Maine’s Constitutional Officers, including the Attorney General, Secretary of State, and Treasurer, are not elected by the people. Instead, the state has Soviet-style commissars installed by the elite of the political party in power. This is due to a flaw in Maine’s constitution that was written before the rise of Marxist regimes and their deadly abuses of power and government control. To return the important powers these offices hold to real accountability, Constitutional Officers must be elected by the people.
[RELATED: Mainers Set to Weigh In on Popular Election of Constitutional Officers at April 7 Public Hearing]
As recent experience shows, the Attorney General, Secretary of State and Treasurer are put into place solely on the basis of their loyalty to the party and strict adherence to the party’s ideology. They are not chosen for their relevant work experience or their proposals on how to better govern aired before the public on the campaign trail. They are chosen for their close proximity to power and proven track record of far-left ideological enforcement. What the people want does not matter. Party priorities are all that matter.
This is why, for instance, Attorney General Aaron Frey can stay in office even after a sex scandal with a subordinate state employee in a post ‘Me Too’ world. It’s also why Secretary of State Shenna Bellows continues to be the one who counts the votes, even after attempting to disenfranchise half the state by barring their chosen nominee for president from the ballot. AG Frey joins every left-wing national lawsuit and enforces ideological orthodoxy with the power of law. Sec. Bellows’ failed attempt to remove President Trump from the ballot is seen as a badge of honor to the party that put her into power. The same logic holds it may even be enough for a promotion to the governor’s chair.
Sec. Bellows’ path to the Blaine House will be much more difficult than her path to Secretary of State. Becoming governor requires an actual statewide election in which Mainers will finally have their votes matter. Sec. Bellows will be forced to campaign statewide on her ideas and her track record. She will have to convince the people that she is worthy of their vote to be their state’s chief executive. That’s a tall order for a candidate who has built her political career on strictly partisan activity.
This should also be the standard that all candidates for Constitutional Officer positions must face. Interaction with citizens, debate of ideas and work ethic reveal how a candidate may serve if elected. It is a vital crucible that all aspiring politicians should go through. AG Frey was put into power because he was the closest sitting state representative with a law degree in a safe Democrat district. That’s not enough of a litmus test for those who want power in an accountable government. It’d be laughable that he rose so quickly to become the state’s top law enforcement officer if it wasn’t so sad.
Think about that for a minute. If Maine’s Constitutional Officers were elected by the people, we wouldn’t need bills to mandate the Attorney General take sexual harassment training after the fact. We’d have people who are actually qualified and publicly vetted serving in these powerful positions.
If Maine had statewide elections for Constitutional Officers, it would be a game changer. It would be the start of Maine people taking back their government from single party control. Maine would have qualified candidates running against each other in state-wide elections. We could see actual on-stage debates between the candidates for Attorney General and Secretary of State. Debates where actual ideas are discussed in front of the people of Maine. What a concept – transparent government before these people are even sworn into office. Voters would have an opportunity to become educated on who these people are and whether or not they deserve their vote. That’s the standard that Maine needs to aspire to reach.
It’s becoming increasingly clear, even to those not paying attention, that our state government is FUBAR. People need to start caring who the people are that serve as Attorney General, Secretary of State and Treasurer. These people have a bigger impact on your life than your House Representative or Senator. Constitutional Officers are the power players in Augusta. They will continue to be chosen to serve their party instead of the people, unless the people demand change. It’s time Maine said that they’ve had enough and they’re taking back the keys to government from the power drunk party insiders who are driving the state off a cliff.
A bill proposed by House Minority Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham (R-Winter Harbor) and Senate Minority Leader Trey Stewart (R-Aroostook) to put these offices up for state-wide election will have a public hearing at 10 a.m. on Monday in Augusta. It will be interesting to see how many Mainers agree it’s time for more accountability for these roles.
Awareness and acceptance is the first step for Maine’s hard working responsible taxpaying citizen warriors to step up, find their town and county republican committees and take action to fight, fight, fight against the tyranny of Janet’s one party rule in the unsustainable State of Marxist Maine. We need all independent thinkers, young and old, under our tent to sustain the Maine state way of life for future generations to thrive and survive.
It’s a numbers game .
As long as the democrats hold more seats than republicans this will never ever get better .
Your district representative might be a wonderful person , who has maybe even done something good for you or your area, but if they are a democrat , YOU MUST vote against them . Democrats ALL vote together in lock step regardless of issue . Boys will always win the girls trophies , taxes will always keep going up , your personal rights will always continue to shrink . Life in Maine WILL NOT get better , but rather it will get worse . We need more republicans than there are democrats . It’s sad but true . Democrats as a voting block are destroying your state . We HAVE TO vote in Republican control of Augusta in 2026 .
It’s either that or YOU can kiss the Great State of Maine goodbye .
I wish Laurel Libby could be cloned. She’s the only one in this entire state government that has any back bone or common sense. Billy Bob & Co are a bunch of wet noodles.