The Colorado Supreme Court on Tuesday said Donald Trump is disqualified from holding the office of president under the U.S.Constitution.
The ruling is on hold for now pending potential U.S. Supreme Court review. Trump has vowed to “swiftly” appeal to the high court, which could reverse the ruling.
Because he’s disqualified, the state Supreme Court said in its 4-3 decision spanning 133 pages, it would be a “wrongful act” to list him as a candidate on the presidential primary ballot. Therefore, the court said, he can’t be on the ballot or have write-in votes for him counted.
The U.S. Supreme Court could have the final word, whether in this Colorado case or another one, as challenges have been raised in states across the country against Trump’s eligibility.
Section 3 of the 14th Amendment disqualifies from office those who take an oath to support the Constitution and then engage in insurrection. Colorado District Judge Sarah Wallace last month said Trump engaged in insurrection; however, she said Section 3 doesn’t apply to presidents, so he can be on the ballot. Both sides challenged the ruling at the state’s high court, arguing their positions to the state justices in a Dec. 6 hearing.
The state Supreme Court agreed with the Republican and unaffiliated voters who brought the case and disagreed with Trump, deciding, among other things, that Wallace was wrong to exclude presidents from Section 3 but that she wasn’t wrong in finding Trump engaged in insurrection.
As the insurrection continues, the United States of America continues to fight for democracy and the rule of law against Donald Trump and the Republican Party as they use our democracy against us. The question now is will the Trump loaded Supreme Court, professing to interpret the Constitution literally now support democracy or Donald Trump.