Trump's campaign called the decision 'undemocratic' and vowed to file an appeal

Trump's campaign called the decision 'undemocratic' and vowed to file an appeal

Trump's campaign called the decision 'undemocratic' and vowed to file an appeal

The Colorado Supreme Court on Tuesday prohibited former President and Republican front-runner Donald Trump from the the state’s 2024 ballot for his role in the Jan 6 Capitol insurrection. 

The court ruled that Trump is disqualified by the Constitution from serving as president again because of the 14th Amendment’s "insurrectionist ban" that bans anyone who "engaged in insurrection or rebellion" after taking an oath of office to support the Constitution from holding any public office.

The bombshell ruling is the first of dozens of lawsuits filed against Trump in which the plaintiffs won. This suit was filed on behalf of six Colorado voters by the left-leaning government watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington and two law firms. 

However, the 4-3 ruling won't come into force until January 4, pending Trump’s appeal to the US Supreme Court, which could settle the matter.  The Colorado Supreme Court justices were all appointed by Democratic governors and three justices dissented from the majority ruling removing Donald Trump from the state’s primary ballot.  

A majority of the court holds that Trump is disqualified from holding the office of president under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, the court wrote in its decision. "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."

"We do not reach these conclusions lightly," the Colorado majority opinion reads. "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."

The court also explicitly stated that Secretary of State Jena Griswold "may not list President Trump’s name on the 2024 presidential primary ballot, nor may she count any write-in votes cast for him."

The Trump campaign reacted to the judgment stating that it would "swiftly file an appeal" following the Colorado Supreme Court decision.

"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. We have full confidence that the U.S. Supreme Court will quickly rule in our favour and finally put an end to these unAmerican lawsuits," campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement.

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