Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows unilaterally dominated that former President Donald Trump is unqualified to seem on the 2024 major poll regardless of missing a regulation diploma and substituting YouTube movies for due course of.
Bellows, who beforehand labored as Government Director of the Maine Chapter of the ACLU however is just not an lawyer and didn’t attend regulation college, made the authorized conclusion in her ruling that “the declaration on [Trump’s] candidate consent kind is fake as a result of he isn’t certified to carry the workplace of the President beneath Part Three of the Fourteenth Modification.”
The secretary of state, a Democrat whose social media is suffering from pictures of President Joe Biden, justified her ruling primarily based on Part 3 of the Fourteenth Modification’s “Revolt Clause.” The statute has by no means been used to disqualify a president from the poll and has typically been understood to not apply to the workplace of the president, though left-leaning plaintiffs have sued throughout the nation in long-shot hopes of maintaining Trump from showing on major ballots.
Bellows’ ruling that Trump engaged within the crime of rebellion comes regardless of Trump having by no means been convicted of that — or every other — crime, and even been charged in courtroom with the crime of rebellion. He was acquitted by the U.S. Senate of prices of partaking in rebellion and continues to disclaim wrongdoing.
Her determination has met with widespread scrutiny.
CNN senior authorized analyst Elie Honig stated Thursday on Anderson Cooper 360 that Bellows’ determination to bar Trump from the poll was primarily based on “YouTube clips, information experiences” and “issues that will by no means cross the bar in regular courtroom.”
Whereas acknowledging the case is “legally unknown territory” — the Supreme Court docket has by no means dominated on Part 3 of the Fourteenth Modification — the alarmed Honig argued that Trump has a superb case that he didn’t obtain due course of.
“Have been the processes, have been the hearings honest?” he requested. “Did they comport with due course of?”
He continued, “They heard from one reality witness, a regulation professor. [Bellows] primarily based her ruling on loads of paperwork, but in addition YouTube clips, information experiences, issues that will by no means cross the bar in regular courtroom.”
Maine’s Congressional delegation additionally took situation with Bellows’ ruling
Sen. Angus King, an impartial who caucuses with Democrats, stated the choice whether or not to vote for Trump ought to “relaxation with the folks.”
My assertion on the Maine Secretary of State’s determination barring Donald Trump from the 2024 major poll ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/a1iZnM0c1d
— Senator Angus King (@SenAngusKing) December 29, 2023
Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican however no pal of Trump’s, issued an announcement that didn’t point out Trump by title however stated, “Secretary of State’s determination would deny hundreds of Mainers the chance to vote for the candidate of their selection, and it ought to be overturned.”
Maine voters ought to determine who wins the election – not a Secretary of State chosen by the Legislature.
The Secretary of State’s determination would deny hundreds of Mainers the chance to vote for the candidate of their selection, and it ought to be overturned.
— Sen. Susan Collins (@SenatorCollins) December 29, 2023
Rep. Jared Golden, a Democrat who voted to question Trump, stated, “till he’s discovered responsible of the crime of rebellion, [Trump] ought to be allowed on the poll.”
My assertion on the Maine Secretary of State’s ruling: pic.twitter.com/ByO3XJe1JS
— Congressman Jared Golden (@RepGolden) December 29, 2023
Rep. Chellie Pingree, a Democrat who can also be not an lawyer, stated that it “seems” Trump’s actions violated the Structure however provided little extra evaluation aside from supporting the choice.
On January 6, 2021, Donald Trump incited a violent mob to dam Congress from certifying the Electoral School + overturn the 2020 presidential election. Our Structure is the very bedrock of America and our legal guidelines and it seems Trump’s actions are prohibited by the Structure
— Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (@chelliepingree) December 29, 2023
The Colorado Supreme Court docket reversed a decrease courtroom opinion, figuring out that Trump engaged in rebellion and due to this fact is unfit to seem on the 2024 Republican presidential major poll. That ruling has been stayed as Trump appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court docket.
A ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court docket within the Colorado case would possible settle the problem in Maine and different Part 3 circumstances throughout the nation.
Bradley Jaye is a Capitol Hill Correspondent for Breitbart Information. Comply with him on X/Twitter at @BradleyAJaye.
