Police increase security for Colorado Supreme Court justices in wake of Donald Trump ruling

Written by ABC Audio ALL RIGHTS RESERVED on December 26, 2023

(DENVER, Colo.) — Denver police are increasing security for members of the Colorado Supreme Court after last week’s ruling that Donald Trump should be disqualified from running for president under the 14th Amendment.

“The Denver Police Department is currently investigating incidents directed at Colorado Supreme Court justices and will continue working with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to thoroughly investigate any reports of threats or harassment,” Denver police said in a statement Tuesday. “Due to the open investigations and safety and privacy considerations, we will not be providing details of these investigations. The Department is providing extra patrols around justice’s residences in Denver and will provide additional safety support if/as requested.”

In a 4-3 ruling that could be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, a majority of Colorado’s seven justices wrote that the former president “engaged in insurrection” for his behavior on Jan. 6, 2021, ahead of scores of his supporters storming the U.S. Capitol.

“President Trump’s direct and express efforts, over several months, exhorting his supporters to march to the Capitol to prevent what he falsely characterized as an alleged fraud on the people of this country were indisputably overt and voluntary,” the justices wrote.

“Moreover,” they wrote, “the evidence amply showed that President Trump undertook all these actions to aid and further a common unlawful purpose that he himself conceived and set in motion: prevent Congress from certifying the 2020 presidential election and stop the peaceful transfer of power.”

On Dec. 21, the FBI told ABC News it was working with local law enforcement in Colorado to monitor threats to the justices.

“The FBI is aware of the situation and working with local law enforcement,” the agency said in a statement to ABC News. “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.”

The four justices who voted in favor of removing Trump from the primary ballot continued to receive threats over the weekend, even encouraging more violence in the wake of previous media reports, according to SITE Intelligence Group, which that tracks online activity of white supremacist and jihadist organizations. Threats included calls for the justices to be dragged from their homes, hanged and shot, according to SITE Intel Group.

Colorado’s four-justice majority predicted that the matter would wind up before the U.S. Supreme Court. They stayed the ruling until Jan. 4, 2024, saying it would maintain the status quo pending any review from the nation’s high court.

ABC News’ Alexandra Hutzler contributed to this report.