Maine Secretary of State Receives Threats After Removing Trump from Ballot, Reports Say

Maine’s Secretary of State Shenna Bellows revealed on Friday that she has been subjected to threats following her decision to declare former President Donald Trump ineligible for the state’s 2024 primary ballot.

Bellows, a Democrat, spoke out during an appearance on CNN, acknowledging that she was prepared for the possibility of threats and expressed gratitude for the support she has received from law enforcement and others around her. She emphasized the importance of her own safety as well as that of her colleagues and stated that they have received threatening communications, which she deemed as unacceptable.

Despite facing a barrage of public criticism both online and offline, Bellows did not disclose details about the nature of the threats she received. She cited Section 3 of the 14th Amendment as the basis for her decision to remove Trump from Maine’s 2024 primary ballot, which disqualifies certain individuals from holding public office if they have been involved in “insurrection or rebellion.”

Bellows displayed a unilateral approach by making the ruling herself, while most challenges to Trump’s eligibility under the 14th Amendment had previously played out in courts.

In her ruling, Bellows stated that she found that Trump was “not qualified to hold the office of the President” under Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment. She pointed to the breach of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, as evidence to support her decision. According to Bellows, Trump used a “false narrative of election fraud to inflame his supporters and direct them to the Capitol to prevent certification of the 2020 election and the peaceful transfer of power.”

The move received criticism from both Democrats and Republicans, with Trump’s campaign condemning the decision and labeling Bellows as a “virulent leftist and a hyper-partisan Biden-supporting Democrat.” Trump’s team vowed to appeal the ruling, while a Maine GOP lawmaker sought to impeach Bellows.

The events of January 6, 2021, have been widely debated, with critics accusing Trump of inciting an “insurrection,” while his supporters argue that his statements were meant to be peaceful.

Bellows’ ruling came shortly after the Colorado Supreme Court also ruled Trump ineligible to run for president, citing Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. Trump reacted by criticizing the decision as a “shame for our country” and vowed to appeal the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court. He also accused President Joe Biden of being an insurrectionist, claiming that his policies were “destroying” America.

In the meantime, the political maelstrom triggered by Trump’s potential candidacy for the 2024 presidential race continues to unfold, with legal battles intensifying and tensions escalating on both sides of the partisan divide. As the controversy rages on, the 2024 presidential election is already shaping up to be a contentious and polarized affair.