Trump appeals Maine 14th Amendment election disqualification to state Superior Court

Former President Donald Trump's legal team on Tuesday appealed Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows' ruling that deemed him ineligible from appearing on the state's GOP primary ballot to Maine's Superior Court, the state's top trial court.

Trump appealed to Kennebec Court Superior Court. A decision from the trial court could later be appealed to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court or the U.S. Supreme Court.

Bellows, a Democrat, wrote in her Dec. 28 decision that Trump was disqualified under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment because of his actions after the 2020 election that culminated on Jan. 6, 2021.

In their filing to the state's Superior Court, Trump's team argued that Bellows is a «biased decisionmaker» who «failed to provide lawful due process.»

They also said Bellows had «no legal authority» to make such a determination on federal constitutional issues, and «made multiple errors of law and acted in an arbitrary and capricious manner.»

Steven Cheung, the spokesman for the Trump campaign, echoed those arguments in a statement after the appeal was filed.

«Maine's Secretary of State went outside of her authority, completely ignoring the Constitution when she summarily decided to remove President Trump's name from the ballot, interfere in the election, and disenfranchise the voters of her state,» Cheung said.

Bellows had suspended the impact of her decision pending an appeal. Maine is set to hold its Republican primary contest on March 5.

Bellows acknowledged the unprecedented nature of her decision, writing last week: «I am mindful that no Secretary of State has ever deprived a presidential candidate of ballot access based on Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment.»

«I am also mindful, however, that no presidential candidate