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Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows says she was following Maine law and upholding the U.S. Constitution when she disqualified Donald Trump’s name from appearing on the Maine presidential primary ballot.
Bellows supported claims that a working draft of the 14th Amendment, Section 3, included the office of president and vice president, and therefore, by intention, former President Trump should be disqualified from holding any future office. But this draft provision was intentionally excluded from the final version approved by Congress and ratified by the necessary number of states. No one voted for intentions. The 14th Amendment stands as approved.
Further, the Amnesty Acts of 1872 and 1898 removed the “political disabilities” imposed by the 14th Amendment, thus voiding the office-holding provisions of Section 3. The authority of Congress to make these changes is specified at the end of Section 3.
Perhaps Bellows should have read Section 5 of the 14th Amendment. It reads, “The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.” Congress, not Bellows, was granted the power to enforce this constitutional provision.
I believe our secretary of state has violated this clear provision of the Constitution, and thus has violated her oath to defend it. She has usurped the powers of Congress, and ignored their decisions. Maine deserves better.
Gordon Isleib
Damariscotta