Donald Trump's Team Slams Maine's Secretary Of State for Removing Him From Ballot: 'A Virulent Leftist'

Maine's Secretary of State, Shenna Bellows, underscored that her actions concerning the disqualification of Donald Trump from the state's presidential primary ballot were in strict adherence to Maine's election laws and alignment with the principles of the U.S. Constitution. She made the ruling based on Trump's purported actions after the 2020 presidential election, deeming him ineligible for a White House candidacy in the forthcoming year. Maine became the second state to prevent Trump from being listed on the ballot, citing Section 3 of the 14th Amendment of the Constitution. In response, Trump's campaign team launched a scathing critique against Bellows this week, as documented by Radar Online.

“I am so mindful – and I said this in my decision – that it is unprecedented,” Bellows said while addressing the matter through a statement issued after she announced the decision. She added, “No secretary of state has ever deprived a presidential candidate of ballot access... But no presidential candidate has ever engaged in insurrection and been disqualified under section 3 of the 14th amendment.” As outlined by Maine's law, citizens retain the right to petition the Secretary of State with concerns regarding a candidate's eligibility for office. Subsequently, a public hearing is convened, during which the petitioners are required to present their arguments, as reported by CBS News.

Simultaneously, Trump's campaign representative, Steven Cheung, issued an extensive statement leveling accusations against Bellows and the Democratic party, alleging the 'theft' of the upcoming 2024 presidential election and the deliberate disenfranchisement of American voters. “The Maine Secretary of State is a former ACLU attorney, a virulent leftist and a hyper-partisan Biden-supporting Democrat who has decided to interfere in the presidential election on behalf of Crooked Joe Biden,” Cheung said. Additionally, he contended that Democrats in states traditionally aligned with the party are recklessly and 'unconstitutionally' suspending the civil rights of American voters.

Continuing, the spokesperson for Trump's 2024 campaign labeled the Maine Secretary of State's extraordinary ballot ruling as a direct and aggressive attack on American democratic principles, characterizing it as 'partisan interference' in the electoral process. He added, “Biden and the Democrats simply do not trust the American voter in a free and fair election and are now relying on the force of government institutions to protect their grip on power.” 

Amid ongoing electoral processes, Maine's upcoming primary and general election ballots surfaced shortly following a pivotal decision made by Colorado's Secretary of State. In fact, Colorado's official ruling asserted that Trump's involvement in the January 6 U.S. Capitol insurrection rendered him unsuitable for candidacy in public office. However, the perspectives in Michigan and California deviated significantly, diverging from the prohibition approach. Both states determined that it was not within their scope or authority to restrict Trump's inclusion on the GOP's primary ballots for the upcoming year. This divergence in interpretations shows the complexities across the electoral landscape.