Colorado political parties respond to lawsuit that could potentially remove Trump from the 2024 ballot

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)- The group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, also known as CREW, has filed a lawsuit on behalf of six Coloradans to bar former President Donald Trump from the primary ballot in Colorado.

According to CREW, of the six Coloradans, four are Republicans and two are unaffiliated voters.

The lawsuit is based on Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment and Trump's involvement in the alleged Jan. 6th insurrection.

The 14th Amendment states that any person who is a federal state officer and took an oath to defend the U.S. Constitution and engages in insurrection or rebellion against the Constitution is barred from serving in federal or state office going forward.

The former president has not been convicted of any crime so far regarding the Jan. 6th insurrection but is awaiting trial on numerous charges.

According to CREW, they won a case last year involving similar charges against a New Mexico County Commissioner, Couy Griffin. This case also involved his role in the January 6th insurrection. Griffin was convicted on multiple charges.

"We certainly expect that when we have an opportunity to present evidence and witnesses in the district court, we are confident in our ability to prove our case," said Donald K. Sherman, Executive Vice President and Chief Counsel of CREW.

KRDO reached out to the El Paso County GOP, who declined an on-camera interview about this case but provided the statement below.

"All our office will say is that it is a sad day in America when political opponents go to such great lengths to remove their opposition.  This is looking more and more like communism from the Democratic Party everyday." 

El Paso County Republican Party

El Paso County Democrats said it's up to the Colorado courts to decide.

"Whether or not those things meet the legal definition of insurrection is not really for us to determine. It's for the courts to decide. Trying to make some kind of an extra-judicial opinion on that would be exactly what the people were doing on January 6th, said Rob Rogers,"

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold is in charge of overseeing elections in Colorado. Because she holds this position, she is listed as the defendant in the lawsuit along with Trump.

Griswold released this statement below.

"Today a lawsuit was filed to determine whether former President Donald J. Trump is disqualified from the Colorado ballot for inciting the January 6th insurrection and attempting to overturn the 2020 Presidential Election.The United States Constitution bars anyone who has taken an oath to protect the Constitution from holding office if they have ‘engaged in insurrection or rebellion’ or ‘given aid or comfort to the enemies’ of the Constitution. I look forward to the Colorado Court’s substantive resolution of the issues, and am hopeful that this case will provide guidance to election officials on Trump’s eligibility as a candidate for office."

Colorado Secretary of State
Jena Griswold

CREW said they could be in court as quickly as five days but are not sure when they will appear in court regarding this case.

To read the full lawsuit, click here.