Hawaii Democrats have advanced legislation that could remove Donald Trump from the state’s ballot.

The bill, introduced by Hawaii state Sen. Karl Rhoads, aims to “specify that election ballots issued by the chief election officer or county clerk shall exclude any candidate who is disqualified under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States; article XVI, section 3 of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii; or another constitutional or statutory provision.”

Although the bill doesn’t explicitly name Donald Trump, the proposed legislation would aim to “prohibit electors of presidential and vice presidential candidates from voting for any presidential or vice presidential nominee who has been disqualified pursuant to Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, as determined by any federal court, or as determined by the state supreme court in an election contest.”

“Maine’s Democratic Secretary of State and Colorado’s Supreme Court cited the insurrection clause in barring Trump from their state ballots,” Fox News noted.

Fox News reports:

The bill passed its first reading on Monday. Trump’s campaign has repeatedly categorized efforts to block him from the ballot as aiming to disenfranchise American voters.

Maine’s Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, appealed a judge’s ruling on Friday that put on hold her decision to remove Trump from the ballot until the U.S. Supreme Court rules on a similar case in Colorado. Bellow, a Democrat, said she also wants to ensure Maine’s highest court has the opportunity to weigh in before ballots are counted in the March 5 primaries.

The timelines are tight as Super Tuesday approaches. The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing arguments in the Colorado case on Feb. 8, which likely means there would not be enough time to meet statutory deadlines for Bellows to reissue a ruling on Trump’s ballot status and for additional appeals to be filed before Election Day.

Lawsuits in Minnesota, Michigan, Arizona and Oregon aiming to block Trump from the 2024 ballot have already been dismissed on procedural grounds, Newsweek reported.

Journalist Nick Sortor questioned the motives of Hawaii Democrats wanting Trump removed from the ballot.

“Hawaii Democrats have introduced legislation to keep President Trump OFF the ballot for the 2024 election. Are they afraid Hawaii is going to FLIP from blue to RED after Biden ABANDONED the people of Maui after the fires? Or maybe they’re afraid Trump will expose the RAMPANT corruption out here in Hawaii?” Sortor wrote.

It’s been 170 days since the Lahaina fires, and many unanswered questions remain.

Public servants haven’t been held accountable.

From Newsweek:

The bill said: “The legislature finds that citizens of this State have the right to expect that public servants be people of integrity, and not people who have committed actions that threaten democracy or undermine the vote of the people.”

It added: “Any challenge to the inclusion or exclusion of any candidate on a ballot issued by the chief election officer or clerk shall be in writing and, no later than the fifty-seventh day prior to the general election.”

Trump, the GOP frontrunner, is facing multiple ballot challenges in various states. He has been kicked off ballots in Maine and Colorado, because of the same constitutional amendment.

But the decisions in both of those states were paused on appeal. The US Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the Colorado case in early February.

 

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