In a dramatic escalation of legal challenges against Donald Trump, election officials in Maine and Oregon have ruled that the former US president cannot appear on their state primary ballots, citing the 14th Amendment's insurrection clause.
The decisions follow similar rulings in other states, intensifying the debate over Trump's eligibility to run for office again after the January 6 Capitol riot.
Maine Secretary of State Takes Stand
Maine's Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, a Democrat, concluded that Trump's actions surrounding the 2021 Capitol attack disqualify him from holding office under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which bars those who have engaged in insurrection from public office.
'The weight of evidence makes clear that Mr. Trump was aware of the tinder laid by his multi-month effort to delegitimise a democratic election,' Bellows wrote in her 34-page decision.
Oregon Follows Suit
Oregon's Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade announced a similar decision, stating Trump's name would not appear on the Republican primary ballot. 'This is not a decision I've made lightly,' she said in a statement.
The rulings make Maine and Oregon the latest states to confront the constitutional question of whether Trump's actions disqualify him from seeking the presidency again.
Republican Backlash
The decisions have sparked immediate backlash from Trump's campaign and Republican officials, who argue the moves represent partisan interference in the democratic process.
Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung called the rulings 'a hostile assault on American democracy' and vowed to challenge them in court.
Legal Battles Loom
These state-level decisions are likely to face swift legal challenges, with the issue potentially heading to the US Supreme Court for final resolution. Legal experts remain divided on whether the 14th Amendment applies to presidents and whether Congress must first determine that an insurrection occurred.
The developments come as Trump maintains a commanding lead in Republican primary polls, despite facing multiple criminal indictments related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.
