Trump disqualification trial in Colorado – What We know

Many Colorado voters have claimed to remove Donald Trump from contesting the 2024 Presidential election for his alleged role in the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capital attack.

Here are the details of the news.

Trump disqualification trial in Colorado – What We know

Former President Donald Trump continues to face legal blows with the ongoing disqualification trial in Colorado for his alleged involvement in January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Some Colorado voters have demanded the disqualification of Trump from the 2024 Presidential ballot, arguing that the former President is ineligible to run for the U.S. President and hold office again under the 14th Amendment (Section 3) of the U.S. Constitution, which states that

“Any person who has previously taken an oath of office (Senators, Representatives, and other public officials) are prohibited from holding public office if they have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the United States.”

In the trials, voters have presented evidence, including social media posts and testimony from witnesses, to support their claim that Trump encouraged the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.

Among the witnesses, an expert on right-wing extremism, Peter Simi, has testified that Trump’s speech on January 6, 2021, was unmistakably interpreted by his supporters as “a call to violence.”

Simi said, “Trump was often using language with a wink and a nod. But, members of these extremist groups consistently interpreted his comments as a clarion call toward anger, resentment and mobilization.”

“This ramped up in the summer 2020 as Trump claimed he was being cheated in the presidential election. Right-wing extremists understood those words as a call to violence.”

Simi added, “The relationship between Trump and far-right extremists is unprecedented. Far-right extremists really were galvanized by his candidacy starting in 2015.”

“And a relationship really emerged between Donald Trump and far-right extremists, with far-right extremists really seeing him as speaking their language, and really addressing many of their key grievances.”

Trump’s lawyers have claimed that the First Amendment protected the former President’s words and actions and that he did not violate the 14th Amendment.

They have challenged the jurisdiction of the Colorado court to hear the case. The former President has denied any wrongdoing that had caused the attack.

Efforts to remove Trump from the Republican primary ballot based on Section 3 of the 14th Amendment are continuously being made in several states.

On Monday, Trump filed a separate lawsuit in the Michigan Court of Claims, urging a judge to close the disqualification case in the state.

Trump’s lawyer has asserted, “Despite Trump’s tremendous popularity, there are people who want to deny Michigan voters the opportunity to express their choice by voting for him. To accomplish this, they want the Secretary of State to violate her duties and exercise powers she does not have to keep President Trump’s name off the ballot.”

Additionally, another hearing is scheduled in Minnesota to challenge his run for the U.S. President.

According to several polls, Trump is leading the Republican nomination for the presidential primaries. As such, his disqualification trials, which began in Colorado on October 30, 2023, could have far-reaching consequences on American democracy. They are expected to continue for several weeks.