 "Colorado court ruling on Trump: What it means for 2024 presidential polls")
The Colorado Supreme Court on Tuesday disqualified former US President Donald Trump from the ballot in the state's presidential election next year over his role in the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol by his supporters. The court declared him ineligible for the White House under the US Constitution's insurrection clause. Trump is the first candidate in US presidential history to face such an action.
This is the first time in US history that Section 3 of the 14th Amendment has been used to disqualify a presidential candidate. This provision of the US Constitution bars officials who have engaged in "insurrection or rebellion" from holding office. The court delivered a 4-3 split verdict. The justices who gave the ruling were appointed by Democratic governors.
What is Section 3 of 14th Amendement in US Constitution?
Section 3 of the 14th Amendment bars from office anyone who swore an oath to support the Constitution and then engaged in insurrection or rebellion against it. The clause has been employed only in a handful of instances since the decade after the US Civil War.
The court stayed its decision until January 4, or until the US Supreme Court ruled on the case. Trump's campaign, however, called the court decision "flawed" and "undemocratic" and said they would file an appeal.
Reports suggest that the issue must be decided by January 5, the deadline for Colorado to print its presidential primary ballots.
What did Colorado Supreme Court say on Donald Trump?
More From This Section
The Colorado Supreme Court overturned a judgement from a District Court judge who ruled Trump could not be barred from the ballot because it was unclear that the provision was intended to cover the presidency. The District Court judge arrived at the decision despite concluding that Trump incited the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.
The court's majority, as reported by the Associated Press, said, "We do not reach these conclusions lightly. 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 favour, and without being swayed by public reaction to the decisions that the law mandates we reach."
What did Trump's campaign say on the ruling?
Trump's campaign criticised the 14th Amendment challenges as an attempt to deny "millions of voters" their preferred choice for president.
A spokesperson from the Trump campaign said, "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."
What does the Colorado court ruling mean for Trump?
According to reports, Trump's disqualification means it would be wrongful to list him as a candidate on the presidential primary ballot in Colorado under election laws. The judgement applies only to Colorado's March 5 Republican primary, although its conclusion is likely to impact Trump's status for the November 5 presidential election.
Anti-Trump Democrats are hoping to employ the case to strengthen a wider disqualification effort and potentially raise the issue before the US Supreme Court. The court's 6-3 conservative majority includes three Trump appointees.
Will the ruling impact Trump's 2024 presidential campaign?
Trump doesn't need Colorado to win 2024's presidential election. But the catch is that more courts and election officials could follow Colorado's lead and keep him out from must-win states.
How many seats does Colorado have in US Presidential elections?
In US' electoral college system, each state gets a certain number of electors based on its representation in Congress. A presidential candidate needs more than half (270) out of 538 electoral votes to win the election.
The state of Colorado has 10 electoral votes in the electoral college. Long known as a swing state, Colorado has voted Democratic Party for the past three presidential elections.