Shortly after the American Civil War, Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibited people from holding public office if they engaged in “insurrection or rebellion.” The law was intended to ban politicians who fought for southern states in the Civil War, but the group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics (CREW) from Colorado believes the law now also applies to Trump.

In their view, Trump sparked an insurrection in his attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. “His actions culminated on January 6, 2021, when he incited a violent insurrection at the US Capitol,” activists say. According to CREW, Trump has violated his oath of office and the Constitution. Trump has also been charged with conspiracy, among other things, in his attempts to thwart the peaceful transition of power.

In other states, people also used the same section of the Constitution as a reason to protest Trump’s nomination. According to CREW, the law has been used only eight times in U.S. history. This last happened exactly one year ago, when a county commissioner in New Mexico was removed from office for participating in the January 6, 2021, riot.

There is a lot of debate in the legal world about Trump’s eligibility and whether this law can be enforced now. The Supreme Court may also hear this issue.