Maine's Secretary of State, Shenna Bellows, is under increasing criticism following her controversial decision to exclude former President Donald Trump from the 2024 presidential election ballot, a move perceived by some as an attempt to manipulate the election outcome.
The decision, announced last Thursday, has sparked intense debate and could potentially lead to impeachment proceedings against Bellows.
Republican State Representative John Andrews has initiated the impeachment process, accusing Bellows of extreme partisanship. He cites her use of the 14th Amendment to disqualify Trump from the ballot as evidence of this bias.
Andrews stated that he had submitted a request to the Maine Revisor's Office to "file a Joint Order, or whichever is the proper parliamentary mechanism under Mason's Rules, to impeach Secretary of State Shenna Bellows."
Andrews told Fox News Digital, "In Maine, the people do not elect the Secretary of State, Attorney General or Treasurer. They are chosen by elected Democrat Party insiders after deals are made in the back room of State House." He added, "Shenna Bellows knows that the process that put her there is extremely partisan. She should know better and be going out of her way to be as neutral as possible to serve every citizen in Maine and not just registered Democrats."
Andrews further criticized Bellows, stating, "Thats why she swore an oath to the Constitution and not the Democrat Party. We are still a republic, but moves like this fracture that foundation, which ultimately is the point of all this."
Bellows' decision followed a similar ruling by Colorados Supreme Court to remove Trump from the ballot, sparking a heated debate over what many perceive as a politically motivated move to aid President Joe Biden's reelection.
Andrews contends that the former president has met all qualifications for the March 2024 Republican Presidential Primary and that Bellows actions represent raw partisanship that has no place in the offices of our states Constitutional Officers.
In a discussion on Fox, Andrews accused Bellows of abusing her position to disenfranchise over 300,000 Maine voters. Although his impeachment attempt is likely to fail due to Democratic majorities in the state legislature, it underscores the resistance in these states against perceived attempts to influence elections and undermine the public's right to elect their president.
Supporters of the 14th Amendment Crusade, including Bellows, argue that it is necessary to uphold the Constitution and prevent alleged insurrectionists from holding public office. This provision was originally designed to prevent members of the Confederacy from wielding power in the U.S. government.
However, Andrews and others dismiss the comparison between the January 6 events and the Civil War, and reject the notion that Trump orchestrated the former. Andrews views Bellows' actions as an attempt to manipulate the upcoming presidential election.
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