Aiexpress – Former President Trump has been granted permission to stay on Maine’s primary ballot until the U.S. Supreme Court reaches a decision on the 14th Amendment case in Colorado. This ruling comes after an appeal made by Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows (D) was dismissed by the top court in Maine on Wednesday.
The Maine Supreme Judicial Court has unanimously upheld a lower judge’s order, which mandated Bellows to wait for the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on the Colorado ballot case. This decision necessitated her to refrain from withdrawing, modifying, or upholding her previous ruling to block Trump’s name from appearing on Maine’s primary ballot on March 5.
In December 2023, Bellows made the determination that Trump would be ineligible to be on the ballot due to the application of Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. This provision bars individuals from holding public office if they have previously taken an oath to support the Constitution but subsequently participated in acts of insurrection or rebellion against the United States.
Maine’s decision to block Trump from appearing on the ballot marks a significant move, making it the second state, alongside Colorado, to take such action due to his involvement in the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.
After Trump’s appeal, the state court refrained from making a judgment on the case’s merits. Nonetheless, the judge ruled that Trump could continue to be listed on the ballot until the Supreme Court reached a decision on the Colorado case. Only then would Bellows have to reevaluate the initial ruling.
Bellows had expressed concern about postponing the decision on Trump’s eligibility, as it could potentially place Maine in a precarious position. She pointed out that the state primary is scheduled for Super Tuesday, March 5, which is rapidly approaching. Bellows emphasized that voters may cast their votes without knowing whether or not Trump is eligible, creating uncertainty.
The Maine attorney general’s office, representing Bellows, expressed concern in court filings about the potential consequences of a stay in this proceeding and a subsequent decision from the U.S. Supreme Court in February. They believe that such a scenario could result in the Secretary and her team having to quickly mitigate any harm to the integrity of the March 5, 2024, election.
