Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows has blocked former President Donald Trump from appearing on Maine’s primary ballot next year.
Secretary Bellows argues in her decision that former President Trump engaged in insurrection on January 6, 2021 and is thereby disqualified from serving as President under Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment.
On these grounds, the Secretary concluded that the former president’s “primary petition is invalid,” consequently preventing him from appearing on the 2024 Republican presidential primary ballot in Maine.
“Specifically, the Secretary ruled that the declaration on his candidate consent form is false because he is not qualified to hold the office of the President under Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment,” a press release from the Secretary of State’s Office said.
Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment reads:
No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.
“I conclude,” Bellows wrote in her official decision, “that the record establishes that Mr. Trump, over the course of several months and culminating on January 6, 2021, used a false narrative of election fraud to inflame his supporters and direct them to the Capitol to prevent certification of the 2020 election and the peaceful transfer of power.”
Trump has never been convicted by a U.S. court or the U.S. Senate for any crime related to “insurrection.”
“I likewise conclude that Mr. Trump was aware of the likelihood for violence and at least initially supported its use given he both encouraged it with incendiary rhetoric and took no timely action to stop it,” Bellows continued..
“Mr. Trump’s occasional requests that rioters be peaceful and support law enforcement do not immunize his actions,” Bellows argued. “A brief call to obey the law does not erase conduct over the course of months, culminating in his speech on the Ellipse.”
“The weight of the evidence makes clear that Mr. Trump was aware of the tinder laid by his multi-month effort to delegitimize a democratic election, and then chose to light a match,” Bellows concluded.
“I do not reach this conclusion lightly,” Bellows wrote in her decision. “I am mindful that no Secretary of State has ever deprived a presidential candidate of ballot access based on Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment.”
“I am also mindful, however,” she continued, “that no presidential candidate has ever before engaged in insurrection.”
“The oath I swore to uphold the Constitution comes first above all, and my duty under Maine’s election laws, when presented with a [challenge], is to ensure that candidates who appear on the primary ballot are qualified for the office they seek,” Bellows said.
“The events of January 6, 2021 were unprecedented and tragic,” the Secretary wrote. “They were an attack not only upon the Capitol and government officials, but also an attack on the rule of law.”
“The evidence here demonstrates that they occurred at the behest of, and with the knowledge and support of, the outgoing President,” she concluded. “The U.S. Constitution does not tolerate an assault on the foundations of our government, and [state law] requires me to act in response.”
Click Here to Read Secretary Bellows Full Decision
Prior to the release of Bellows’ decision, the former president called upon the Secretary to recuse herself from rendering a verdict on the challenges on account of several social media posts she has made in the past concerning the events that transpired on January 6, 2021.
In one of these posts, Bellows describes the incident that day as an “insurrection” and “an unlawful attempt to overthrow the results of a free and fair election.”
“Today 57 Senators including King & Collins found Trump guilty,” the post continued. “That’s short of impeachment but nevertheless an indictment. The insurrectionists failed, and democracy prevailed.”
In another post, Bellows wrote that “one year after the violent insurrection, it’s important to do all we can to safeguard our elections.”
“President Trump requests that the Secretary disqualify herself from this matter because she has already concluded that President Trump engaged in insurrection — a determination that she made well before the submission of evidence or argument in this current matter,” attorneys for Trump stated in a letter.
“Because the Secretary has exhibited a personal bias in this matter, she should disqualify herself from further proceedings,” the letter said.
[RELATED: Trump Blasts Biased Bellows, Calls for Recusal in Ballot Case]
The decision to bar Trump from Maine’s ballot comes immediately after the Colorado Republican Party filed a writ of certiorari asking the United States Supreme Court to review the ruling issued earlier this month by the Colorado Supreme Court blocking the former president from appearing on their primary ballot.
Earlier this month, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled that Trump is ineligible to appear on the state’s primary ballot in 2024, marking the first time in United States history that Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment — added to the Constitution during the Civil War era — has been used to disqualify a presidential candidate.
As a result of this appeal, however, this decision has been stayed — meaning that the former president’s name will appear on the state’s primary ballot next year unless the U.S. Supreme Court directly orders them to remove it at a later date.
