“Election officer biased”
Trump opposes exclusion in Maine
January 3, 2024, 1:25 a.m
In less than two weeks, the primaries for the Republican presidential nomination will begin in the first US states. Former President Trump is now taking legal action against his exclusion in Maine. In the end, the Supreme Court will probably have to decide.
Former US President Donald Trump has taken action against his exclusion from the presidential primary in the state of Maine. In their appeal, Trump’s lawyers are asking the Supreme Court of the northeastern US state to overturn the decision of elections director Shenna Bellows. Bellows, who belongs to the Democratic Party, is “biased,” it said. She acted in an “arbitrary and idiosyncratic manner”.
Trump was excluded from his party’s presidential primary in Maine at the end of December. Election Commissioner Bellows justified the decision in an official document with the Republican’s role in the storming of the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Bellows stated that Trump was not qualified to be president under the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution. The constitutional amendment states that no person may hold public office if he or she has taken part in an “insurrection or insurrection” against the Constitution after taking an oath to defend it.
On December 19th, the Supreme Court in the state of Colorado ruled in a sensational decision that Trump should not take part in his party’s presidential primaries in the state because of his role in the storming of the Capitol. This decision also referred to Constitutional Article 14, but it is not final. The Colorado court initially put its decision on hold to allow time for an appeal. A statement from the Supreme Court in Washington on the Colorado judge’s decision is expected soon; observers believe that the decision in Maine could also end up before the US Supreme Court.
Procedures also in other states
If the cases are approved for appeal in Washington, the country’s highest court could be catapulted into the center of the presidential election. Any decision on whether Trump participated in an insurrection and whether he should be allowed to vote could be binding on lower courts across the country. If the Supreme Court confirms an exclusion decision, it could be dangerous for Trump’s presidential ambitions.
Proceedings have also been initiated in other states to have Trump excluded from the primaries. This was rejected in Michigan and Minnesota, and the process is still ongoing in Oregon. In California, the election director refused on Thursday to exclude Trump from the primary despite pressure from Democratic party colleagues.
Trump is the overwhelming favorite in the race for the Republican presidential nomination and is leading polls by a large margin. The Republican primaries begin on January 15th in the state of Iowa, and the primaries in Maine and Colorado are scheduled for March 5th. The primary election winner will face Democratic incumbent Joe Biden in the presidential election on November 5, 2024.