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What’s The Difference Between a Rioter and an Insurrectionist?
Last month, the Colorado Supreme Court decided 4–3 that former US President Donald Trump was unable to run for president on their state’s ballot because four of the Colorado Justices held Trump accountable for the violence at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
At noon on January 6th, the same day Congress was scheduled to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s victory over the former president, Trump held an ill-advised rally in Washington, DC, which thousands of die-hard Trump supporters attended. Trump said that the Democrats stole the election. Following Trump’s speech, thousands of die-hard Trump supporters marched to the United States Capitol, broke past the barricades, clashed with Capitol police, and surged inside the building.
Following the mayhem, the nation argued whether January 6th was a riot or an insurrection.
Four Colorado Justices believed that January 6th was an insurrection led by former President Trump, enforcing Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which states that officials who took an oath to support the constitution are barred from holding future office if they engage in “insurrection or rebellion” against the United States. However, the United States Supreme Court wanted the situation resolved before the March presidential primaries, so it agreed to hear Trump’s appeal…