(NewsNation) — Former President Donald Trump’s legal team announced plans to quickly appeal a decision by Maine barring him from the 2024 primary ballot, marking Maine as the second state within a week to take such action.
The decision further sets up a showdown in the Supreme Court.
On Thursday, Maine’s Secretary of State, Shenna Bellows, made this decision, citing Trump’s propagation of false election fraud narratives and his role in the events of January 6th.
Bellows accused Trump of hindering a peaceful transition of power, noting his awareness of potential violence without taking timely measures to prevent it.
This Maine decision follows a similar one in Colorado. The state’s Supreme Court recently ruled that Trump is disqualified from appearing on the ballot over his actions during the Capitol riots. The state’s Republican Party has appealed this decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.
In her statement, Bellows wrote, “The events of Jan. 6, 2021 were unprecedented and tragic. They were an attack not only upon the Capitol and government officials, but also an attack on the rule of law. The evidence here demonstrates that they occurred at the behest of, and with the knowledge and support of, the outgoing President.”
In response, Trump’s legal team declared, “Make no mistake, these partisan election interference efforts are a hostile assault on American democracy.”
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Central to these legal battles is Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which prohibits insurrectionists from holding office. Originally enacted in 1868 post-Civil War to prevent former Confederates from regaining power, this provision is now being invoked in the context of the January 6 events.
Cases in Colorado and Maine are among several across the U.S. examining Trump’s involvement on January 6 and whether it constitutes an insurrection, as Colorado and Maine allege.
Lawfare, a non-profit legal group, reports that 12 states have pending cases related to this issue, with one in the appeals stage.
While Colorado and Maine disqualified the former president from appearing on state primary ballots, five states — including Florida and New Hampshire — dismissed similar lawsuits.
Mercedes Colwin, a legal expert at Gordon & Rees, LLP, told NewsNation that the ballot decisions are based on logistical needs rather than political motives, as ballots must be finalized soon.
The key issue to monitor is how the Supreme Court responds, as its decision could potentially influence similar cases in other states.
