Maine and Colorado have taken up the unprecedented issue of whether former President Donald Trump is eligible to run for president again, citing the 14th Amendment as the basis for their decisions. The U.S. Supreme Court will now have to decide whether Trump is eligible to run for president again, and the outcome of the case could have far-reaching implications for future presidential elections.
California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber has declined to remove former President Donald Trump from the state's presidential primary ballot, despite a call from the state's Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis. This is the first time a state has declined to remove a presidential candidate from the ballot under Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment, and the decision has been met with mixed reactions from the public. The U.S. Supreme Court is now tasked with making a clear ruling on whether or not Trump can still run for president after the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, 2021.
Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows ruled on Thursday that former President Donald Trump is ineligible to appear on the state's primary ballot in 2021 due to his role in the January 6th assault on the U.S. Capitol. The ruling cites Section 3 of the 14th Amendment and will not be enforced until the courts weigh in. This ruling is part of a national effort to disqualify Trump from appearing on ballots in future elections, and it is unclear whether Trump will appeal the decision.
Laura Lynch, founding member of The Chicks, was tragically killed in a car crash in El Paso, Texas on Friday evening. The band released a statement expressing their shock and sadness, and her legacy will live on in the music she helped create. Lynch founded the band in 1989 alongside three other women, and in a 1992 interview she expressed her hope for female harmony to make a big comeback.
Maine Republican Party leaders Michael McDonald and Jim DeGraffenreid have been indicted on state charges related to the 2020 presidential election, raising questions about the fairness of the upcoming Nevada caucuses and the integrity of the Maine Republican Party's election process. Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's campaign has been affected by the indictments, as his appeal of the Maine Secretary of State's decision to not certify his signatures was denied by a Maine Superior Court judge.
A new poll released Sunday shows that former President Donald Trump (R) leads President Joe Biden (D) in five key swing states, despite doubts from his rivals about his viability in a general election. Trump has been able to maintain a strong base of support among Republican voters, and Biden has been focusing on his plans to tackle the coronavirus pandemic and the economic crisis. The poll results suggest that Trump is in a strong position to take on Biden in the general election, but the race is still in its early stages.
Robert Card, the gunman responsible for the deadly shooting rampage in Lewiston, Maine last week, had exhibited erratic behavior three months prior to the attack, prompting the Army Reserve unit to conduct a medical evaluation and deem him "non-deployable due to concerns over his well-being." Local deputies attempted to make contact with Card in mid-September, but were unsuccessful, and the investigation is now shifting away from an intense manhunt and toward the search for a motive.
Over 1,000 people gathered in Lewiston, Maine on Sunday evening to remember the victims of the state's worst mass shooting. Attendees embraced, sang, and prayed together, and were informed that the 40-year-old gunman had died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. The vigil was a solemn yet hopeful occasion, as the community sought to heal and move forward in the wake of the tragedy.
