{"id":2136084,"date":"2023-12-29T13:04:07","date_gmt":"2023-12-29T18:04:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/who-is-shenna-bellows-the-maine-official-who-removed-trump-from-primary-ballots\/"},"modified":"2023-12-29T13:06:33","modified_gmt":"2023-12-29T18:06:33","slug":"who-is-shenna-bellows-the-maine-official-who-removed-trump-from-primary-ballots","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/who-is-shenna-bellows-the-maine-official-who-removed-trump-from-primary-ballots\/","title":{"rendered":"Shenna Bellows, a Maine official, removed Trump from primary ballots. Who is she?"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwho-is-shenna-bellows-the-maine-official-who-removed-trump-from-primary-ballots%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2136084&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Former President Donald Trump Removed from Maine&#8217;s 2024 Presidential Primary Ballot<\/h2>\n<p>Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows made a bold move on Thursday by declaring former\u200c President Donald Trump \u2062ineligible for the state&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rfk-jr-is-keeping-all-my-options-open-hints-of-potential-run-as-an-independent\/\" title=\"RFK Jr. considers all options, hints at potential independent run.\">2024 presidential primary ballot<\/a>. This decision, based on Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, puts Maine in the same category as Colorado, where Trump is also not allowed on the GOP primary ballot unless a court intervenes. With all eyes on Bellows\u2064 after her ruling, let&#8217;s take\u200c a closer look at the official who took this action.<\/p>\n<h3>Bellows&#8217;s Background and Political Journey<\/h3>\n<p>Prior to her\u2062 role in elected office, Bellows served as the executive director for\u200c the American\u200b Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Maine\u200c for eight years \u2064until 2013. After leaving the ACLU, she \u200cran as a Democrat against Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in the 2014 election but was defeated by a significant margin. Undeterred, Bellows ran for the state Senate in 2016 and emerged victorious against Republican\u2064 Bryan\u2064 Cutchen. \u2063She was\u2063 reelected in 2018 and 2020.<\/p>\n<p>In 2020, Bellows made history by becoming the first woman to hold the position of secretary\u2062 of state in Maine. Unlike most\u2064 states, Maine&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/arizona-ag-rejects-secretary-of-states-call-for-probe-of-gop-led-maricopa-county-vote-audit\/\" title=\"Arizona AG Rejects Secretary of State\u2019s Call for Probe of GOP-Led Maricopa County Vote Audit\">top election official<\/a> is elected by the state legislature. Bellows was reelected to this office in 2022.<\/p>\n<h3>Bellows&#8217;s Impact\u2063 and Controversial Decision<\/h3>\n<p>During her time in office, Bellows has been instrumental in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democratic-governor-announces-swing-state-will-now-have-automatic-voter-registration\/\" title=\"Governor announces automatic voter registration in swing state.\">implementing automatic voter registration<\/a>\u200b at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles and enhancing the accessibility of the Maine State Archives&#8217;s online catalog portal. However, \u2062her most notable action to date\u200b is her decision to remove Trump from the primary ballot.<\/p>\n<p>Bellows emphasized that her decision was not made lightly. She pointed to the \u200cJanuary 6 Capitol riot, \u200bwhich she\u2063 believes was instigated and\u200b supported by Trump, as a driving factor behind\u2063 her action. She stated\u2063 that her duty\u200c to uphold the Constitution\u2064 and Maine&#8217;s election laws compelled\u200b her to ensure \u200dthat only qualified candidates appear on the primary ballot.<\/p>\n<p>Trump&#8217;s campaign, on the other hand, called for \u2063Bellows to be\u200d disqualified from making this decision, accusing her of bias and referencing her previous comments about the Capitol riot.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the \u200dcontroversy surrounding her ruling, Bellows\u200d remains\u2064 steadfast in her commitment to upholding the integrity of the electoral process.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Click here to read more from The Washington Examiner.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What constitutional provision did \u2064Secretary Bellows invoke to justify her decision to disqualify Trump from the primary ballot?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  The decision and its implications.<\/p>\n<p>In her announcement, Secretary Bellows cited Section 3\u2062 of the \u206314th Amendment to justify her decision. This section \u2062states that\u2063 anyone who has\u2062 engaged in rebellion or insurrection against the United States shall be disqualified from holding any office under the United States. By invoking this constitutional provision, Bellows makes a strong statement about Trump&#8217;s role in inciting the attack on the \u200dCapitol on January 6, 2021.