A Colorado judge ruled that Donald Trump be allowed to stay on the state’s ballot for the election next year, rejecting a bid to disqualify him under the amendment that bars officials who engaged in “insurrection” from holding federal office. Nonetheless, the judge found that he “engaged in insurrection” by sparking the U.S. Capitol attack by his supporters. While the decision is a victory for Trump, it also highlights that Trump’s “conduct and words were the factual cause of, and a substantial contributing factor” to the attack.
The case, brought by a group of voters with the help of watchdog organization Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, typifies the nationwide effort to disqualify Trump. The decision could be appealed to the state’s supreme court and eventually the U.S. Supreme Court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, including three Trump appointees. Despite the legal victories, the ruling serves as a reminder of Trump’s role in the 2021 Capitol attack, as it found that Trump “engaged in insurrection through incitement,” and is likely to face challenges in other states to determine his eligibility for the 2024 general election.
The ruling basically ruled that Donald Trump not be removed from the Republican presidential primary and general election in Colorado, following a group of voters requesting that he be taken off the ballot under an amendment barring officials who engaged in “insurrection” from holding federal office. The group of voters accused Trump of inciting the Capitol attacks after his defeat in the 2020 election, when thousands of his supporters stormed the Capitol building. Despite the ruling, Trump’s role in the Capitol attacks has been cemented, with the judge finding that his “conduct and words were the factual cause of, and a substantial contributing factor” to the attack. It’s worth noting that Trump continues to face challenges to his candidacy in other states and that the decision can still be appealed to the state and U.S. Supreme Courts.
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