The call was only a matter of days. Donald Trump’s lawyers asked the Maine courts on Tuesday, January 2, to overturn the decision to remove the name of the former American president from the ballots in the Republican primary in this northeastern state. United, the second having taken such a measure ten months before the presidential election.
A week after a similar judgment rendered by the Colorado Supreme Court, the Democratic Secretary of State of Maine, Shenna Bellows, estimated Thursday that the great favorite of the Republicans was “not fit to be president” due to his role in the violent assault committed by his supporters on the Capitol in Washington in January 2021 in an attempt to prevent the certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s victory. Both states invoked the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which excludes from public accountability those who have engaged in acts of “insurrection.”
Mr. Trump’s lawyers argue that Ms. Bellows — who became the first secretary of state in history to bar someone from running for president under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment — abused her discretion and that she relied on “unreliable evidence,” calling her a “biased leader” who “acted arbitrarily and capriciously.”
“The Secretary of State should have recused herself based on her bias against President Trump, as demonstrated by a documented history of prior statements,” they wrote.
The appeal of the Colorado decision should not take long
The historic decisions in Maine and Colorado relate at this stage only to the Republican primaries held in these two states on March 5, on a day called “Super Tuesday” because of the numerous polls organized that day by Democrats and the Republicans. They will not be applied as long as the legal proceedings challenging them continue.
Donald Trump is expected to soon appeal the Colorado decision to the United States Supreme Court, which has never ruled on Section 3 – the Colorado Republican Party has already appealed to the highest court in the country – , while Ms. Bellows’ action will be judged by the Maine Supreme Court.
“It’s part of the process,” Shenna Bellows said Tuesday. I have confidence in my decision and in the rule of law. This is the Maine process and it is very important that, first and foremost, each of us who serve the government respect the Constitution and the laws of the state.”
The former president was indicted in August at the federal level as well as by the state of Georgia, accused of having tried to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Several proceedings have been launched in various states of country to block the path of the big favorite in the Republican primaries. Michigan and Minnesota rejected them.