[RELATED: Colorado GOP Asks SCOTUS to Review Trump Ballot Block]
Similarly, Bellows “has suspended the effect of her decision until the Superior Court rules on any appeal, or the time to appeal has expired.”
The former president now has five days to appeal the Secretary’s decision by “commencing an action” in Superior Court.
This filthy little whore-bitch, “protecting democracy” by not letting citizens vote their conscience. Democrats are the damn nazis. Totalitarian pieces of garbage.
Everything is ‘projection’ with these fascists. They accuse everyone else of doing exactly what they’re doing themselves. Shenna Bellows Is a garbage excuse for a human. Flush her.
Bellows is wasting the tax payers money on her stupid political endeavors. She must have graduated last in her class at law school.
If they were not such serious threats to our free Republic, the scoundrels in the Democrat Party would be a real comedy team. Insurrection! The Left is certainly “calling the kettle black.” Bellows is an unelected official with a far-Left agenda. In my opinion, she’s a political activist put into the position of Secretary of State by a legislature that is out-of-touch with the realities Maine people face every day. Wake up, Maine. If you’re of the “old Maine, which at one time had some common sense,” call and write to your state legislators and other officials regarding the sad state of our state.
Wow, what a talented woman. Shenna Bellows has unilaterally and single handedly investigated, indicted, charged, tried and convicted Donald Trump for the Federal crime of insurrection. Mueller, two impeachments and the January 6th committee couldn’t get him, but Bellows is on it!
Pure drama at the expense of Maine voters minds, especially Republicans and President Trump supporters. Knowing full well that this will never stand in a court of law. Democrats push the limits on everything from DEI madness to pornmographic books in grade schools just to try and create hysteria and a new, dysfunctional norm. Go shake your hat somewhere else. Mainers have had enough.
While this will be overturned in the courts, Shenna needs to be put in prison for this; nothing less is acceptable.
This is some democrat’s idea of “saving our democracy”.
your taxx $$ working against you 24/7. They dont care, bi weekly paycks and a pension. FUY!!!
enough is enough.
You liberals are nuts
Josef Stalin and Chairman Mao would be proud of this evil woman. She is riding high on her self-annointed throne. The Supreme court will wipe that evil smile off this little pixie’s face in due time. If the court throws this out which most experts across the country think will happen, in CO, ME and any other place they try this, she should lose her cushy job over it. Who elected her to anything? The founders of America would loathe her with passion if they could see this.
Sundance of Conservative Tree House had this to say:
“If the totalitarian left thought they could win on substance and policy, they would not result to these insufferable lawfare tactics. Those who hold office by fiat need to be dispatched with extreme prejudice”…..
Amen!
Today I am truly embarrassed to say I live in this state. I’d like to say it’s the first time but it seems to happen quite frequently now. Thankfully Bellows has just ended her political career.
Just waiting for the announcement, “it’s go time.”
Democrats want a civil war!
Your second amendment is to protect you from a tyrannical government, such as this.
Shenna Bellows…following in the footsteps of Arizona’s Katie Hobbs. After Janet Mill’s gets termed out, any bets Shenna runs for governor?
I do not even recognize my state anymore. I have always heard progressive women are the worst tyrants. And between our governor, SOS, Speaker of the House, it sure seems true.
I would suggest someone get a FOIA action going to obtain all email and other correspondence associated with the secretary of state’s office.
I wonder if the Suckretary of state rinsed her mouth after kissing Lie-den’s crusty, lying, 80 year old a$$
I am a Trump supporter who will definitely vote for President Trump. In my opinion, due to her willingness to make such unilateral decisions, Shenna Bellows is a threat to my rights as an American citizen, especially my right to “choose.” I seriously question her competency and her ability to fairly carry on her duties as Secretary of State in the best interest of ALL Maine citizens. Furthermore, regardless of her official governmental position, how can any one person decide who’s fit and who’s not fit for the voters to cast a vote on.
So what we have here is the American people’s preferred candidate to be President of the United States. And a single individual who at her personal discretion has the power to tell the majority of Americans, nope, sorry, I’m not going to allow you to vote for him. Who’s the party of Nazis now?
