Colorado judge allows trial to determine if Trump’s eligibility for office is affected by the 14th Amendment

Colorado Judge Rejects Trump’s Attempt to Dismiss Lawsuit

CNN

Published on [DATE]

A recent ruling by a Colorado judge has dealt a blow to former President Donald Trump‘s efforts to dismiss a lawsuit filed against him. The lawsuit seeks to block Trump from the 2024 presidential ballot on the grounds of the 14th Amendment’s “insurrectionist ban.”

This ruling clears the way for an upcoming trial that will assess whether Trump’s involvement in the January 6, 2021, insurrection disqualifies him from returning to the White House.

This is Trump’s fifth unsuccessful attempt to have the Colorado case thrown out. Multiple lawsuits, including this one, have been filed to challenge his candidacy based on the 14th Amendment.

The 14th Amendment, ratified after the Civil War, stipulates that US officials who have engaged in insurrection or given aid to insurrectionists are barred from holding future office. However, the amendment does not specify how to enforce this ban, and it has only been applied twice since the 1800s.

In a 24-page ruling, Judge Sarah Wallace rejected Trump’s argument that questions regarding his eligibility should be addressed by Congress rather than the courts. She also dismissed his claim that Colorado election officials lack the authority to enforce the “insurrectionist ban” outlined in Section 3 of the 14th Amendment.

Wallace stated, “The Court holds that states can, and have, applied Section 3 pursuant to state statutes without federal enforcement legislation.”

The upcoming trial will focus on determining whether the events of January 6 constituted an insurrection and whether Trump was involved in insurrectionary activities.

Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing in relation to the January 6 attack on the US Capitol. He has pleaded not guilty to state and federal charges arising from his attempts to overturn the 2020 election.

Trump’s campaign has condemned the lawsuits as “absurd” and accused the groups behind the candidacy challenges of distorting the law.

Read More of this Story at www.cnn.com – 2023-10-25 23:01:00