Find the courage to keep Trump off the ballot

The Colorado Supreme Court and Maine’s secretary of state have determined that former President Donald Trump isn’t eligible to be on the Republican primary ballot in their states, per Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

To simplify, no person shall hold any U.S. office, who, having previously taken an oath to support the Constitution of the United States, has engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same.

Some could say that the events leading up to Jan. 6, 2021, don’t amount to an insurrection. The facts indicate otherwise. Trump and his allies planned and attempted to overturn the 2020 presidential election knowing Joe Biden had won. For the first time, the United States didn’t have a peaceful transfer of power.

In the lead-up to Jan. 6, 2021, Trump filed 62 challenges to the presidential election. He lost all but one minor challenge. A Pennsylvania judge ruled that voters had three days after the election to provide proper ID and cure their ballots. It did not change the outcome of the Pennsylvania election, which Biden won by more than 80,000 votes.

To address another aspect of Trump’s claim of election fraud, Dominion Voting Systems sued Fox News for repeatedly broadcasting false statements that Dominion’s voting systems had been rigged to steal the 2020 presidential election. In a summary judgment, the judge ruled that none of the disputed statements Fox News made about Dominion were true.

In yet another scheme, six Trump fake electors in Nevada were indicted for their role in submitting a false document claiming to be the state’s presidential electors. Fake electors face criminal charges in Michigan and Georgia. And in a settlement in Wisconsin, 10 Republican fake electors admitted their actions were part of an effort to overturn Biden’s victory.

Additionally, more than 1,100 people have been charged for their actions at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Despite these facts, many believe the Colorado Supreme Court and Maine’s secretary of state’s removal of Trump from the ballot is anti-democratic and this decision should be left up to the voters.

But Trump himself didn’t leave it up to the voters.

Had he left it up to the voters, he would have acknowledged his loss and conceded the election. Instead it is antidemocratic to look for alternative rationale when the Constitution clearly lays out the criteria for declaring someone ineligible for office. There’s nothing more fundamentally democratic than adhering to the U.S. Constitution.

Section 3 of the 14th Amendment reads “engaged in insurrection or rebellion.” It doesn’t say convicted.

Many involved with the Jan. 6, 2021 storming of our nation’s Capitol are being held accountable for their actions. The Colorado Supreme Court and Maine’s secretary of state are taking steps to hold the man most responsible for that day accountable.

Let’s hope others find the courage to do the same.