A Republican state representative has taken steps to impeach Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows. This action follows her announcement disqualifying former President Donald Trump from the state presidential primary ballot.
State Rep. John Andrews (R) condemned Bellows’ decision this week, labeling it as “raw partisanship.” He argued that she had no authority to independently remove Trump from the ballot. Bellows justified her decision by citing her belief that Trump violated the 14th Amendment’s insurrection clause on January 6, 2021.
Andrews stated, “I wish to file a Joint Order, or whichever is the proper parliamentary mechanism under Mason’s Rules, to impeach Secretary of State Shenna Bellows. I wish to impeach Secretary Bellows 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 primary ballot.”
He continued, “Donald J. Trump has met all qualifications for the March 2024 Republican presidential primary. He should be allowed on the ballot. This is raw partisanship and has no place in the offices of our state’s Constitutional officers.”
Bellows, a Democrat, refused Trump’s legal team’s request for her recusal from deciding on his eligibility amidst numerous challenges. Andrews alleged that Bellows’ decision was partly motivated to enhance her standing for the Maine governor’s race in 2026.
Andrews said, “This is hyper-partisanship on full display. A secretary of state appointed by legislative Democrats bans President Trump from the 2024 ballot so that she can jockey for a position in the 2026 Democrat primary for governor. Banana Republic isn’t just a store at the mall.”
Maine Republicans have contemplated transitioning to a caucus system to circumvent Bellows’ decision.
JUST IN: Maine state Rep. John Andrews signals move to impeach Maine’s Secretary of State Shenna Bellows for stripping Trump from Maine’s ballot.
She should be imprisoned too.
“I wish to impeach her on the grounds that she is barring an American citizen and 45th President of… pic.twitter.com/MwuOMcCo73
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) December 29, 2023
Maine GOP Chairman Joel Stetkis made a statement saying, “At the party, since yesterday, we’ve been working on an appeal to the Maine Superior Court, and we’re also reserving the right to return to a caucus system where Shenna Bellows will have absolutely no say in who Mainers choose for the Republican nominee for president.”
Trump’s candidacy has been challenged under the 14th Amendment, with efforts in states like Michigan and Minnesota falling short. Just last week, Colorado’s supreme court decided to exclude Trump from the ballot.
Starting Thursday, Trump is permitted to be listed on Colorado’s 2024 primary ballot, following a request from the state’s Republican Party to the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a disqualification ruling.
