Maine's Chief Election Official Explains Decision to Remove Trump from the Ballot

Maine's Secretary of State, Shenna Bellows, has defended her decision to remove Donald Trump from the state's 2024 election ballot, stating that it is her duty to uphold the law. Bellows cited the US Constitution, specifically the 14th Amendment's insurrection clause, to deem Trump ineligible for his role in the 6 January 2021 Capitol riot. She expressed hope that the US Supreme Court will settle the issue. The Trump campaign has vowed to appeal the controversial decision, which is also being challenged in Colorado. Both states have banned Trump from the electoral ballot, pending legal proceedings. Steven Cheung, a spokesman for the Trump campaign, criticized the decisions as election meddling and an assault on American democracy. Bellows, a Democrat, stated that her political affiliation had no influence on her decision. She acknowledged that her ruling is unprecedented but justified it by stating that no presidential candidate has ever engaged in insurrection. The Maine ruling will not take effect until the appeals process is completed, and a similar legal battle is also underway in Colorado. Critics, including some Republicans, have criticized Bellows' decision, calling it an overreach of power and warning that it could set a dangerous precedent. Bellows maintains that she was duty-bound to remove Trump based on the evidence presented.