A Maine Republican has signaled his intention to oust their secretary of state, accusing her of overstepping her authority by removing Donald Trump from the state's ballot and arguing that, in her view, Joe Biden rationale, should also be removed.
John Andrews, who was elected to the Maine House of Representatives in 2018, said Friday that he had filed a request with the Maine Revisor's Office, saying he wanted to “file a joint order, or whatever is appropriate parliamentary mechanism is under Mason's Rules, to bring about the impeachment of Secretary of State Shenna Bellows.'
Bellows announced Thursday that Trump was disqualified from their state primary for violating Section Three of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which bars anyone involved in an insurrection from holding office.
Her ruling made Maine the second state to remove Trump from the ballot, after the Colorado Supreme Court reached the same conclusion on December 19. The Colorado ruling was temporarily overturned Thursday when the Republican party appealed, and the decision in both Maine and Colorado is expected to go to the U.S. Supreme Court — something Bellows said he welcomed.
Andrews said he wants to impeach Bellows “on the grounds that she is denying an American citizen and the 45th President of the United States, who has not been convicted of any crime or impeachment, the right to appear on a Republican ballot.” Party in Maine in March.”
John Andrews, a Republican who serves in the Maine House of Representatives, filed a request Friday to impeach Secretary of State Sheena Bellows.
Bellows announced Thursday that Donald Trump was ineligible to appear on their state's ballot
Bellows argued that under Maine law, Trump did not need to be convicted to be disqualified — just because he engaged in insurrection. She has received death threats as a result of her decision.
Trump's campaign has denounced the decision, calling Bellows a “virulent leftist and a hyper-partisan Biden-supporting Democrat.”
Steven Cheung, Trump's spokesman, said: “We are witnessing in real time the attempted theft of elections and disenfranchisement of the American voter.
“Make no mistake: these partisan attempts at election interference are a hostile attack on American democracy.”
Andrews said Friday morning Fox news that he felt Joe Biden, under her rationale, could also be removed from the ballot.
“Under Shenna Bellows' new standard, you could argue that President Biden is excluded because of section three — giving aid or comfort to its enemies,” he said.
“I would argue that releasing billions to Iran and selling our strategic oil reserves to Chinese interests could qualify as such, if no convictions are needed under Shenna Bellows' new rules.
“And that's why this is such a dangerous game she's created.”
Andrews said Bellows, a Democrat who tweeted in 2021 that she believed Trump was involved in an insurrection, was a partisan not qualified to make the decision.
“In Maine, the people do not elect the secretary of state, the attorney general or the treasurer,” he said.
“They are chosen by elected Democratic Party insiders after deals are made in the backroom of the State House.
“Shenna Bellows knows the process that got her there is deeply partisan.
“She should know better and do her utmost to be as neutral as possible and serve every citizen in Maine and not just registered Democrats.”
Trump's campaign accused Bellows of attempting to 'steal the election'
He said her action disenfranchised 300,060 people — the number of registered Republicans in Maine.
“That's why she swore an oath to the Constitution and not to the Democratic Party,” he added. “We're still a republic, but we're destroying the foundation this way, which is ultimately the point of all of this.”
Andrews praised Jared Golden, a Democrat who represents Maine in Washington, D.C., for speaking out against Bellows' move — despite his dislike of Trump. Golden voted to impeach Trump.
“I do not believe he should be reelected as president of the United States,” Golden said Thursday evening.
“However, we are a nation of laws, so until he is actually found guilty of the crime of insurrection, he should be allowed on the ballot.”
Bellows told CNN on Friday that she stood by her decision.
“I have reviewed Section Three of the 14th Amendment very carefully and determined that Section Three of the 14th Amendment does not say 'conviction,' it says 'engage,'” she said.
“And let's go back and remember that the events of January 6, 2021 were unprecedented and tragic.
“This was an attack not just on the Capitol and government officials, the former vice president and members of Congress, but an attack on the rule of law.
“And the amount of evidence that I looked at indicated that it was, in fact, an insurrection.
“And Mr. Trump engaged in that insurrection under Section Three of the 14th Amendment.”
Bellows thanked the security team who protected her after the death threats.
“I was prepared for the possibility of threats, and I appreciate law enforcement and the people around me who have been incredibly supportive of my safety and security,” she said.
“My safety and security is important, as is the safety and security of everyone who works with me, and we have received threatening messages.”
