(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Republican members of the Maine House of Representatives are preparing to file articles of impeachment against the infamous secretary of state who unilaterally blocked former President Donald Trump from appearing on the state’s GOP primary ballot.
State Rep. John Andrews, leading the impeachment threat, said Secretary of State Shenna Bellow’s decision to block Maine voters from picking Trump as their Republican nominee is grounds for impeachment. He specifically cited Trump’s lack of conviction.
“I wish to impeach her on the grounds that she is barring an American citizen and 45th President of the United States, who is convicted of no crime or impeachment, their right to appear on a Maine Republican Party ballot in March,” Andrews said on Facebook..
Bellows’s decision followed the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling that claimed Trump is barred from holding public officer over his alleged role in a so-called “insurrection” on Jan. 6.
Both Bellows and Colorado’s court claimed that the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution prohibits individuals who engage in insurrection from holding elected office. Trump, however, has not been convicted nor indicted of such a crime.
Andrews slammed Bellows’ decision. “This is hyper-partisanship on full display,” he added. “A Secretary of State APPOINTED by legislative Democrats bans President Trump from the 2024 ballot so that she can jockey for position in the 2026 Democrat Primary for Governor. Banana Republic isn’t just a store at the mall.”
Other Maine Republicans echoed Andrews’ remarks against Bellows. “This is a sham decision that mimics Third-World dictatorships,” said Maine House Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham. “It will not stand legal scrutiny. People have a right to choose their leaders devoid of mindless decisions by partisan hacks.”
The criticism extended to the U.S. Congress with a Democrat voicing concerns over the move. U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, saying that while he opposed Trump he should remain on the ballot until convicted of insurrection.
“I voted to impeach Donald Trump for his role in the January 6th insurrection. I do not believe he should be re-elected as President of the United States. However, we are a nation of laws, therefore until he is actually found guilty of the crime of insurrection, he should be allowed on the ballot,” he said on Twitter.
My statement on the Maine Secretary of State’s ruling: pic.twitter.com/ByO3XJe1JS
— Congressman Jared Golden (@RepGolden) December 29, 2023
According to the Daily Caller, Bellows assumed the role of the state’s secretary of state in January 2021 after being appointed by the legislature. She held two terms as a state senator from 2016 through 2021. Before holding public office, she served as the executive director of the Maine American Civil Liberties Union. She unsuccessfully ran against U.S. Sen. Collins in 2014 and publicly dubbed Jan. 6 as an insurrection on Feb. 13, 2021.
The Jan 6 insurrection was an unlawful attempt to overthrow the results of a free and fair election. Today 57 Senators including King & Collins found Trump guilty. That’s short of impeachment but nevertheless an indictment. The insurrectionists failed, and democracy prevailed.
— Shenna Bellows (@shennabellows) February 13, 2021
