Former White House press secretary and MSNBC host Jen Psaki encouraged voters not to worry about an upcoming decision from the Supreme Court.
Psaki shared her thoughts regarding the court’s decision on Friday to take up former President Donald Trump‘s appeal regarding the Colorado Supreme Court’s 4-3 decision to remove him from the ballot under Section Three of the 14th Amendment.
“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,” Section Three of the 14th Amendment reads.
“The Supreme Court is taking up this unprecedented case because of the unprecedented actions of Donald Trump. That’s why,” Psaki said.
.@jrpsaki: “Even if the justices do leave Donald Trump on the ballot, his position as the pro-insurrection candidate isn't really in doubt, right? … He’s not running from the insurrection, he’s embracing it.” pic.twitter.com/Jw49P4WEWm
— The Briefing with Jen Psaki (@PsakiBriefing) January 7, 2024
“Even if the justices do leave Donald Trump on the ballot, his position as the pro-insurrection candidate isn’t really in doubt,” Psaki added.
Psaki referenced a post from the co-host of the MSNBC podcast “Prosecuting Donald Trump” Andrew Weissmann, in which he pointed out that any other person would’ve argued in their brief that they had not engaged in an insurrection. Trump, on the other hand, embraces that “conduct” rather than condemn it.
“The justices may very well leave him on the ballot, we don’t know,” Psaki added. “But, Trump isn’t even denying the core argument against him. He’s not running from the insurrection. He’s embracing it. He has called January 6th a ‘beautiful day,’ he’s referred to the rioters as patriots, he has said he will pardon many of them, he has even played a version of the “Star Spangled Banner” sung by imprisoned insurrectionists at his rallies.”
In a post written on the MSNBC website, Psaki admitted there were “lots of reasons” to lose faith in the Supreme Court, especially after the court issued a ruling overturning Roe v. Wade.
The MSNBC host referenced several instances in which the court went against Trump, such as when the former president attempted to keep his tax records from New York City prosecutors. The Supreme Court also dismissed his request to keep White House records from the Jan. 6 Committee. When Trump asked for the Supreme Court to intervene and stop his tax returns from being disclosed to House Democrats, the court refused to intervene.
“It’s natural to be pessimistic about these upcoming rulings, but precedent shows we shouldn’t always assume the worst,” Psaki wrote. “At least when it comes to the court and Trump’s legal trouble.”
