Colorado Supreme Court Bars Trump From Presidential Elections

The Colarado state Supreme Court has barred former US President, Donald Trump, from contesting the 2024 Presidential elections.

In a ruling on Tuesday, four of the seven-man panel of judges concluded that the former president engaged in an insurrection over his role in the Capitol Hill invasion of 6 January 2021.

"We do not reach these conclusions lightly. We are mindful of the magnitude and weight of the questions now before us.

"We are likewise mindful of our solemn duty to apply the law, without fear or favor, and without being swayed by public reaction to the decisions that the law mandates we reach," the justices wrote.

However, the other three judges opposed the ruling citing non adherence to due process. 

The ruling, first ever use of section 3 of the US constitution’s 14th Amendment for disqualifying a presidential candidate, only took note of Colorado’s primary election scheduled for 5 March.

Although it does not necessarily halt his presidential ambition, except make things difficult for him, it could however, affect the general election in the state next November.

The judgement overrules an earlier judgement given by an Iowa court, which held that the section does not affect presidential candidates.

Similar attempts in New Hampshire, Minnesota and Michigan to bar the former president from the 2024 ballot failed.

Meanwhile, his campaign team has vowed to appeal the verdict at the US Supreme Court. Spokesperson, Steven Cheung, insists the judgement is “completely flawed”, adding that the judgement was not unexpected as the judges were appointed by Democratic governors.

"Democrat Party leaders are in a state of paranoia over the growing, dominant lead President Trump has amassed in the polls," Mr Cheung said in a statement.

"They have lost faith in the failed Biden presidency and are now doing everything they can to stop the American voters from throwing them out of office next November."

He pointed out that the former president’s legal team will "swiftly file an appeal" to the US Supreme Court, ostensibly harping on the conservatives’ 6/3 majority at the apex court.