Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy pledged to withdraw from the GOP primary ballot in Colorado after the state’s Supreme Court ruled to remove former President Trump from the ballot for his role in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
On Wednesday, the Colorado Supreme Court disqualified Trump from appearing on the state’s ballots in 2024.
Fox News reported that the disqualification, made under the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, is related to the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.
Tuesday’s 4-3 ruling is stayed until January 4 because of likely appeals. Three justices on the Colorado Supreme Court dissented.
“We do not reach these conclusions lightly,” the court’s majority wrote.
“We are mindful of the magnitude and weight of the questions now before us. We 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.”
The court said Trump engaged in insurrection by inflaming his supporters with “false” election fraud claims.
The insurrection clause prohibits the holding of “any office … under the United States” if person engaged in insurrection after swearing to “support” the Constitution as “an officer of the United States.”
The Colorado Supreme Court said the “insurrection” clause covers the office of the president.
The 14th Amendment states:
“No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any state, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.”
In response to the ruling, Ramaswamy said in a statement:
“I pledge to withdraw from the Colorado GOP primary unless Trump is also allowed to be on the state’s ballot, and I demand that Ron DeSantis, Chris Christie, and Nikki Haley to do the same immediately — or else they are tacitly endorsing this illegal maneuver which will have disastrous consequences for our country.”
“This is what an actual attack on democracy looks like in an un-American, unconstitutional, and unprecedented decision: a cabal of Democrat judges are barring Trump from the ballot in Colorado,” Ramaswamy said.
The court in Colorado put the ruling on hold until January 4 so the former president could first seek review from the U.S. Supreme Court.
As The Hill reported, The seven-member bench of Colorado’s Supreme Court was entirely appointed by Democratic governors. Six later faced voters and won retention elections, while the seventh will do so next year.
WATCH: Ex-FBI Agent Tells Vivek Ramaswamy to ‘Be Careful’ in Ominous Warning
