On Wednesday’s broadcast of “CNN News Central,” Biden Campaign Co-Chair Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) defended the legal merits of a Colorado court removing 2024 GOP presidential candidate former President Donald Trump from the ballot and responded to criticism of the decision from one of Trump’s 2024 Republican rivals, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, by noting that Christie has also said Trumps not fit for office, so “whether it is a court that determines he’s unfit to hold office because he took up force against our Constitution or mobilized a mob against our Constitution or because the electorate throws him out, I don’t think it really matters. If he’s unfit to hold office, we should all be encouraged by any action that makes it less likely that he will return to the presidency.”
Coons said, “I think it is a plain reading of the text of the 14th Amendment. I’ll remind you this provision of the 14th Amendment was written to prevent those who were part of the Confederacy, who took up arms against the United States in our Civil War from returning to federal elected office. But there was a finding by the court in Colorado, looking at the evidence, that former President Trump participated in an insurrection. I was here on January 6. We had an impeachment trial for President Trump after the events of January 6. I think it’s undeniable in my view that he participated in an insurrection, and as such, should be disqualified from holding federal office. This will be appealed, I assume, to the Supreme Court, and whether they take it up and whether or not they rule on it will play a critical role in the shape of the Republican primary electorate. I’m confident Joe Biden will be re-elected regardless of which Republican is on the ballot. But this could really shake up the Republican primary.”
Co-host Kate Bolduan then asked, “Do you at all think that there could be some — I don’t know — a risk of blowback amongst voters on this? Chris Christie, a Republican candidate, kind of saying essentially the same thing, which is…I don’t want Donald Trump to be president, but I want voters to prevent him from being president, not some court.”
Coons responded, “Well, that’s an interesting take. Gov. Christie has also repeatedly, publicly said that Donald Trump is not fit to hold office. So, whether it is a court that determines he’s unfit to hold office because he took up force against our Constitution or mobilized a mob against our Constitution or because the electorate throws him out, I don’t think it really matters. If he’s unfit to hold office, we should all be encouraged by any action that makes it less likely that he will return to the presidency.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
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