On Thursday, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows stated that former President Donald Trump has been disqualified from appearing on the state’s ballot. However, the decision will not be finalized until the U.S. Supreme Court issues an opinion on the controversial rulings from liberal states.
Drawing inspiration from Colorado’s decision, Maine also cited Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment, also known as the Insurrection Clause, in determining Trump’s ineligibility. Reportedly, Bellows held a hearing earlier this month addressing three challenges to Trump’s nomination, the first two predicated on the Insurrection Clause.
Another challenge accused Trump of violating the Twenty-Second Amendment of the Constitution. “The third challenge, filed by Paul Gordon (the ‘Gordon Challenge’), contests Mr. Trump’s qualification under the Twenty-Second Amendment,” the ruling stated. “For the reasons set forth below, I conclude that Mr. Trump’s primary petition is invalid,” Bellows wrote. “Specifically, I find that the declaration on his candidate consent form is false because he is not qualified to hold the office of the President under Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment,” she added.
However, Bellow’s decision is pending implementation until the Supreme Court weighs in on the matter. According to the secretary of state’s office, “given the compressed timeframe, the novel constitutional questions involved, the importance of this case, and impending ballot preparation deadlines.”
Colorado, a traditionally blue state, set a precedent for such decisions based on the Insurrection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment after the state’s Supreme Court ruled 4-3 that Trump shall not appear on the Colorado ballot. “We consider and reject President Trump’s argument that his speech on January 6 was protected by the First Amendment,” the ruling stated
Following the controversial ruling, the Trump campaign is appealing the decision, where the former president’s name will remain on the ballot amid legal proceedings. “The Colorado Supreme Court issued a completely flawed decision tonight and we will swiftly file an appeal to the United States Supreme Court and a concurrent request for a stay of this deeply undemocratic decision,” Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung stated.
“With the appeal filed, Donald Trump will be included as a candidate on Colorado’s 2024 Presidential Primary Ballot when certification occurs on January 5, 2024, unless the US Supreme Court declines to take the case or otherwise affirms the Colorado Supreme Court ruling,” according to the office of Colorado’s Secretary of State Jena Griswold.
Cheung further stated that the Trump campaign is confident that the Supreme Court will override the Colorado decision, putting Trump back on track to compete for the Republican nomination. “We have full confidence that the Supreme Court will quickly rule in our favor and finally put an end to these un-American lawsuits,” he said.
While states are scrambling to issue rulings and prevent Donald Trump from appearing on their respective ballots, the American Tribune reported on some surprising criticism from liberal California Governor Gavin Newsom. “There is no doubt that Donald Trump is a threat to our liberties and even to our democracy. But in California, we defeat candidates at the polls. Everything else is a political distraction,” he said.
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