Petitioners claim Trump Incited Violence on January 6th, During Tuesday’s Hearing
In a hearing seeking to declare former President Donald Trump ineligible to appear on Colorado's ballot in 2024, an expert on political extremism testified on Tuesday that Trump had incited his followers to stage the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
The hearing, taking place in Denver District Court, involves a group of Republican and unaffiliated Colorado voters who filed a lawsuit last month to prevent the inclusion of Trump on the state's primary ballot.
Representing the petitioners, Eric Olson argued that the actions of Trump's supporters during the certification of Joe Biden's victory amounted to an insurrection. Olson's star witness, Chapman University sociology professor Peter Simi, testified that Trump had spent years cultivating a relationship with far-right extremists, including groups involved in planning and carrying out violence on January 6th. Simi asserted that Trump had a significant influence over these extremist groups, who perceived him as being on their side.
Simi further claimed that Trump's promotion of the "birtherism" conspiracy theory against former President Barack Obama and his repeated claims of a fraudulent election laid the groundwork for the events on January 6th. Simi argued that Trump's calls to "fight like hell" during his speech on that day were meant to be taken literally by extremists, with peaceful protest being a secondary message.
Scott Gessler, attorney for former President Donald Trump, objects to testimony during a hearing for a lawsuit to keep Trump off the state ballot, Tuesday in Denver.
Trump's lead attorney, Scott Gessler, countered by stating that Trump's remarks were typical political speech, including phrases commonly expressed by Democrats. Gessler emphasized that the lawsuit was an attempt to interfere with the voters' right to choose their next president, undermining the fundamental value of democracy.
The hearing, presided over by Judge Sarah B. Wallace, is expected to conclude before Thanksgiving to allow time for appeals before Colorado's deadline to certify the primary ballot. Similar lawsuits based on the 14th Amendment have been filed in other states, including Minnesota and Michigan.
READ MORE:
• HISTORIC EFFORT TO KEEP TRUMP OFF THE BALLOT BEGINS IN DENVER
• THE WEAPONIZATION OF A FORMER TRUMP ALLY
• COULD COLORADO KEEP TRUMP OFF 2024 BALLOT UNDER SECTION 3
OF THE 14TH AMENDMENT?
• NEW: LAWSUIT FILED TO BLOCK DONALD TRUMP BALLOT ACCESS IN
On Wednesday, the hearing will focus on constitutional questions, including whether the 14th Amendment clause cited by the petitioners applies to the president. The outcome of this hearing will have significant implications for Trump's potential inclusion on Colorado's ballot in the 2024 presidential election.