Maine’s secretary of state on Thursday disqualifiedDonald Trumpfrom appearing on the state’s presidential primary ballot, becoming the second state behind Colorado to bar the former president for his role in allegedly inciting the violent Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, a Democrat, issued a ruling citing Section 3 ofthe U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment— which disqualifies individuals who have “previously sworn an oath to support the Constitution” and have “engaged in insurrection or rebellion” from holding office.
“The U.S. Constitution does not tolerate an assault on the foundations of our government,” Bellows wrote in the 34-page ruling, which was suspended until a court rules on the matter, per theAssociated Press.
Meanwhile, 77-year-old Trump’s campaign has already indicated it plans to file an objection to the decision.
The Maine ruling comes just over a week after Colorado’s Supreme Court disqualified Trump from appearing on its own primary ballot.
Sean Rayford/Getty
Colorado’s decision to ban the former president from the race was based on the same “insurrection clause” mentioned in the Maine ruling.
“A majority of the court holds that [former] President Trump is disqualified from holding the office of President under Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Because he is disqualified, it would be a wrongful act under the Election Code for the Colorado Secretary of State to list him as a candidate of the presidential primary ballot,” the state Supreme Court said in itsopinion.
The Colorado court’s 4-3 decision stays until January 4, a day beforethe state’s ballot certification deadlinefor its March 5 presidential primary. It marked the first time the so-called “insurrection clause” has been used to disqualify a presidential candidate, per theAssociated Press.
Donald Trump.Sean Rayford/Getty
Trump has indicated that decision will also be appealed.
Meanwhile, the Michigan Supreme Court recentlydeclined to reconsideran earlier Court of Appeals decision which allowed Trump to remain on the Republican presidential primary ballot, after a group of voters argued that the former president should be disqualified from the ballot.
In its Wednesday order, the Michigan Supreme Court said it was “not persuaded” to consider overruling the lower court’s ruling.
California’s secretary of state has also declined efforts to remove Trump from its own presidential primary ballot despite calls from the state’s lieutenant governor to do so, and on Thursday, publisheda list of those whose names will appearon the ballot. Trump’s is among them.
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Per theindictment, Trump was charged with one count each of conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights.
The former president has been charged in four separate criminal cases since leaving office, each of which are awaiting trial.
source: people.com
