LOS ANGELES: A court in Colorado on Tuesday ruled that former US-president Donald Trump cannot contest the state’s presidential primary ballot because of his involvement in assault on the Capitol in January 2021.
The decision could upset the 2024 presidential election, in which the former president is a frontrunner for the Republican Party nomination.
Trump campaign said that it would file an appeal against the decision of the court.
The Supreme Court of the State of Colorado ruled that majority of the court holds that former President Trump is disqualified from holding the office of President under Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.
It said under the Election Code for the Colorado Secretary of State it would be a wrongful act to list him as a candidate on the presidential primary ballot.
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A group of voters challenged an earlier ruling that as a candidate for the presidency, Trump’s involvement in the January 6 riot did not allow him to run for the presidential election again.
The 14th Amendment to the US Constitution bars someone from holding any office if they engaged in rebellion after taking an oath as an officer of the United States.
Court’s decision termed a huge moment for democracy
Noah Bookbinder of campaign group Citizens for Ethics, which filed the case termed the court’s decision a huge moment for democracy.
Trump’s campaign spokesman Steven Cheung in a statement said that they will immediately file an appeal to the United States Supreme Court against this deeply undemocratic decision.
Trump’s indictments for allegedly leading a conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election have started a legal debate over his eligibility for future office.
The opponents of Trump hope to deny him a path to victory by disqualifying him in hotly-contested states.
