A judge decided on Friday to keep the eligibility of former President Trump to appear on Colorado’s primary ballot, foiling efforts to prevent the presidential candidate from being listed on the ballot.
The lawsuit in question cited the Fourteenth Amendment’s provision, which prohibits those who have “engaged in insurrection” from holding federal office, as a basis for disqualifying Trump from the ballot. Plaintiffs argued that Trump had “incited” the Capitol riots, making him ineligible under this constitutional provision.
However, Judge Sarah Wallace rejected the attempts even though she agreed with the plaintiffs that Trump had played a role in inciting the Jan. 6 events. She clarified that the language of the Fourteenth Amendment did not specifically apply to the office of the president.
As she pointed out, the amendment’s text mentions “Senator or Representative in Congress” and “elector of President and Vice President” but does not explicitly mention the office of the “President” itself. Thus, Trump’s status as a president at the time made a difference in the interpretation of the amendment.
BREAKING: LEFT-WING COLORADO JUDGE RULES 14TH AMENDMENT CANNOT APPLY TO THE PRESIDENCY, THEREFORE DOES NOT COVER TRUMP AND JAN 6, AND HE MAY APPEAR ON BALLOT
— Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) November 18, 2023
The former president’s legal team had consistently argued that his comments and actions did not constitute “engagement in insurrection” but rather fell within the realm of political speech protected by the First Amendment. They contended that Trump’s statements did not amount to incitement.
Trump himself has consistently denied any wrongdoing and has not been convicted of any insurrection charges. For him and his team, Friday’s ruling is a win amid efforts across different states to challenge his eligibility for president in the 2024 election.
Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for the former president, welcomed the decision, seeing it as a victory against what he termed “un-American ballot challenges.”
Cheung went on to highlight that similar challenges had been defeated in Michigan, Minnesota, and New Hampshire.
“These cases represent the most cynical and blatant political attempts to interfere with the upcoming presidential election by desperate Democrats who know Crooked Joe Biden is a failed president on the fast track to defeat. The American voter has a Constitutional right to vote for the candidate of their choosing, with President Donald J. Trump leading by massive numbers,” he stated.
Michigan’s ruling came in on Nov. 14 when a Court of Claims decided that the Secretary of State must list the GOP frontrunner on the ballot, emphasizing that the ultimate decision rests with the respective political party. In the past few weeks, Minnesota and New Hampshire have also seen legal challenges dismissed, with courts ruling in favor of Trump’s eligibility.