According to recent news reports, an investigation has been launched into posts that allegedly contain threats against Colorado Supreme Court justices, following the court’s decision to bar former President Donald Trump from participating in the state’s presidential primary ballot. The FBI is actively assisting local law enforcement in this investigation.
The Denver Police Department, in response to these potential threats, has initiated “extra patrols” around the residences of the justices who rendered the 4-3 decision on December 19. The court disqualified Trump under a relatively obscure provision of the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment, citing his involvement in the events leading to the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack as constituting insurrection.
Reports indicate that just two nights after the court’s decision, Denver police officers were dispatched to the home of one of the justices in response to what they described as an apparent “hoax report.” The incident is still under investigation.
There are growing concerns about the rhetoric emerging from right-wing online forums, reportedly by supporters of Trump, targeting the four Colorado justices who ruled against him. Messages under scrutiny include calls for the public exposure of the justices’ personal information, accompanied by disturbing language such as “robed rats” and calls for violence.
Despite the intensity of these developments, neither the police nor the FBI has provided specific details about the nature or extent of the incidents under investigation. Both law enforcement agencies have, however, emphasized their commitment to thoroughly investigate any reports of threats or harassment.
Parallel to these events, former President Trump has been using his Truth Social platform to express increasingly inflammatory rhetoric. On Christmas Day, he posted a message calling on his political opponents to “rot in hell.” Additionally, a poll posted on Truth Social on December 26 highlighted that voters most associate the word “revenge” with a potential second term under Trump’s leadership.
The Colorado High Court’s decision, while specific to the state’s March 5 Republican primary, is expected to face a U.S. Supreme Court appeal, with Republican strategists anticipating a potential backlash among political conservatives. The court’s ruling applies the insurrection clause of the 14th Amendment to Trump, and the effective date of the disqualification has been delayed until at least January 4, 2024, to allow for a potential appeal.
It’s noteworthy that Trump is currently facing criminal charges at both the federal and state levels, relating to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results based on unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud. The unfolding events in Colorado underscore the broader implications and tensions surrounding the intersection of legal proceedings and the volatile political climate.
