October 30 (Reuters) – A trial will begin on Monday in Denver, Colorado, to determine whether Donald Trump will be able to participate in the 2024 presidential election in that state, while the former president is indicted for his alleged role in the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
The trial, which is expected to last a week, could serve as a test for other appeals aimed at preventing Donald Trump from running for president in 2024 in other states.
It is based on a measure enshrined in the Constitution and dating from the Civil War, according to which people who have engaged in “insurrection or rebellion” can be deprived of holding federal office.
Donald Trump faces similar lawsuits in Michigan and Minnesota, but the Colorado case is the first to go before a judge.
The group behind the lawsuit, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said Donald Trump “incited, aggravated and participated in a violent insurrection” by encouraging his supporters to march on the Capitol shortly after his defeat in the 2020 presidential election won by Democrat Joe Biden.
According to polls, Donald Trump is the favorite for the Republican nomination in next year’s presidential election. His opponents hope to block his path by disqualifying him in enough hotly contested states.
However, legal experts believe that this strategy is far from a foregone conclusion. If the plaintiffs win their case in court, the last word will likely go to the Supreme Court, dominated by the conservative camp and which has three judges appointed by Donald Trump.
Colorado District Court Judge Sarah Wallace rejected five separate attempts by Donald Trump and his allies to dismiss the case. The latest dates back to October 25, when the judge rejected the argument that the courts do not have the power to determine the eligibility of candidates.
Donald Trump is the subject of several proceedings against him before criminal and civil courts.
SEE AS WELL:
BOX-The various legal proceedings targeting Donald Trump
(Jack Queen report, French version Augustin Turpin, edited by Blandine Hénault)
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