Maine's top election official has ruled that Donald Trump cannot run for president next year in the state, citing a constitutional insurrection clause.

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said Mr Trump was not eligible because of his actions leading up to the US Capitol riot in 2021.

Maine now joins Colorado as the two states to ban Mr Trump from the ballot.

The decisions increase pressure on the Supreme Court to weigh in.

Colorado votes reliably Democratic, however, Maine is more politically competitive and would be more significant for Mr Trump - the Republican frontrunner - to lose.

Hours after Maine's decision, California announced that Mr Trump would remain on the ballot.

 

• Michigan top court rejects Trump election ban bid

 

Mrs Bellows' 34-page ruling says Mr Trump must be removed from Maine's primary ballot because of the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution - which bans anyone from holding office that has "engaged in insurrection or rebellion".

In her order, Mrs Bellows, a Democrat, says that Mr Trump "over the course of several months and culminating on January 6, 2021, used a false narrative of election fraud to inflame his supporters and direct them to the Capitol".

She added that his "occasional requests that rioters be peaceful and support law enforcement do not immunize his actions".

Speaking with BBC News, Mrs Bellows said it was her duty to uphold election laws in her state, and that she hoped the "Supreme Court will settle this matter nationwide".

"I'm mindful that no secretary of state has ever deprived a presidential candidate of ballot access based on section three of the 14th Amendment. But I'm also mindful that no presidential candidate has, ever before, engaged in insurrection."

 

FULL STORY

 

Good,he has met the requirements for inciting the insurrection next step the penitentiary 

11 hours ago, CharlieH said:

Maine's top election official has ruled that Donald Trump cannot run for president next year in the state, citing a constitutional insurrection clause.

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said Mr Trump was not eligible because of his actions leading up to the US Capitol riot in 2021.

Maine now joins Colorado as the two states to ban Mr Trump from the ballot.

Well done Shenna, you just made Trump more popular.

I doubt Maine would vote for Trump anyway, so it's just blather IMO.

When Trump wins the election the Schadenfreude is going to be worth a million dollars 

Two down. Forty eight to go. 

13 hours ago, Tug said:

Good,he has met the requirements for inciting the insurrection next step the penitentiary 

Not proven yet in a court of law.

Old lyin' Donzo! 

3 hours ago, James105 said:

 

So she bellows about the fundamental rights of citizens to vote freely and fairly, then unfairly, removes them.

 

Moronic.

9 minutes ago, nauseus said:

 

So she bellows about the fundamental rights of citizens to vote freely and fairly, then unfairly, removes them.

 

Moronic.

Not in the US born citizens are not eligible, why should an insurectionist be eligible?

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

Not in the US born citizens are not eligible, why should an insurectionist be eligible?

Actually, Ted Cruz was not born in the US, and his parents were not US citizens.

 

He's eligible to run for president.

29 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

Actually, Ted Cruz was not born in the US, and his parents were not US citizens.

 

He's eligible to run for president.

I think his mother is a US citizen.

Confirmed, https://www.factcheck.org/2015/03/ted-cruzs-presidential-eligibility/

Edited December 30, 20232 yr by stevenl

Once again the "democrats" are trying remove the right of Americans to democratically vote for their preferred candidate.

 

They are neither Democratic nor liberal. They are deeply authoritarian and intolerant of people with alternative views. Do not be fooled by them. 

 

56 minutes ago, stevenl said:

I think his mother is a US citizen.

Confirmed, https://www.factcheck.org/2015/03/ted-cruzs-presidential-eligibility/

she actually dropped her US citizenship to become a Canadian citizen.

20 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Once again the "democrats" are trying remove the right of Americans to democratically vote for their preferred candidate.

 

They are neither Democratic nor liberal. They are deeply authoritarian and intolerant of people with alternative views. Do not be fooled by them. 

 

It's a handful of judges and office holders, not exactly a mob.

 

What do you make of Gavin Newsom's position?

2 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

she actually dropped her US citizenship to become a Canadian citizen.

You could also just say sorry, I was wrong.

23 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Once again the "democrats" are trying remove the right of Americans to democratically vote for their preferred candidate.

 

They are neither Democratic nor liberal. They are deeply authoritarian and intolerant of people with alternative views. Do not be fooled by them. 

 

Might as well put Arnold Schwarzenegger on the ballot then.

If the Supreme Court doesn't overturn these decisions, we'll see a rash of Republican election officials blocking Biden from running, for what's happening at the southern border.

 

They'll be just as wrong, of course.  But they'll be left with little choice.

