Maine secretary of state blocks Trump from ballot: 'Not qualified to hold the office of president'

Maine has become the second state to officially ban former President Donald Trump from appearing on the state's 2024 Republican primary ballot.

In a multi-page ruling issued on Thursday night, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows struck Trump from the Pine Tree State's GOP ballot based on the so-called "insurrection clause" in the 14th Amendment – the same reasoning the Colorado supreme court used in striking Trump from their state's ballot last week.

"I conclude that Mr. Trump's primary petition is invalid," Bellows wrote. "Specifically, I find that the declaration on his candidate consent form is false because he is not qualified to hold the office of the President under Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment."

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Notably, Bellows' ruling stated that the events of January 6, 2021 constituted an insurrection, and that the office of president is an "officer" position as defined by the US Constitution, meaning his disqualification is warranted.

Georgia State University assistant professor of law Anthony Michael Kreis posted Bellows' ruling to X shortly after it was released. He noted that unlike in Michigan, where the state's supreme court ruled he could remain on the ballot (while leaving the door open to block him from the general election ballot at a later date), Maine's Secretary of State was able to act unilaterally in ruling on a candidate's qualifications as the state legislature gave her office the ability to do so.

"[W]hile the state cannot create new qualifications for POTUS she can enforce [federal] requirements," Kreis wrote.

The insurrection clause states that anyone who has "engaged in insurrection or rebellion," or "given aid or comfort" to insurrectionists, is disqualified from holding federal office, whether "civil or military." In its ruling in the Anderson v. Griswold case, the Colorado supreme court ruled that Trump's role in the January 6 attack on the US Capitol constituted support of insurrection. The Colorado Republican Party has appealed the ruling, and the decision has been stayed (delayed from going into effect) until January 4.

READ MORE: On the Colorado decision, expect SCOTUS to punt