Coons: Colorado ruling on Trump is ‘a plain reading of the text of the 14th amendment’

Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) hailed the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling barring former President Donald Trump from the state’s ballot, calling it “a plain reading of the text of the 14th amendment.”

Coons, a national co-chair of President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign, defended the court’s ruling Tuesday night that Trump’s involvement in the Jan. 6 riot violated the section of the 14th amendment that bars those who have engaged in insurrection from holding office.

“I'll remind you this provision was written to prevent those who were part of the confederacy who took up arms against the United States in our civil war from returning to federal elected office,” Coons said during an interview with CNN Wednesday.

“I was here on January 6. We had an impeachment trial for President Trump after the events of January 6. I think it's undeniable in my view that he participated in an insurrection and, as such, should be disqualified from holding federal office,” he added.

It’s one of the more forceful defenses of the highly politicized ruling from a Democrat and key Biden ally as members of the party try to strike a balance between supporting what many view as a legitimate legal argument while avoiding an exaggerated celebration that could inflame Trump’s base.

Celebration may be premature even for those who would like to see Trump banned from the ballot. The case is almost certain to wind its way to the Supreme Court (Trump has already said he plans to appeal), where it’s unclear whether it will be held up by the body’s conservative majority.

Biden on Wednesday declined to weigh in on the legal argument behind the ruling. But he did tell reporters that there is no question the former president was responsible for leading an insurrection.

“It’s self-evident. You saw it all,” Biden said.