The order is put on hold by the court to allow an appeal to the Supreme Court.
Former US president Donald Trump has been disqualified from contesting the Colorado primary polls for next year’s presidential elections over his role in the Capitol riots by his supporters. This means that the court has found the former US President to be ineligible for the White House. Trump is the first presidential candidate in US history to face such an action.
The order invoked a rarely used provision in the US Constitution that disallows officials from holding office if they are involved in “insurrection or rebellion.”
Trump’s campaign spokesperson has called the decision “completely flawed” and vowed to appeal the ruling. “We will swiftly file an appeal to the US Supreme Court and a concurrent request for a stay of this deeply undemocratic decision,” a statement said.
The order is put on hold till January 4 to allow an appeal to the Supreme Court.
What this ruling means
Trump’s disqualification means it would be wrongful under election laws to list him as a candidate on the presidential primary ballot in Colorado. No votes cast in his name will be counted as well, the order states.
The court order applies only to the March 5 primary elections to be held by the Republican Party. However, its conclusion could impact the general election for the President set for November 5.
Colorado is viewed as a safe state for the Democrats and Trump’s fate there is unlikely to affect the Dems, according to nonpartisan US election forecasters.
The former president is set to appeal the order in the Supreme Court, where the conservatives have a 6-3 majority, including three Trump appointees.
The Colorado Supreme Court order reverses a low court ruling that found him inciting his supporters for the insurrection, but said as a president he was not an “officer of the United States” who could be disqualified.
