The trial to determine whether former President Donald Trump should be kept off the 2024 ballot in Colorado began on October 30, 2023. The case is based on the 14th Amendment's third section, which disqualifies anyone from holding office who has engaged in insurrection or rebellion
against the United States. The amendment was adopted after the Civil War to prevent Confederate leaders from returning to power. The case is the first of its kind to be brought against a former president.
The plaintiffs, a group of Colorado voters, argue that Trump's actions leading up to and on January 6, 2021, when a mob of his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol, amounted to insurrection. They are seeking to have him barred from the state's 2024 ballot. The defense argues that the case is politically motivated and that Trump's actions do not meet the legal definition of insurrection.
The trial is expected to last several weeks and will include testimony from constitutional scholars, historians, and experts on insurrection. The outcome could have significant implications for the 2024 presidential election, particularly if other states follow Colorado's lead.