Maine won't let Trump appear on ballot due to Capitol riot.

Former President Donald Trump's camp is not pleased by Maine's Secretary of State Shenna Bellows' decision to remove him from the 2024 voting ballot. According to the Associated Press, this marks the first election official to take action on deciding whether Trump will remain eligible to return to the Oval Office in the future.

Bellows' 34-page decision was made after finding Trump could no longer run due to his participation in the Capitol riots of January 6th, 2021. Her decision has been challenged by many, including lawmakers. “I do not reach this conclusion lightly,” Bellows wrote. “I am mindful that no Secretary of State has ever deprived a presidential candidate of ballot access based on Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment. I am also mindful, however, that no presidential candidate has ever before engaged in insurrection.”

Trump's camp responded by calling Bellows' decision "partisan election interference." Campaign spokesman Steven Cheung even went as far as to attack her career as “a former ACLU attorney, a virulent leftist and a hyper-partisan Biden-supporting Democrat.” He also said they would quickly file a legal objection in state court to prevent this “atrocious decision” from taking effect.

On the other hand, those who filed the petition were very pleased with Bellows' decision. “Secretary Bellows showed great courage in her ruling, and we look forward to helping her defend her judicious and correct decision in court,” the joint statement read. “No elected official is above the law or our constitution, and today’s ruling reaffirms this most important of American principles.”

Not everyone has agreed with the decision, including Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins. She believes it should be overturned and that “Maine voters should decide who wins the election – not a Secretary of State chosen by the Legislature.” President Biden commented on the ruling, stating it was “evident” of Trump’s participation but that the Supreme Court should make the final decision.

It remains to be seen whether the Supreme Court will step in to make a formal decision, or if Trump's camp will be successful in filing a legal objection in state court. No matter the outcome, this historic decision by Maine's Secretary of State has certainly stirred up a lot of controversy.

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