The Colorado Republican Party is appealing the ruling by the state’s high court that bans former President Trump from running again. And Apple is restocking its shelves after an import ban on its watches is temporarily blocked. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023.

Colorado Republican Party appeals ruling barring Trump from ballot

The Colorado Republican Party has appealed the state’s Supreme Court ruling that found former President Donald Trump is ineligible to run again due to the Constitution’s “insurrection clause.” In its 4-3 ruling last week, the Colorado Supreme Court determined that based on Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which bans insurrectionists from holding office, Trump is barred from running for president because of his role in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

For the first time in American history, a former president has been disqualified from the ballot…

Colorado GOP attorneys

On Wednesday, Dec. 27, the Colorado Republican Party asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse the ruling. The state GOP said Colorado’s high court misinterpreted the Section 3 provision and interfered with its 1st Amendment rights of free association.

“For the first time in American history, a former president has been disqualified from the ballot, a political party has been denied the opportunity to put forward the presidential candidate of its choice, and the voters have been denied the ability to choose their chief executive through the electoral process,” party attorneys wrote in the filing.

Colorado’s Supreme Court had overturned a ruling from a district court judge who found that Trump incited an insurrection but could not be barred from the ballot because it was not clear if Section 3 covered the presidency. The Colorado Supreme Court put its ruling on hold until Jan. 4 to give time for an appeal. The former president said he also plans to appeal the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court.

In a similar case, Michigan’s Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday, Dec. 27, that Trump could remain on the state’s ballot, with one judge saying Colorado’s election laws differ from Michigan’s.

House Republicans seek White House documents over Hunter Biden

House Republicans have requested that the White House turn over any documents related to President Biden’s alleged knowledge of his son Hunter Biden’s refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House Oversight Committee in December. Republicans Jim Jordan and James Comer sent a letter to the White House looking for any correspondence regarding Hunter Biden’s scheduled deposition with the House Oversight Committee on Dec. 13.

…we are compelled to examine as part of our impeachment inquiry whether the president engaged in a conspiracy to obstruct a proceeding of Congress…

Reps. James Comer, R-Ky., Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio

Hunter Biden defied the subpoena, telling reporters outside the U.S. Capitol that day that he would answer any relevant questions lawmakers had about his foreign business dealings in an open-door setting. Following Hunter Biden’s comments, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that the president was “familiar with” what Hunter would say in his statement; Comer and Jordan said that comment sparked their probe.

🚨HOLDING HUNTER BIDEN IN CONTEMPT🚨

Hunter Biden defied a lawful subpoena today, and we will now initiate contempt of Congress proceedings. There will be no special treatment because his last name is Biden.

Joe Biden & his family must be held accountable for their corruption. pic.twitter.com/TFcWpVl4PK

— Oversight Committee (@GOPoversight) December 13, 2023

“In light of an official statement from the White House that President Biden was aware in advance that his son, Hunter Biden, would knowingly defy two Congressional subpoenas, we are compelled to examine as part of our impeachment inquiry whether the president engaged in a conspiracy to obstruct a proceeding of Congress,” Jordan and Comer wrote.

House Republicans have given the White House until Jan. 10 to turn over any documents related to the inquiry.

New York City mayor issues executive order for migrant charter buses

New York City Mayor Eric Adams issued an executive order on Wednesday, Dec. 27, targeting the migrant charter buses sent by Texas as part of Gov. Greg Abbott’s (R) Operation Lone Star initiative. Adams’ order requires the buses to arrive in the city only between 8:30 am and noon on weekdays at a single drop-off site, and their arrival must be announced 32 hours in advance.

“We cannot allow buses with people needing our help to arrive without warning at any hour of day and night. This not only prevents us from providing assistance in an orderly way, it puts those who have already suffered so much in danger,” Adams said. “To be clear, this is not stopping people from coming, but about ensuring the safety of migrants and making sure they can arrive in a coordinated and orderly way.”

We've begun to see another surge of migrants arriving. We expect this to intensify over the coming days as a result of @GovAbbott's cruel and inhumane politics.

Just last week, 14 chartered buses with migrants arrived in one night, with hundreds more arriving every day. (1/5) https://t.co/62x7S9o9Eg

— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) December 27, 2023

Companies in violation of the order could receive three months in jail and a fine of up to $2,000. The order comes after 14 busloads of migrants from Texas arrived in a single night in New York last week. Adams said the city is receiving nearly 4,000 migrants each week.

The U.S. is seeing a surge in illegal crossings at its southern border, with illegal crossings topping 10,000 some days.

Adams was joined in a virtual news conference by the Democratic mayors of Chicago and Denver, who are all pressing the federal government for more aid for the asylum seekers arriving in their cities.

Former U.S. Senator, Milwaukee Bucks owner Herb Kohl dies at 88

Herb Kohl, the former Democratic U.S. Senator from Wisconsin and owner of the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks, died on Wednesday, Dec. 27, at the age of 88 after a brief illness, his foundation announced. In the 1970s, Kohl served as president of his family’s chain of supermarkets and department stores until the family sold their interest in 1979, which gave him time to fund his other passions outside of the business.

pic.twitter.com/RcUvbNi4lv

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) December 28, 2023

Starting in 1989, Kohl served 24 years in the U.S. Senate. He chaired the Senate Aging Committee and was a supporter of public education. Kohl purchased the Bucks in 1985 for $18 million, ensuring the team would not leave his hometown. In 2014, he sold the team while contributing $100 million toward the construction of a new arena. In 2021, the Bucks won the NBA championship; Kohl called it “one of the big days” of his life.

Apple restarts watch sales as court blocks import ban

Apple is bringing back its latest watches to its store shelves after a federal appeals court has temporarily blocked an import ban by the U.S. International Trade Commission. 

“We are thrilled to return the full Apple Watch lineup to customers in time for the new year,” Apple said in a statement. “Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, including the blood oxygen feature, will become available for purchase again in the United States at Apple Stores starting [Wednesday] and from apple.com [Thursday] by 12 pm PT.”

Beginning Thursday, Dec. 28, all watches will be available online and in stores, a major victory for the tech giant in one of its most profitable times of the year. Still, Apple is not out of the woods, as the ongoing patent dispute with medical device company Masimo makes its way through the courts.

Masimo sued Apple in 2020 over patent infringement, claiming the tech company stole its blood-oxygen reading technology for its watches. Massimo has not commented on the latest decision, according to media reports.

Times Square restaurants, hotels offering NYE experiences

Those of you heading to Times Square to ring in the new year won’t have to spend a dime to see the ball drop from the street. But if you want to experience it from a nearby hotel or restaurant, that’s a different story.

Thinking of spending the night at the Olive Garden’s Times Square location? That will cost you $450 per person. The party atmosphere includes a buffet, open bar, and dancing, but a live view of the ball drop is not guaranteed. At Applebee’s, tickets start at $799 for its event, which includes similar accommodations plus a guided stroll to the street to celebrate the ball drop at midnight.

Bubba Gump Shrimp is also hosting a New Year’s party with a buffet, dessert stations, and party favors for a price of $1,015 per ticket.

If a hotel is more your speed, the Marriott Marquis is hosting a formal wear gala complete with a 5-hour buffet and floor-to-ceiling windows, and guests are given an unobstructed view of Times Square. The prime VIP package for two costs $12,500 to celebrate 2024 in style.