By Peyton Majors
Christian Action League
December 29, 2023
The executive director of the Christian Action League is encouraging North Carolina legislators to pass a bill that would ensure the Tarheel State does not have a repeat of what happened in Colorado, where the state Supreme Court ruled former President Donald Trump could not appear on the ballot in 2024.
Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League, says he hopes the U.S. Supreme Court takes the case on appeal from the Colorado Supreme Court. He also supports an effort from North Carolina Speaker of the House Tim Moore to limit the power of the North Carolina State Board of Elections.
In mid-December, the board of elections voted 4-1 to dismiss a challenge to Trump’s appearance on the ballot. Brian Martin, an attorney and businessman, had argued Trump violated the 14th Amendment for his actions on Jan. 6, 2021, and was ineligible to appear on the ballot.
Creech criticized the actions of the Colorado court.
“For a considerable duration, many of us have been acutely aware of the potential hazards posed by judicial activism within both our state and federal courts,” Creech said. “This particular instance serves as a prominent exemplar, in my perspective. It appears to constitute a distortion of the principles enshrined in the 14th Amendment.
“The decision rendered by the Colorado Supreme Court appears to bear the hallmarks of political motivation for several discernible reasons: 1) Notably, the composition of the court includes seven justices, four of whom were appointed by Democratic officials, 2) This decision coincided with a period when former President Trump held a significant lead in the polls, raising questions about its timing and potential implications for eliminating a formidable opponent from the race, 3) The decision, in effect, infringes upon the rights of Colorado voters who wish to cast their ballots in favor of their preferred candidate, thus raising concerns about the integrity of the electoral process, 4) Furthermore, there are assertions that the decision may have been influenced by a group funded by George Soros, a prominent Democratic billionaire donor, which raises questions about the impartiality of the judicial process.”
The Colorado Supreme Court decision, Creech said, “warrants review by the United States Supreme Court.”
“While we are fortunate to have avoided such issues in the Tar Heel state, Speaker Moore’s call for legislation to safeguard against similar occurrences here appears prudent,” Creech said.
Moore and Elections Chair Rep. Grey Mills released a statement saying “we believe it is necessary for us to explore legislative action to ensure the Democratic majority on the NC State Board of Elections does not have unchecked authority to remove a major political party’s nominee from the ballot.”
“North Carolina will be a critical state in the upcoming presidential election and removing a leading candidate in this race like President Trump would be an affront to democracy,” the statement by Moore and Mills said.
The relevant section of the 14th Amendment reads: “No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.”