Maine’s Secretary of State, Shenna Bellows, has declared former President Donald Trump ineligible for the state’s primary ballot, citing the 14th Amendment. This decision follows a similar ruling by the Colorado Supreme Court last week. Bellows, a Democrat, stated that Trump used false claims of election fraud to incite the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, aiming to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power. She emphasized that Trump was aware of the potential for violence and initially supported its use.
In her 34-page decision, Bellows mentioned that Trump’s occasional calls for peace do not outweigh his months-long conduct leading to the Capitol riot. She noted this is the first instance of a state official using the 14th Amendment to remove a presidential candidate from the ballot, as opposed to a court decision in Colorado.
Trump’s campaign has strongly criticized the decision, labeling Bellows as partisan and accusing her of election interference. They plan to appeal the ruling. The campaign had previously demanded Bellows recuse herself from the decision, which she deemed untimely, affirming her impartiality and adherence to the Constitution.
Debates around the 14th Amendment challenges focus on whether Trump’s actions constitute insurrection support and whether the Amendment applies to the presidency. Bellows aligned with the Colorado Supreme Court, affirming that Trump’s actions qualify as insurrection and that the Amendment does apply to presidential candidates.
Meanwhile, other states have addressed similar challenges differently. Minnesota’s Supreme Court rejected 14th Amendment claims as untimely, while a Michigan court ruled that its Secretary of State couldn’t determine Trump’s violation of the Amendment.
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