<\/p>\n<p>The decision in Maine \u200bfollows a similar move by Colorado&#8217;s Secretary of State, Jena Griswold, who declared Trump ineligible \u2062for the state&#8217;s 2024 primary ballot earlier this year. Both secretaries of state argue that Trump&#8217;s actions before and during the Capitol insurrection constitute a betrayal of his role as President \u2063and a threat to the democratic process.<\/p>\n<p>This bold\u2063 move by Bellows sends a powerful message about accountability and the importance of upholding democratic principles. By disqualifying\u200d Trump from the primary ballot, she takes a\u2062 stand against those who seek to undermine\u2062 the very\u200d foundations of our democracy. It is a reminder that actions have consequences and \u200dthat no one, regardless of their status or power, is above \u200dthe law.<\/p>\n<p>However, Bellows&#8217; decision is not without controversy.\u200b Trump&#8217;s supporters argue that it \u200cinfringes upon his right to \u2064run for office and undermines the principle of fair \u200cand open elections. They believe that the decision politicizes the electoral process and sets a dangerous precedent for\u2064 future elections.<\/p>\n<p>It is worth noting that the\u2062 ultimate decision on Trump&#8217;s eligibility will likely be made by the courts. Both \u200cMaine and \u2064Colorado&#8217;s decisions are subject to legal challenges, and it remains to be seen how these cases will unfold. While the courts will\u200b have the final \u2062say, the actions of \u200dBellows and Griswold \u2064highlight the growing movement to hold Trump accountable for his actions and the desire to ensure that our democratic processes are above \u200creproach.<\/p>\n<p>The removal of Trump from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-foe-that-voted-to-impeach-him-thinks-he-should-be-allowed-on-michigan-ballot\/\" title=\"Impeachment supporter believes Trump should be eligible for Michigan ballot.\">presidential primary \u200bballot<\/a> \u200cin\u2063 Maine is undoubtedly a\u200b significant development in the political\u2062 landscape. It sets the stage for\u2063 a potential showdown between Trump and \u200cstate election officials, raising questions about the\u2063 limits of\u2062 executive power and the boundaries of free speech. It also serves as a stark reminder that the consequences \u2063of the Capitol insurrection continue to reverberate throughout the country.<\/p>\n<p>As the nation looks towards the 2024 presidential election, the decision in Maine serves as a timely reminder that our democracy is a fragile entity that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/osha-investigation-into-death-of-georgia-grain-silo-worker-finds-multiple-safety-violations\/\" title=\"OSHA probe reveals numerous safety breaches in Georgia grain silo worker's tragic death.\">requires constant vigilance<\/a> and safeguarding. Regardless of one&#8217;s political affiliation, the integrity of our electoral process should be paramount, and actions, such as those taken by Secretary \u200dBellows, should be applauded for their\u200b commitment to upholding our\u2064 democratic \u200cvalues.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, Maine&#8217;s Secretary of State, Shenna Bellows, has taken a bold step by declaring former President Donald Trump ineligible for the state&#8217;s 2024 presidential primary ballot. Citing the 14th Amendment, Bellows sends a powerful message about accountability and the importance of\u2063 preserving our democratic institutions. This decision, though controversial, underscores the need for \u2062a fair and just electoral process that is\u2064 free from any taint of insurrection or betrayal of democratic values. As the legal challenges unfold, the \u2062nation watches with bated breath, recognizing that this moment is not only about Trump&#8217;s eligibility but\u2064 also about the strength\u200b and resilience \u2062of our democracy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Maine&#8217;s Secretary of State, Shenna Bellows, declared former President Donald Trump ineligible for the 2024 presidential primary ballot. Citing Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, Bellows removed him, making Maine the second state, after Colorado, to exclude Trump from the GOP primary ballot, unless a court intervenes<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2136086,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2136084","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2136084","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2136084"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2136084\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2136086"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2136084"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2136084"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2136084"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}