Thursday was a busy day in 14th Amendment Trump decisions.
We reported how Colorado issued a statement saying former President Donald Trump would remain on the ballot despite the decision of the Colorado Supreme Court because they had also stayed their decision pending appeal to the Supreme Court and SCOTUS weighing in, one way or the other. The Colorado GOP filed an appeal, and the Trump team is expected to file one as well. The Colorado Secretary of State was not a happy camper that she had to make such a statement, and had a meltdown post on X.
SEE MORE:
Trump Ballot Ban: Colorado GOP Appeals to US Supreme Court
Colorado Issues Statement That Trump Will Remain on Ballot, Dem Sec. of State Has a Meltdown
Then Maine decided to boot Trump off their ballot as well, also by citing the 14th Amendment, but it was an even worse decision than the one in Colorado because it wasn't even a court decision. This was just a decision by the Democratic Secretary of State, who had previously made anti-Trump statements. Trump had objected to the Secretary of State making the decision, alleging she was biased.
SEE MORE:
BREAKING: Maine Secretary of State Bars Trump From Presidential Primary Ballot
Trump Says Maine Secretary of State Should Recuse Herself From Weighing in on His Ballot Eligibility
But the bottom line is if a Secretary of State can make a decision like that, then you've opened the door to chaos where anyone could take out a political opponent that way--and take away the right of millions to vote for the candidate of their choice.
In the 34-page decision, she also concluded that Trump “was aware of the likelihood for violence and at least initially supported its use given he both encouraged it with incendiary rhetoric and took no timely action to stop it.”
Trump did not at any point encourage violence--he told people to act peacefully and patriotically--and he encouraged people to leave and go home in peace. So much for her decision.
In addition to the factual problems that don't support the insurrection claim, it doesn't fit Sec. 3 of the 14th Amendment because he hasn't been charged or convicted by federal statute. Plus, there's also the point that he isn't an officer within the meaning of the provision. So yes, truly a problematic decision for a candidate, but also for the voters and the right to vote.
The decision that she made on Trump alleging bias pretty much tells the tale. She's deciding on whether or not she's biased. What does one think she's going to say? She claimed Trump's motion to disqualify her was untimely, and she claimed in any event she wasn't biased, "Moreover had the motion been timely, I would have determined that I could preside over this matter impartially and without bias." Oh. Okay, that sounds convincing. That sounds fair.
But she went on MSNBC to defend her decision, saying she determined it according to Maine law and Sec. 3 of the 14th Amendment.
JUST IN - Maine Sec. of State Shenna Bellows Defends Kicking Trump Off the Ballot
— Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) December 29, 2023
“We determined under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment that Mr. Trump engaged in insurrection and therefore was disqualified.” pic.twitter.com/EutBvZOqg1
Notice she can't even bring herself to say "President Trump" or "former President Trump" -- the normal address one would use. She calls him "Mr. Trump."
She also claimed that she couldn't wait for SCOTUS to make a decision, and had the temerity to brag about voter participation in her state as she tried to disenfranchise millions.
Democrat Shenna Bellows explains that she personally decided that Trump was guilty of engaging in an insurrection.
— KanekoaTheGreat (@KanekoaTheGreat) December 29, 2023
So she unilaterally removed the leading Republican presidential candidate from Maine's ballot.
She gleefully tells MSDNC "I could not, unfortunately—or… pic.twitter.com/jPpmaxx9yr
She also hit CNN as well.
Shenna Bellows after removing Trump from the ballot: “No secretary of state has ever deprived a presidential candidate of ballot access based on section 3 of the 14th amendment. But no presidential candidate has ever engaged in insurrection.”
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) December 29, 2023
pic.twitter.com/pSkqlZ4rPR
The Trump campaign denounced the decision Thursday, attacking Bellows as a “virulent leftist and a hyper-partisan Biden-supporting Democrat.”
“We are witnessing, in real-time, the attempted theft of an election and the disenfranchisement of the American voter,” Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said. “Make no mistake, these partisan election interference efforts are a hostile assault on American democracy.”
Indeed. Can we say banana republic?
Turns out the real “threats to democracy” are from the Left (always were). https://t.co/XUemRRIb8Z
— William Wolfe 🇺🇸 (@William_E_Wolfe) December 29, 2023
But there's another catch to this. Just as in Colorado, Bellows suspended the effect of her decision pending an appeal to the court.
She immediately suspended her decision.
— Midwest Iowa girl (@Maga4Justice) December 29, 2023
Meaning Trump stays on the ballot in Maine.
This is just for show. pic.twitter.com/Ac6haE4Kcy
So again, this will not take effect, at least not yet. The Maine court may toss it out and if they don't, SCOTUS probably will.
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