Colorado Supreme Court Disqualifies Trump from 2024 Ballot – For a Minute
In a 3 to 4 opinion, the Colorado Supreme Court has decided that former President Donald Trump will not be allowed to appear on the state's ballot for the 2024 presidential election.
The Court stated in their 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."
This ruling raises questions about Trump's eligibility and whether Section III of the Fourteenth Amendment can prevent him from being on the presidential ballot.
Previously, a lower court judge had found that Trump had "engaged" in insurrection on January 6, 2021, a criterion that would technically disqualify someone who has sworn an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution from serving in public office again. However, the lower court did not explicitly ban Trump from the ballot.
The November ruling by the lower court left open the interpretation of whether Trump was considered an "officer" of the United States during his tenure as commander-in-chief. The lower court determined that the clause did not apply to Trump because it did not explicitly mention the presidency.
During the oral arguments, the justices seemed divided on the definition of "officer" and posed tough questions to both Trump's attorneys and the attorneys representing the six voters who brought the case.
One exchange with Trump's attorney Scott Gessler prompted the court to ask, "How is it not absurd to say that anyone who engaged in insurrection can't serve in office except for the presidency?"
Gessler argued that such decisions should be left to democracy and the voters.
The petition, brought by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) on behalf of the six voters, aimed to compel Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold to remove Trump's name from the presidential ballot. Trump and his lawyers argued that Griswold's role was merely ministerial and that she lacked the authority to determine a candidate's qualifications.
However, CREW's lawyers contended that Griswold, as the state secretary, has a more significant role when it comes to elections and is responsible for providing voters with qualified candidates.
READ MORE:
COLORADO SUPREME COURT WEIGHS TRUMP'S ELIGIBILITY UNDER INSURRECTION CLAUSE
TRUMP DEFENDERS SAY ‘A LOT’ IN FORMER PRESIDENT’S COLORADO TRIAL
This decision by the Colorado Supreme Court has sparked controversy and raised concerns about the interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment and the authority of state officials in determining candidate eligibility… And if these decisions should be determinded by a court or by the voters.
This is a developing story, and this decision will most definitely be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.