WASHINGTON: Former US President Donald Trump has filed an appeal in the state court seeking to overturn a decision by Maine’s election official, that disqualified him from contesting the state’s Republican presidential primary ballot next year, Western media reported on Tuesday.
Trump appealed against the decision of Secretary of State Shenna Bellows attributing his exclusion to his alleged involvement in the US Capitol attack on January 6, 2021.
According to media reports Donald Trump, is currently the leading contender for the Republican nomination.
Bellows, declared Trump ineligible for office under the US Constitution, citing his alleged role in a conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election.
Trump’s legal team has dismissed claims of his involvement in the insurrection and challenged Bellows’ authority to exclude him from the ballot that is set for March 5.
The ruling came after a group of former Maine lawmakers appealed Bellows to keep Trump off the ballot, arguing that he could not serve as president under the U.S. Constitution as it bars people from holding office if they engaged in insurrection.
Trump faces legal battles
Trump is facing legal battles in different US courts on his alleged incitement of supporters with baseless election fraud claims, followed by the Capitol unrest aimed at impeding Joe Biden’s certification as President.
The matter is expected to reach the US Supreme Court following a similar exclusion of Trump from Colorado’s primary ballot. A Supreme Court ruling may offer a countrywide resolution to queries surrounding Trump’s eligibility.
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While courts in other states have rejected similar lawsuits against Trump, his campaign denounces these ballot challenges as a threat to American democracy.
Despite these legal battles, opinion polls suggest that Trump maintains a significant lead in the Republican nomination race.
