Things seem to be getting worse.
Maine’s Secretary of State, Shenna Bellows, a Democrat, made a pivotal decision on Thursday, ruling that Donald Trump is constitutionally ineligible to appear on the state’s primary ballot for the coming year. This ruling aligns with a recent Colorado Supreme Court decision that cited the 14th Amendment in barring Trump from holding office due to his involvement in the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021.
Despite Bellows’ decision, her office clarified that enforcement would be pending court deliberations due to the complexity of the constitutional matters involved and impending ballot preparation deadlines. In a comprehensive 34-page statement, Bellows emphasized Trump’s actions around January 6, asserting that his deliberate efforts to undermine the election culminated in inciting his supporters to disrupt the certification process at the Capitol.
Trump is anticipated to appeal this decision, as he has done with similar rulings, looking towards the U.S. Supreme Court for resolution. Consequently, state election officials and lower courts are grappling with an unprecedented constitutional challenge.
In response to Maine’s decision, a spokesperson for the Trump campaign, Steven Cheung, announced an impending legal objection, denouncing the ruling as an attempt to interfere with the election process and accusing Bellows of partisanship.
Trump had previously demanded Bellows’s recusal, citing her political affiliation and public statements regarding the January 6 events, suggesting bias.
While courts in Michigan, Arizona, and Minnesota have favored Trump, affirming his right to appear on their respective ballots, the interpretation of Section 3 of the 14th Amendment remains a focal point. This section aims to disqualify individuals who engaged in insurrection or rebellion from holding public office, a provision now being debated in relation to Trump’s actions leading up to January 6.
The immediate concern revolves around the primary ballots for March 5, especially as federal law mandates overseas ballots to be prepared 45 days prior to elections. The urgency has heightened, with California including Trump on its primary candidate list, and discussions intensifying about potentially disqualifying him for the general election.
Despite the legal maneuvering, many political strategists believe that efforts to disqualify Trump may not succeed, potentially energizing his supporters and reinforcing his narrative of being targeted unfairly by the establishment. Maine, a typically Democratic-leaning state, holds significance in this context due to its unique electoral college vote distribution.
As the legal battles unfold, the broader impact and outcome of these challenges against Trump’s candidacy remain uncertain, echoing far beyond Maine and Colorado to potentially influence the wider political landscape.
