Trump barred from Colorado primary ballot for role in US Capitol Attack

 A Colorado judge has ruled that former President Donald Trump can remain on the ballot for the state's election next year, despite finding that he "engaged in insurrection" by inciting the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Judge Sarah Wallace's decision, likely to be appealed, rejects an attempt by a group of Colorado voters to disqualify Trump under a rarely invoked amendment to the U.S. Constitution that bars officials involved in "insurrection" from holding federal office. The judge determined that as president, Trump did not qualify as "an officer of the United States" subject to disqualification under the amendment. While the ruling is seen as a victory for the former president, the judge also concluded that Trump's words and actions were a direct cause of the Capitol attack. This case, brought by voters and supported by the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, serves as a test case for broader disqualification efforts. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington plans to appeal the ruling. Trump's lawyers argued that he had no connection to the far-right extremist groups involved in the attack and that his pre-riot statements were protected by his right to free speech. The ruling only affects the Colorado Republican presidential primary and general election, as the state is considered safely Democratic for the general election. The decision represents another setback in the ongoing effort to disqualify Trump from future elections. While courts in Minnesota and Michigan have rejected efforts to remove him from the Republican primary ballot, his eligibility for the November 2024 general election has not yet been determined. The Colorado decision can be appealed to the state's supreme court and, ultimately, to the U.S. Supreme Court, which has a conservative majority including three justices appointed by Trump.