Maine State Rep. John Andrews (R-Paris) motioned Thursday night to impeach Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows for deciding not to certify former President Donald Trump to appear on the Maine 2024 election ballot.
Senate Republicans in the Pine Tree State issued a harsh statement condemning Bellows decision as “political posturing.” Rep. Andrews filed with the Maine Reviser’s office for a joint order to impeach the top election official in the state. He says Bellow’s decision was an act of “raw partisanship” and that she lacks the authority to bar Trump from the ballot.
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
Andrews says he seeks to impeach Bellows “for barring an American citizen who happens to be the 45th President of the United States from the ballot when he’s met all qualifications without any conviction for insurrection or even impeachment.” He says there are enough “honorable” Democrats in the legislature to move forward with impeachment.
“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,” Andrews said, because “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.”
🚨 #BREAKING: Maine Rep. John Andrews has made a motion to IMPEACH Maine Secretary of State Bellows for BARRING President Trump from appearing on the 2024 Ballot
🔥 GREAT JOB REP. ANDREWS!
“Donald J. Trump has met all qualifications for the March 2024 Republican Presidential… pic.twitter.com/qkhdTAAOJU
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) December 29, 2023
“Donald J. Trump has met all qualifications for the March 2024 Republican Presidential Primary. He should be allowed on the ballot,” he added. “This is raw partisanship and has no place in the offices of our state’s Constitutional Officers.” He accused Bellows of authoritarian impulses for political gain, quipping, “Banana Republic isn’t just a store at the mall.”
Bellows ruled earlier this week that Trump is not qualified to run for president. She argued that Trump engaged in insurrection against the government because of the Jan. 6 protests.
“This political activism by Shenna Bellows, it’s not going to stand,” said Maine GOP Chair Joel Stetkis. “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.
