US: Colorado bars Trump from 2024 ballot over Capitol riot

World Wednesday 20/December/2023 20:54 PM
By: DW
US: Colorado bars Trump from 2024 ballot over Capitol riot

The Supreme Court in the US state of Colorado ruled on Tuesday evening that former President Donald Trump was disqualified from holding office over his role in the January 6 attack on the Capitol building in Washington DC.

The ruling blocks Trump from appearing on the Republican primary ballot in Colorado for the presidential election set to take place in November next year.

"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 4-3 decision.

Trump's team to appeal decision

A Trump spokesman called the Colorado ruling "undemocratic" and vowed to appeal to the US Supreme Court, which has a two-thirds Conservative majority.

The same six members of the Supreme Court have banned affirmative action this year and last year overturned Roe vs. Wade protection for abortion rights.

"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," Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement

His campaign has condemned 14th Amendment challenges as an attempt to deny millions of voters their preferred choice for president.

The ruling makes Trump the first presidential candidate in US history to be considered ineligible for the White House under a rarely used provision of the US Constitution that bars officials who have engaged in "insurrection or rebellion" from holding office.