- The Colorado Supreme Court has barred Donald Trump from the state’s primary election.
- Donald Trump is likely to appeal to the US Supreme Court.
- This happened for the first time in US history.
Legend:
Donald Trump stumbles over the 14th Amendment in Colorado.
Keystone/Godofredo A. Vasquez
The Supreme Court ruled Donald Trump out of next year’s presidential primary by a 4-3 vote. According to the ruling, Donald Trump may not be nominated as the Republican candidate for the presidential election. The former US President’s lawyers have already announced in advance that they will appeal such a verdict.
The 14th Amendment will be Trump’s undoing in Colorado
The Supreme Court relies on the 14th Amendment. This states that anyone who has held a political office, who has sworn an oath to the US Constitution and then takes part in an insurrection or rebellion, may never hold such office again. This 14th Amendment now refers to the storming of the Capitol in January 2021, which Donald Trump is said to have incited through his behavior and statements.
In the USA, many disagree about whether this constitutional amendment can also be applied to the president. Michael Luttig, a former conservative federal judge, is of the opinion that, according to this passage, Trump should never be allowed to become president of the USA again. Scott Gessler, Donald Trump’s lawyer, sees this completely differently: “Six voters from Colorado don’t decide who should lead the USA – the people do that.”
Plaintiffs in other states have failed
In Minnesota, plaintiffs with the same claim have already failed in court. Trump also initially had success in the district court in Colorado. The judge wrote at the time that the court concluded that Trump had acted with the specific intent of inciting political violence, but the judge concluded that the clause in the Constitution did not explicitly refer to the office of president. The Colorado Supreme Court now sees this differently.
In the polls, Donald Trump is well ahead of his competitors among the Republicans. The winner of the Republican primary will face incumbent US President Joe Biden in the presidential election on November 5, 2024.