CNN Anchor Asks If Dumping Trump Is a Mistake Because of Jan. 6 And How Trump Supporters Might React

CNN anchor Phil Mattingly asked if dumping ex-President Donald Trump from the ballot, regardless of the merits, is a “mistake” based on “what we’ve seen with Trump supporters.”

Tuesday evening, the Colorado Supreme Court announced the bombshell news of its decision to ban Trump from the ballot on the grounds that he violated the 14th Amendment by engaging in insurrection on January 6. The court split on the question by a 4 to 3 vote.

On Wednesday morning’s edition of CNN This Morning, Mattingly told former DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson he was texting “back and forth” with a “number of Democrats” who said even if the merits are correct, it’s a mistake to remove Trump “based on January 6.”

Johnson sort of sidestepped and answered a different question, but Ret. Judge Michael Luttig did not:

PHIL MATTINGLY: Secretary. I was struck last night by the number of Democrats who I was texting back and forth with who said you can agree on the merits and still agree that this is a dangerous path to go down based on January 6. Based on what we’ve seen with Trump supporters, with the direction of politics in this country. Are they wrong?

SEC. JEH JOHNSON: Well, their, the concern from a political point of view is that the decision and the provision in the Constitution is somehow anti-democratic.

In one sense, all eligibility requirements are anti-democratic because it means there are certain people who you might like to be president are ineligible to be to be president.

And this was a duly enacted constitutional amendment. It is still valid. It is still a valid provision of the Constitution, and it has to remain in force. And we have to enforce it.

We have to adhere to the U.S. Constitution. And that’s what these judges in the Colorado Supreme Court have done.

POPPY HARLOW: So that would then playing this out, Judge Luttig. Let’s say that you’re right on this and that the Supreme Court does rule that indeed, and affirm the Colorado Supreme Court decision. What does that mean for all of those other states that have rejected it and other states where this case may be brought?

JUDGE MICHAEL LUTTIG: Poppy, let me just first add that it is not the former president’s disqualification that is anti-democratic. The Constitution itself tells us that it is the conduct that gives rise to disqualification under the 14th Amendment that is anti-democratic.

As to the dangerousness that’s being alleged by the politicians. That, of course, is to be expected. It is a serious matter, nonpolitical matter, though, to this extent. It, we live under the rule of law in this country, and it’s imperative that all Americans accept the decisions of our courts, including the Supreme Court of the United States.

It is not an option in the United States of America to protest in the streets decisions of our courts.

Watch above via CNN This Morning.