In an unprecedented development, Donald Trump has achieved another dubious distinction, becoming the inaugural former or sitting U.S. President to be excluded from the re-election ballot due to charges of insurrection. Effectively, he is deemed ineligible to pursue candidacy.
This marks yet another historic event for the former President, who has amassed a series of ignominious firsts. Trump stands as the sole U.S. President to face impeachment twice, confront criminal charges related to mishandling classified materials, and attempt to subvert the results of an election—both while in office and after leaving it.
The Colorado Supreme Court, in a landmark decision, has prohibited Trump from participating in the state's presidential primary. The ruling hinges on Trump's alleged involvement in the insurrection of January 6, 2021, when a mob of his supporters, at his behest, stormed the U.S. Congress to impede the certification of Joe Biden as the next President—a crucial step in the electoral process. Trump now faces a litany of charges, exceeding 90, brought forth by federal and state authorities.
The court's verdict invokes Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, asserting that Trump is disqualified from holding the office of President. Consequently, listing him as a candidate on the presidential primary ballot would contravene the Election Code, according to the court.
The constitutional basis for this disqualification lies in Amendment 14, which bars individuals engaged in insurrection from seeking the presidency. Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment explicitly states that those who have previously sworn an oath to support the U.S. Constitution but have participated in insurrection or rebellion are ineligible for various offices, unless Congress, by a two-thirds majority vote in each house, removes such disability.
Although three of the seven bench members dissented, and two states have rejected the case for disqualifying Trump on these grounds, the Colorado Supreme Court's ruling is a significant setback for the former President. The Trump campaign has declared its intention to appeal this decision.
(With Agency Inputs)
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