is facing as he hopes to return to the White House. The outcome of these cases will likely have significant implications for future elections and could potentially upend the election if Trump is disqualified from appearing on the ballot. The debate over the interpretation of the 14th Amendment and the limits of presidential immunity continues to be a contentious issue, with opposing arguments regarding political bias and the integrity of the justice system. As the legal proceedings progress, the controversy surrounding Trump’s eligibility and potential legal repercussions is expected to persist.