Maine's Democratic Secretary of State, Shenna Bellows, made a groundbreaking decision on Thursday by disqualifying former President Donald Trump from the state's 2024 ballot. Bellows cited the 14th Amendment's insurrection clause as the basis for her decision, which has sparked a fierce backlash from the Trump campaign.

In a statement to The Post, Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung vehemently criticized Bellows, referring to her as a "virulent leftist" and a "hyper-partisan Biden-supporting Democrat." Cheung announced that the campaign would swiftly file a legal objection in state court to prevent what he called an "atrocious decision" from taking effect in Maine.

Bellows, in her 34-page decision, expressed the gravity of her conclusion, stating, "I do not reach this conclusion lightly. Democracy is sacred." She acknowledged that no Secretary of State had ever deprived a presidential candidate of ballot access based on Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment, but she emphasized that no presidential candidate had ever engaged in insurrection before. Bellows referred to the riot at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, as an "unprecedented and tragic" attack on the Capitol, government officials, and the rule of law.

According to Bellows, the evidence presented demonstrated that the riot occurred with the knowledge, support, and at the behest of the outgoing President. She argued, "I conclude that the Rosen and Royal Challengers have met their burden... They have provided sufficient evidence to demonstrate the falsity of Mr. Trump's declaration that he meets the qualifications of the office of the presidency. Therefore, as required... I find that the primary petition of Mr. Trump is invalid."

Bellows acknowledged that her decision would be suspended until the Maine Superior Court ruled on the Trump campaign's expected appeal. The Maine Republican primary election is scheduled to take place on March 5, adding urgency to the legal proceedings.

This decision in Maine follows a similar ruling by the Colorado Supreme Court earlier this month, which also found Trump ineligible for the ballot based on the same Fourteenth Amendment grounds. However, the Michigan Supreme Court took a different stance, opposing the disqualification of the former president. The Michigan court argued that the state's secretary of state does not possess the legal authority to remove candidates nominated by political parties for a primary.

The disqualification of a former president from a state's primary ballot is an unprecedented move, raising questions about the limits of the 14th Amendment and the role of state officials in determining candidate eligibility. The legal battle between the Trump campaign and Secretary of State Bellows will undoubtedly attract national attention as it unfolds.