Donald Trump disqualified: Colorado judges who ruled against Republican candidate under ‘threat’, FBI probing

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the threats made against Colorado Supreme Court judges who ruled last week to remove former US President Donald Trump from the state’s ballot.

Speaking to CNN, FBI Public Affairs Officer Vikki Migoya said, “The FBI is aware of the situation and working with local law enforcement.”

“We will vigorously pursue investigations of any threat or use of violence committed by someone who uses extremist views to justify their actions regardless of motivation,” Migoya added.

On December 19, the Colorado Supreme Court barred Trump from appearing as a Republican presidential candidate on the state’s ballot for the 2024 elections.

The court ruled that Trump isn’t an eligible presidential candidate, citing “clear and convincing evidence” he was engaged in insurrection at the time of the 2021 US Capitol riots.

The order will only apply to the state of Colorado pending Trump’s appeal to the US Supreme Court.

The FBI will be assisted in its probe by the Denver Police Department. The police said that they are “providing extra patrols around justice’s residences in Denver and will provide additional safety support if/as requested”.

“Everything checked clear and we are continuing to investigate this report. Due to security and privacy considerations, and the ongoing investigation, we are unable to provide any additional information at this time,” Denver Police Department said in a statement as reported by CNN.

The names of the four judges who ruled against Trump have appeared frequently in posts on pro-Trump online forums. Some of these posts, accessed by CNN and Fox News, call for the killing of these judges by “guns, hangings or bombs”.

Some of the posts also suggest Trump supporters stock up on weapons and launch a civil war against Democrats.

An analysis by nonpartisan research nonprofit Advance Democracy showed “significant violent rhetoric” from Trump supporters online against the judges and Democrats after last week’s ruling, according to an NBC report.

On January 6, 2021, supporters of then-President Donald Trump stormed the US Capitol in Washington, DC, during the certification of the Electoral College results for the 2020 presidential election. The rioters breached security, vandalised offices, and clashed with law enforcement agencies.

The violence resulted in multiple deaths, injuries, and extensive property damage. The insurrectionists sought to overturn the election outcome, fueled by false claims of widespread voter fraud.