Last week’s decision by the Colorado Supreme Court that former President Donald Trump is ineligible for federal office under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment is significant but not entirely unique. The 14th Amendment, passed after the Civil War, prohibits former elected officials who participated in “insurrection or rebellion” against the federal government from holding office. Trump’s actions leading up to the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol led the Colorado Supreme Court to apply this provision to him. The first person ruled ineligible for federal office under this provision was Victor Berger, the first Socialist elected to Congress. Berger’s conviction under the Espionage Act of 1917 led to Congress refusing to seat him. However, this case may not be a strong precedent for evaluating the potential disqualification of Donald Trump due to the different circumstances surrounding Berger’s case. The belief that banning certain candidates is necessary to protect the country from unpopular ideas may raise concerns about the divisive nature of current politics, and the potential use of Section 3 of the 14th Amendment against political opponents. Despite the unprecedented nature of these events, it may provide some comfort to note that these situations have occurred before.