Maine Republicans Call for Impeachment of Secretary of State Over Trump Administration

Republican lawmakers in Maine are threatening to bring impeachment proceedings against Secretary of State Shenna Bellows after her decision Thursday to bar former President Donald Trump from the state’s presidential primary ballot. 

“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,” Republican state Rep. John Andrews said in a statement Thursday after Bellows, a Democrat, announced her decision, The Washington Examiner reported.

“I wish to impeach Secretary Bellows on the grounds that 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,” Andrews added.

Bellows said Thursday that the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment, which prohibits those engaging in insurrection against the government from holding office, means Trump is not qualified to appear on the Maine ballot because of the actions during the Jan. 6, 2021 events at the U.S. Capitol.

But Andrews said her ruling was “partisanship” and that Trump has met Maine’s qualifications for being on the GOP presidential primary ballot. 

“This is hyper-partisanship on full display,” he said in his statement. “A Secretary of State APPOINTED by legislative Democrats bans President Trump from the 2024 ballot so that she can jockey for position in the 2026 Democrat Primary for Governor. Banana Republic isn’t just a store at the mall.”

Several other Maine Republicans spoke out against Bellows’ decision, saying the ruling will be overturned and that she was acting in a partisan manner. 

“This is a sham decision that mimics Third-World dictatorships,” Maine House Republican leader Billy Bob Faulkingham said. “It will not stand legal scrutiny. People have a right to choose their leaders devoid of mindless decisions by partisan hacks.”

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, agreed. 

“Maine voters should decide who wins the election,” and not Bellows, who the Maine Legislature voted into office in 2020, she wrote on X. “The Secretary of State’s decision would deny thousands of Mainers the opportunity to vote for the candidate of their choice, and it should be overturned.”

Trump’s legal team has promised to seek an appeal on the Bellows decision.