In a significant decision , a Colorado judge, Sarah Wallace, has ruled that former President Donald Trump “engaged in an insurrection” on January 6, 2021. However, the judge rejected an attempt to remove him from Colorado’s 2024 primary ballot, asserting that the 14th Amendment’s “insurrectionist ban” does not apply to presidents.
This ruling follows similar challenges in Minnesota and Michigan, where judges also refused to exclude Trump from their respective state’s Republican primary ballots. Despite well-funded advocacy groups supporting these high-profile challenges, none have succeeded in removing Trump from any 2024 primary ballot as the upcoming primary season approaches. In a significant decision
While the judge’s decision in Colorado did not bar Trump from the ballot, it provided a scathing critique of his actions, characterizing him as an insurrectionist who actively fueled the anger of extremist supporters. The ruling stated that Trump “acted with the specific intent to incite political violence and direct it at the Capitol” on January 6, 2021. Judge Wallace concluded that Trump engaged in an insurrection through incitement, and she emphasized that the First Amendment does not protect Trump’s speech on the Ellipse that day. The judge also found that Trump acted with the specific intent to disrupt the Electoral College certification of President Biden’s electoral victory through unlawful means.