The highest election authority in the US state of Maine will not allow Donald Trump to participate in the primaries for next year’s US presidential election. The reason for this is the role of the former head of state in the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021. It is the second state after Colorado that has decided to take this step. In the meantime, Trump’s campaign team wants to make an appointment quickly.
Trump sparked an insurrection when he spread false claims about voter fraud during the 2020 election and then called on his supporters to march on the Capitol. They were intended to prevent the certification of election results, concluded Shenna Bellows, Maine’s Secretary of State for Elections. The Democrat put her decision on hold until the state Supreme Court rules on the issue.
Earlier, a group of former Maine lawmakers said Trump should be disqualified. The U.S. Constitution prohibits people who have taken an oath to the United States and subsequently participated in an “insurrection or rebellion” from holding office.
Trump leads in polls
The ruling, which can be appealed in state court, applies only to the March primary. But it could affect Trump’s standing in November’s general election. Trump is clearly leading in the polls in the race for the Republican nomination.
On December 19, the Colorado Supreme Court had already barred Trump from the primaries. He is the first candidate in American history to be ineligible for president due to insurrections. However, the former head of state plans to appeal the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling. The Colorado Republican Party filed its own appeal to the Supreme Court on Wednesday.
Similar efforts in other states
Similar efforts have been made in other states, but these have been less successful. The Supreme Court in Michigan, a crucial state for the general election, on Wednesday rejected negotiations on an challenge to Trump’s eligibility.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
