This week, Maine joined Colorado in finding that the Constitution’s 14th Amendment bars Donald Trump from running for president. Section Three of the Amendment states that “No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, [who has] engaged in insurrection or rebellion.”
The language of the Amendment is clear and justifies declaring Trump ineligible to have his name on state primary ballots due to his documented participation in the insurrection in Washington, D.C., on January 6th, 2021. While the courts will continue to debate this matter, there is no question that Trump incited and supported the insurrection and the insurrectionists. He has said so himself, repeatedly.
Fox News, often seen as the MAGA Ministry of Propaganda, provides aid and comfort to Trump as he pursues his anti-American mission to install himself as America’s first dictator. In a recent episode of “Outnumbered,” guest co-host Cheryl Casone, a Fox Business anchor, criticized Maine’s Secretary of State, Shenna Bellows, for using the pronoun “I” in her statement.
Casone couldn’t provide a coherent legal argument to rebut Bellows, so she criticized her use of pronouns, ironic given Fox News’ opposition to “woke” culture. Bellows is responsible for making this decision, and she said so. Casone predicted that the Supreme Court will strike down the decision, dismissing the 14th Amendment as outdated.
Bellows’ decision aligns with constitutional experts from various political ideologies, including liberal Harvard Law professor emeritus Lawrence Tribe and conservative former federal judge J. Michael Luttig, who co-authored an article titled “The Constitution Prohibits Trump From Ever Being President Again.” Bellows concluded that Trump used a false narrative of election fraud to incite violence and prevent the peaceful transfer of power, making him ineligible under the 14th Amendment.
Trump’s legal and political problems weigh heavily on him and his defenders in the Republican Party and on Fox News. If Republicans were wise, they would seize this opportunity to rid themselves of Trump by supporting his removal from the ballot. However, their loyalty to Trump prevails, highlighting the cult-like nature of their support.
