THE Colorado Supreme Court has ruled that former President Donald Trump is ineligible to serve as president for having engaged in insurrection against the United States.
The court ruled that as a result, he cannot cannot appear on the state’s ballot for the 2024 Republican Primary.
The Colorado Supreme Court has ruled that former President Donald Trump cannot appear on the state’s ballot for the 2024 Republican PrimaryGetty
The ruling at the higher court in Denver, Colorado, came after voters claimed Trump was ineligible for allegedly violating the 14th Amendment on January 6, 2021Getty
The ruling was handed down in a 4-3 decision.
But the ruling will remain on hold until January 4 pending an appeal, which Trump is expected to make to the US Supreme Court.
States have been litigating Trump’s eligibility since his association with the January 6, 2021, Capitol riots.
Trump shared tweets during the riot that encouraged protesters to demonstrate while claiming the election results were stolen by Democrats.
Voters have cited this day as a reason to disqualify Trump, as his actions could be a violation of the 14th Amendment in the US Consitution.
A clause in the amendment states that no person who has “engaged in insurrection of rebellion” can hold a position in federal office.
Courts in Minnesota and Michigan have already thrown out similar suits, and a lower court in Colorado also ruled that Trump was still eligible.
But the higher court overturned the ruling on Tuesday.
“A majority of the court holds that President Trump is disqualified from holding the office of President under Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution,” the Colorado high court said in a statement.
“Because he is disqualified, it would be a wrongful act under the Election Code for the Colorado Secretary of State to list him as a candidate on the presidential primary ballot,” the ruling said.
This marks the first time in history that a presidential candidate has been qualified using Section 3 of the 14th Amendment.
“We do not reach these conclusions lightly,” the court’s majority wrote.
“We are mindful of the magnitude and weight of the questions now before us.
“We are likewise mindful of our solemn duty to apply the law, without fear or favor, and without being swayed by public reaction to the decisions that the law mandates we reach.”
Trump lost the 2020 election by 13 percentage points.
While he doesn’t necessarily need Colorado to win if he were to be the GOP candidate in 2024, there is a chance that other states could follow suit with Tuesday’s ruling.
Trump’s campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung released a statement on Tuesday evening following the ruling.
“Democrat Party leaders are in a state of paranoia over the growing, dominant lead President Trump has amassed in the polls. They have lost faith in the failed Biden presidency and are now doing everything they can to stop the American voters from throwing them out of office next November,” Cheung said in a statement, per The Hill.
“The Colorado Supreme Court issued a completely flawed decision tonight and we will swiftly file an appeal to the United States Supreme Court and a concurrent request for a stay of this deeply undemocratic decision,” he continued.
“We have full confidence that the U.S. Supreme Court will quickly rule in our favor and finally put an end to these unAmerican lawsuits.”
States have been litigating Trump’s eligibility since his association with the January 6, 2021, Capitol riotsGetty Images – Getty
Trump shared tweets during the riot that encouraged protesters to demonstrate while claiming the election results were stolen by DemocratsGetty Images – Getty Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