Upon going through my normal morning news feeds, I saw that headline elsewhere and immediately came to The Maine Wire to read good, SOLID, reporting on it.
To Concerned Citizen, your points are courageous and valid to try and write or call your state rep about this. However, so many of us have done that countless, countless times and fallen of deaf ears. There is no longer proper representation available to us. Its pretty much York, Cumerland, Androscoggin vs the rest of Maine. (Sorry if I missed a few!) On the national level, RINO Collins and Indi-democrat King, flippy-flop Golden…
Like Cheshire cat said above…. enough is enough. They are intentionally and willfully trying to stifle our right to vote for who we want. Any way THEY CAN CHEAT, THEY WILL.
I dont need to say what comes next, or whether it will come to fruition other then they have been asking for it for awile. And right now we’re at a very dangerous point teetering on the edge of THAT abyss.
Stop complaining and start campaigning for write-in voting!! Once the people realize the power of their pen at the voting booth, nothing Mills or Bellows or any other Democrat can do to stop our voting for who we want.
“The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.”
Ms. Bellows, doesn’t a person accused of a crime have to HAVE A TRIAL AND BE CONVICTED in order to be disqualified from certain offices? Isn’t that his or her right, to face his or her accusers and be allowed to defend him- or herself, under the Constitution you so blithely invoke? Isn’t it convenient to wave the Constitution when it suits you, yet ignore it when it doesn’t?
I don’t remember any such trial or conviction. If Trump had had a trial and had been convicted of insurrection, etc., the media would have plastered it for weeks across the news outlets. If he had had a trial and hadn’t been convicted, we’d hear about the injustice of justice for the next forty years.
…SB reminds me of the picked on school kid no one wanted to hang around with or have on their team. You just wanted to slap sense into them! Come to think of it, that incompasses most Democrats!
just GinA: Something most voters don’t know is that when you write-in a vote, you must include that candidate’s address. I found that out back in the 1980s when I wanted to write-in a candidate whose name was not on the ballot. There is a space for the address. I think “Mar-A-Lago, Florida” would be adequate for Trump. It is one of his residences.
This is another reason why we need to return to using old-fashioned paper ballots, counted by old-fashioned real people. Even machine-counted paper ballots can’t be trusted, and a machine won’t recognize a hand-written name or address, only the filled-in dot.
I hope we don’t come to that, but it’s best to be prepared in the event that it does.
Bellows just being consistent.
https://twitter.com/shennabellows/status/1640898822002946049
The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) is all over this. They have already filed papers to the Supreme Court supporting 16 GOP groups in 16 different states. What Ms. Bellows did was to bow down to the left. Now the battle begins! We need to continue to write to our representatives and senators and speak to our friends and family about the importance of voting – Elections have consequences and we’ve been experiencing this ever since Mills was elected. Check out the ACLJ’s website to get the latest info. And Pray for the Supreme Court Justices who will be hearing this case. Whether you like Trump or not isn’t the question – We Mainers should have the right to vote for who we want. If this were happening on the left, there would be such an outcry. WE need to be that outcry for righteousness!
As a proud Maine Democrat I could not be more happy with Bellows. Even if 99% of Mainers wanted Trump, I would still support her decision. Trump is a threat to our Democracy and he needs to go to jail. This is one of the happiest moments of my life. Thank you Democrats for doing what is right.
To Connor, if Democrats did the right thing Hilary would be in prison for an attempted coup against a duly elected President, along with Commer, Flapper etc. Or even Joe for his failure to secure the borders, aiding and abetting our enemies etc. So spate us the threat to democracy line. We know who the real threat to our country is.
To rooster8894, You live in a delusion. Trump literally tried to overthrow the Gov and failed.
@Connor… you are delusional. If Trump had done that then what is preventing him from doing it now? If Trump wants 80,000,000 MAGA to storm the capital all he has to do is ask them to do it. Right? So, deny him a spot on the ballot, disenfranchise 80,000,000 voters. See what happens. 🙂
Really, then why hasn’t he even been indicted for an insurrection? And what kind of insurrectionist offers up 10,000 National Guard troops, only to be turned down by Pelosi and Bowser?