 

6 minutes ago, stevenl said:

You could also just say sorry, I was wrong.

Ted Cruz’s Mother Was On Official List Of Canadian Citizens Eligible To Vote

2 hours ago, stevenl said:

Not in the US born citizens are not eligible, why should an insurectionist be eligible?

 

Insurrectionist? I must have missed the trial and guilty verdict.

 

Bellows is not anyone's judge.

18 minutes ago, impulse said:

If the Supreme Court doesn't overturn these decisions, we'll see a rash of Republican election officials blocking Biden from running, for what's happening at the southern border.

 

They'll be just as wrong, of course.  But they'll be left with little choice.

 

No! They can't! What's happening at the Southern border (whatever one may think about it), cannot be qualified as inciting insurrection in any way.

52 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Once again the "democrats" are trying remove the right of Americans to democratically vote for their preferred candidate.

 

They are neither Democratic nor liberal. They are deeply authoritarian and intolerant of people with alternative views. Do not be fooled by them. 

 

Imagine that, in your country, a PM who had lost elections would have claimed elections have been rigged (in the absence of any proof), organised a protest about it not far from the Parliament, told protesters to fight like hell until they assault it in order to overturn elections, watched it on TV for hours while doing nothing to stop it, called an election official to find him 11,000 votes, organised alternative election results, etc....

What do you think would happen to him in the British system?

 It

18 minutes ago, candide said:

No! They can't! What's happening at the Southern border (whatever one may think about it), cannot be qualified as inciting insurrection in any way.

 

If a partisan hack with no legal degree can unilaterally decide Trump's actions around Jan 6 are "insurrection", what's to keep a Repub SOS from making the same declaration about Biden's actions in regards to neglecting the southern border? 

 

It would be just as wrong, denying hundreds of thousands of voters a voice based on one person's opinion.  But it works both ways.

 

1 minute ago, impulse said:

 

If a partisan hack with no legal degree can unilaterally decide Trump's actions around Jan 6 are "insurrection", what's to keep a Repub SOS from making the same declaration about Biden's actions in regards to neglecting the southern border? 

 

It would be just as wrong, denying hundreds of thousands of voters a voice based on one person's opinion.  But it works both ways.

 

I know Republicans can be quite good at making up things! You don't need to recall it! 😁

 

However what happens at the Southern border cannot, to any extent, be qualified as inciting insurrection. There is no article about banning candidates for this reason, they cannot make it up this time.

 

In any case concerning Trump, a high court will make the final decision, and whatever the decison will be, that's fine for me. No endless whining like MAGA fans.

8 hours ago, morrobay said:

When Trump wins the election the Schadenfreude is going to be worth a million dollars 

Schadenfreude for president: USA 2024.

5 hours ago, impulse said:

 

If a partisan hack with no legal degree can unilaterally decide Trump's actions around Jan 6 are "insurrection", what's to keep a Repub SOS from making the same declaration about Biden's actions in regards to neglecting the southern border? 

 

It would be just as wrong, denying hundreds of thousands of voters a voice based on one person's opinion.  But it works both ways.

 

With all due respect donald jhon trump is straight up lucky this is the United States in many countries he would be in prison or taken a slug to the back of the skull for what he has so blatantly obviously done .hes toast.the main question is to me is can he drag this out in the courts till he dies or someone gets to him

14 hours ago, nauseus said:

 

So she bellows about the fundamental rights of citizens to vote freely and fairly, then unfairly, removes them.

 

Moronic.

She's either too dumb to realise what she did, or she doesn't care, IMO.

1 minute ago, thaibeachlovers said:

She's either too dumb to realise what she did, or she doesn't care, IMO.

 

She was compelled by law to act on advice of counsel.

14 hours ago, Tug said:

With all due respect donald jhon trump is straight up lucky this is the United States in many countries he would be in prison or taken a slug to the back of the skull for what he has so blatantly obviously done .hes toast.the main question is to me is can he drag this out in the courts till he dies or someone gets to him

 

Why even bother including the first four words? Or any of them, for that matter.

 

What is this? Goodfellas?

On 12/30/2023 at 12:13 PM, nauseus said:

 

So she bellows about the fundamental rights of citizens to vote freely and fairly, then unfairly, removes them.

 

Moronic.

Is that your official legal opinion?

 

She has been a state senator for 5 years and the Secretary of State for Maine for 2 years.

 

What legal and governmental qualifications do you have?

 

If your qualifications are more and better than hers, why are you not a senator or a Secretary of State in the USA?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shenna_Bellows

 

A very interesting young lady who I hope will go far n US politics.