Maine just barred Trump from the ballot. Will RI's secretary of state follow suit?

PROVIDENCE – Unlike his counterpart in Maine, Rhode Island Secretary of State Gregg Amore will not try to block former President Donald Trump from appearing on the presidential primary ballot under the U.S. Constitution's insurrection clause.

Amore "believes that the rhetoric of the Trump campaign, as well as the actions that took place on and before Jan. 6, represent a real threat to our democracy," Amore spokeswoman Faith Chybowski wrote in an email Friday.

"With that said, he believes that any qualifying candidate should not be denied access to the ballot. It is not the role of the secretary of state’s office to litigate constitutional challenges; but, the RI Department of State will certainly adhere to the rulings of the courts."

On Thursday, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows removed Trump from that state's presidential primary ballot under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which bars any previously sworn elected officials who "engaged in insurrection or rebellion" from holding office.

Earlier this month the Colorado Supreme Court kicked Trump off the ballot under the same insurrection clause, citing his involvement in the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

The question of his 2024 eligibility is expected to be settled ultimately by the U.S. Supreme Court, and Amore said he will not stand in the way of Trump making Rhode Island's April 2 presidential primary absent relevant court rulings in the meantime.

"As long as former President Trump meets Rhode Island’s ballot qualification requirements, and there are not further court rulings to the contrary, he will be included on the ballot as would any other qualifying candidate," Chybowski wrote.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Trump on ballot? RI secretary of state will not block from ballot