And, sorry Hilary was responsible for Russiagate, an attempted coup.
@rooster8894 @red @mainegop
Mark my words. Trump will never be president. Even if supreme court blocks Shannon, on a local town level we will remove him off the ballot. It will take thousands of lawsuits all across the nation and by that time we will have the white house.
There is not a single Democrat not willing to do what it takes to block the Fascist.
Chenna Bellows has just demonstrated how unprofessional she is in carrying out her duties as Secretary of State. That office deserves a competent individual who has the respect of both parties.
Ms. Bellows is proving either her ignorance of our system of laws or her hyper-partisanship (perhaps both?) since she obviously has anointed herself as judge, jury and executioner.
Seriously what did you expect from a Communist JEW ! Every GOP Senator voted to confirm her , ANY “Jake-Legged ” Boy Whore knows she is unqualified and incompetent to hold the Job , Just as is Heather Johnson , Jean Lambrew , Hanna Pingree et cetera……. This just confirms my assertion that The Maine GOP is a SELL-OUT they voice their disapproval and perform great Dramatic gesticulations but at the end of the day they eat from the same bowl as the Commie Dem’s ….
Democrats play 4D chess, Republicans don’t even play. They just complain about the moves. Maine Republicans will just make videos, statements, and get clicks. If the Supreme Court rules against Bellows, then the local Democrats who run must of the small town elections will just remove Trump. The lawsuits will take years to complete and Trump will pass away from old age. Check mate.
my name is connor. I got my junk stuck in a vacuum cleaner once. It removed it in a terrible accident. Son;t be sad as it was very small anyway. Now I am a BBW seeking another BBW to talk about political lies with. Perhaps we can vacuum each other on a low setting
I think Ms Bellows decision was a poor one , in that she played the wrong card game. Sorry to say she should not have done anything to interfere in that Election matter. She made herself look like a fool. I as a Maine Citizen /Voter have a right to vote for who I want on ANY Election primary or the National Ballot. Do not deprive us of that Constitutional Right Ms Bellows. And factually that is what you have done.
Shenna, why stop with just removing Donald Trump from the ballot? I’m sure by using your vivid imagination you can find a way to remove all the other candidates with the exception of that odious Chris Cristy. You can even give it the appearance of a legit decision by holding a hearing, even though over 90% of the people will speak against you doing it, but DO IT ANYWAYS, just like your boss did when she had hearings regarding abortions, and well over 90% spoke in opposition. Just keep ignoring all that stupid crap about “WE THE PEOPLE…”
Just take a few minutes and ask your friends and family who are Democrats. 05% of us stand with Bellows and mark my words – we don’t care how we stop Trump. By any means necessary. If that means removing him from he ballot, the so be it. He is a threat to our Democracy and tried to over throw the Government. If you support him, then you’re an insurrectionist too.
I meant 95%
I consider Democrats a threat to our democracy, they can keep their democracy it sucks. Open borders, terrible schools, homelessness, crime is up, overdoses, mandate this, mandate that, the list is long. So they can keep there idea of democracy. I just want our democracy back. They can’t even define what a women is for crying out loud.
@rooster8894 America is a land of immigrants. Most Democrats do not support borders and more and more people are becoming open to the idea of erasing the idea of the State lines and Nation lines. It’s time to become part of the World and not Nationalistic. Definition of a woman if someone who identifies as a woman. Simple. Conservatives want to complicate everything and force people into boxes.
Conservatives don’t like change. Times are changing. Adapt or get replaced. Yes, we are replacing you. You failed to adapt.
Mr. Trump is good for our country.
My Name is Connor. I am seeking a BBM to explore the Maine Wilderness with. And by Wilderness, I mean the back of my trousers.
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“Just take a few minutes and ask your friends and family who are democrats. 0.5% of us stand with Bellows”
😂
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“America is a land of immigrant’s”
Unless you count the indigenous Wabanaki that the immigrant uprooted and stole land and opportunity from.
“Muh, the constitution pooped on the indigenous people.”