AUGUSTA, Maine — Secretary of State Shenna Bellows asked Maine’s high court Friday to weigh in on her decision to rule former President Donald Trump ineligible for the primary ballot before the U.S. Supreme Court settles a similar case in Colorado.
The appeal to Maine’s high court came Friday from Attorney General Aaron Frey’s office on behalf of Bellows, a Democrat, who followed the Colorado Supreme Court in determining last month that Trump incited the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol and thus violated Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. That section prohibits those who engaged in “insurrection” from holding office.
Friday’s appeal does not include any arguments, but Bellows previously said that delaying a ruling in Maine could cause harm and confusion for Maine voters ahead of March 5, when both Maine and Colorado hold Super Tuesday primaries. She had nonetheless suspended the effect of her ruling that came in response to three challenges from Maine voters to Trump’s eligibility while awaiting higher court rulings.
“I know both the constitutional and state authority questions are of grave concern to many,” Bellows said in a statement Friday. “This appeal ensures that Maine’s highest court has the opportunity to weigh in now, before ballots are counted, promoting trust in our free, safe and secure elections.”
Maine and Colorado are the only two states that have ruled Trump ineligible for the Republican primary, which is on March 5 in both states. Trump appealed the Maine and Colorado decisions to higher courts.
In Maine, Superior Court Justice Michaela Murphy effectively avoided giving an opinion on the merits of the case and put Bellows’ decision on hold Wednesday pending the outcome of the Supreme Court’s Colorado case.
Bellows had three days under Maine law to appeal the Superior Court ruling to the Supreme Judicial Court, which would have 14 days to issue a ruling if it accepts the case. In any case, Trump’s name will remain on ballots sent to overseas and military voters starting Saturday.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hold oral arguments Feb. 8 in the Colorado case, which could affect the GOP frontrunner’s ballot status around the country. Trump, who is facing several pending criminal and civil cases, easily won Monday the first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses.
