The Maine election official who disqualified former President Trump from voting in the state's presidential primary said Monday that politics did not influence her decision.
Last week, Maine Secretary of State Shena Bellows, a Democrat, said Trump was “engaging in insurrection” in the state through his actions leading up to and during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot. The ruling barred him from running for president. United States Capitol Building.
“Politics and my personal views played no role,” Bellows said in an interview with NPR. “I took an oath to uphold the Constitution, and I did.”
Her controversial decision follows a similar ruling by the Colorado Supreme Court that cited Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment, which prohibits candidates who have “engaged in rebellion or insurrection” against the United States from holding federal elected office. It was followed by
Trump disqualified from Maine's 2024 Republican primary ballot
Maine Secretary of State Shena Bellows decided Thursday that former President Trump will be removed from Maine's 2024 presidential ballot. (Joe Phelan/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images)
The Trump campaign mocked both decisions, calling Bellows a “violent left-wing, bipartisan pro-Biden Democrat” and accusing her of interfering in the election on behalf of President Biden.
But Maine's top elections official explained that the decision had to be made because a registered voter challenged Trump's eligibility to vote.
“Under Maine law, when I qualified Mr. Trump to vote, any registered voter had the right to challenge that qualification,” Bellows told “All Things Considered” host Scott. -Told Detrow. “Five voters, including two former Republican state senators, did so. And I am required by law to hold public hearings and make a decision, and to do so within a very limited time frame.” “So this wasn't a problem,” I began, which is required by Maine election law. ”
Bellows said he had “carefully” considered the evidence presented at the hearing and that the violence on January 6 “occurred at the behest of, and with the knowledge and assistance of, the outgoing president.”
Maine Democratic Party, which banned Trump from voting, meets twice with Biden, calls Electoral College 'white supremacy'
Former President Trump has been barred from voting in Colorado and Maine following a controversial ruling that claims he engaged in “insurrection” against the United States through his actions during the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot. . President Trump is expected to challenge both rulings to the U.S. Supreme Court. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
She called the riots “tragic” and “an attack not only on the capital and government officials, but also on the rule of law and the peaceful transfer of power.”
“The U.S. Constitution does not condone attacks on the foundations of government, and under Maine election law, I had to act accordingly,” Bellows said.
The decisions in Maine and Colorado sparked a backlash from President Trump's supporters, Republican leaders and even some liberal Democrats who see efforts to remove him from the ballot as overreach. Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, who voted to impeach President Trump over the Jan. 6 riot, criticized Bellows' decision, saying voters should “actually convict Trump of the insurrection.” “They should be able to vote for Trump until then.” . ”
In response to his critics, Bellows told NPR that the Constitution does not require Trump to be convicted in order to be removed from the vote.
Maine section says it received 'threatening communications' after Trump's move 'truly unacceptable'
“So I encourage people to read my decision, and I encourage people to read carefully Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. It doesn't say 'conviction.' “It doesn't say 'convicted' or 'impeached,'” she said.
“But additionally, and very importantly: In my decision, I made it clear that this is part of Maine's process,” she continued. “This judgment now goes to the Maine Superior Court. Mr. Trump may and will appeal to the higher court. It will then be sent to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court and then to the U.S. Supreme Court. .”
Bellows said he has put his decision on hold pending court review of the Colorado and Maine cases. Trump is expected to challenge both rulings, and the lawsuit will be filed by the federal government by January 20, the deadline by which military and overseas voters must receive their ballots for the March 5 Maine presidential primary. The matter is likely to be resolved by the Supreme Court.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Bellows said he “definitely welcomes” the Supreme Court's decision clarifying Maine's eligibility for Trump to run for president.
“So even here in our state, the courts are being forced to a very compressed schedule. And we're hopeful that we'll get a resolution,” she said.
Get the latest on the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more with Fox News Digital's Election Hub.
