Allies and rivals stick by Trump once again after Colorado Supreme Court ruling
If you thought this week’s ruling from the Colorado Supreme Court — that the 14th Amendment’s insurrection clause bars Donald Trump from running in 2024 — might prompt other GOP primary candidates to pile on the former president … that’s not at all what happened.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis accused the “left” of “abusing judicial power.” Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley declared, “We don’t need to have judges making these decisions.”
Even Trump critic Chris Christie said, “I don’t believe a court should exclude somebody from running for president without there being, you know, a trial and evidence that’s accepted by a jury that they did participate in an insurrection.”
But this is all part of a pattern we have seen since the Republican primary began.
Remember that after Trump was indicted in Georgia for interfering in the state’s 2020 election, DeSantis called it a “criminalization of politics.” After a federal grand jury in Miami charged Trump with mishandling classified documents, Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., called the indictment a “weaponization of the Department of Justice against the former president.” Haley said she would be “inclined in favor of a pardon.”
Again, that is not coming from Trump’s campaign manager or spokesperson — that is from the people running against him for the Republican nomination.
And polls of Republican primary voters give us an indication as to why.
Back in April, after Trump was arraigned in New York over state charges of falsifying business records, an NBC News poll found that two-thirds of Republican primary voters said they supported Trump and dismissed concerns about his electability.
In June, an NBC News poll (conducted a week after a federal grand jury indicted Trump for mishandling classified documents) showed Trump with a growing lead over his rivals in the aftermath of his latest indictment. So he was indicted … and he gained support.
While we may not yet know how the courts will ultimately rule in this case … we do know that Trump’s opponents somehow don’t see his legal troubles as a liability, in large part because the Republican electorate doesn’t either.
A story you should be following: Threats against the Colorado Supreme Court
According to an exclusive report obtained by NBC News, in just the first 24 hours after the Colorado Supreme Court barred Trump from the state’s primary ballot, social media outlets were inundated with threats against the justices who ruled in the case.
Social media users took to Truth Social and various pro-Trump sites. One user wrote, “This ends when we kill these f—ers.”
Another user wrote, “What do you call 7 justices from the Colorado Supreme Court at the bottom of the ocean? … A good start.”
Some users even went so far as to post justices’ personal information online, including office addresses and phone numbers.
Like the spinelessness of Trump’s primary rivals, these threats are part of a pattern. After a grand jury in Georgia indicted Trump, some of his supporters posted the grand jurors’ addresses online. After the FBI searched Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home, a man attacked the FBI field office in Cincinnati with a nail gun while holding an AR-15-style rifle. And those are just two of many examples.
This is scary stuff … and it does not seem like it is going to stop. I’ll be watching to see how law enforcement grapples with this influx of threats against basically anyone involved in the various cases around Donald Trump.
People you should know: The Elizabeth Dole Foundation’s “Hidden Heroes”
As we look to the New Year, one thing I’m focused on is lifting up organizations that do amazing work.
Named for and founded by former Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., the Dole Foundation supports and empowers those who care for our veterans. We don’t often think about the needs that caregivers themselves have.
One of those remarkable caregivers is Jennifer Ostan. She provides care for her husband, Will, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. When Will returned from his second deployment, Jen noticed a series of concerning symptoms. After five years of trips to the emergency room and doctors appointments, Will was diagnosed with a rare autoinflammatory disease that doctors believe is linked to environmental toxins he was exposed to while serving in Afghanistan.
I’ll be sitting down soon with Jennifer to discuss how we can better support our military caregivers. Tune in on Sunday, Dec. 31, at 12 p.m. ET for our conversation.
Rep. Anna Eshoo’s weekend routine:
Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., recently announced she will retire in the coming year after three decades in Congress. I will be sitting down with Eshoo to discuss her proudest public service moments. Tune in at 12 p.m. ET on Sunday for our conversation.
What show are you bingeing right now?
I’m not a big binger, but I recently watched a PBS special on Queen Victoria I loved. I’ll also watch any Ken Burns series; the “Roosevelt” one is one of my favorites.
What’s the last book you read?
“Capital Dames” by Cokie Roberts. It’s a fascinating read that Christine Pelosi just gave me.
What time do you wake up on the weekends?
Same time as every day. I’m on auto pilot.
How do you take your coffee?
I love my lattes, but I need to steam my own milk.
Jen Psaki is the host of "The Briefing with Jen Psaki" airing Tuesdays through Fridays at 9 p.m. EST. She is the former White House press secretary for President Joe Biden.