Maine secretary of state wants quick decision in Trump 14th Amendment case

(AUGUSTA, Maine) — Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows on Friday asked the state’s highest appeals court to consider her decision to bar former President Donald Trump off of Maine’s GOP primary ballot under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment — before the U.S. Supreme Court rules on the Colorado 14th Amendment case disqualifying Trump.

In a news release, Bellows said, “Maine law provides the opportunity to seek review from the Maine Supreme Judicial Court,” something she requested on Friday.

Her request comes after Maine’s Superior Court on Wednesday deferred ruling on Bellows’ earlier decision, which was appealed by Trump’s team, until the U.S. Supreme Court settled the Colorado case.

The state’s top trial court punted the case back to Bellows for a decision to wait until there’s a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court.

Bellow’s request Friday is an appeal of the Superior Court’s decision to defer. If considered by the Maine Supreme Court, as Bellows is requesting, the timeline for a ruling on this case might be sped up and settled ahead of the state’s March 5 GOP primary.

“This appeal ensures that Maine’s highest court has the opportunity to weigh in now, before ballots are counted, promoting trust in our free, safe and secure elections,” Bellows said in a statement.

“Like many Americans, I welcome a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court in the Colorado case that provides guidance as to the important Fourteenth Amendment questions in this case,” she said.

“In the interim, Maine law provides the opportunity to seek review from the Maine Supreme Judicial Court — which I requested today,” she said. I know both the constitutional and state authority questions are of grave concern to many. This appeal ensures that Maine’s highest court has the opportunity to weigh in now, before ballots are counted, promoting trust in our free, safe and secure elections.”