The Colorado state Supreme Court voted 3-4 Tuesday to block former President Donald Trump from receiving votes on the 2024 presidential ballot, saying he is disqualified because he “engaged in an insurrection,” a reference to his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol protests gone awry.
The majority opinion acknowledged the U.S. Supreme Court could weigh in, and as a result postponed the effect of its ruling until Jan. 4, giving the court about two weeks. The Colorado secretary of state has until Jan. 5 to certify the 2024 ballot.
“We are mindful of the magnitude and weight of the questions now before us,” the court wrote in its majority, adding that the justices 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.
“We are also cognizant that we travel in uncharted territory, and that this case presents several issues of first impression,” the opinion added.
The news immediately drew fiery pushback and calls for the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse. The court, though, would be on an unusual expedited process given the immediacy of the certification deadline.
“Joe Biden is a threat to Democracy,” Trump said during remarks in Iowa responding to the news. “They are weaponizing law enforcement for high-level election interference because we are beating them so badly in the polls.”
Even some of Trump’s Republican primary competitors came to his defense, including businessman Vivek Ramaswamy and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
“The Left invokes ‘democracy’ to justify its use of power, even if it means abusing judicial power to remove a candidate from the ballot based on spurious legal grounds,” DeSantis wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “SCOTUS should reverse.”
