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Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows is to be commended for her honesty and bravery in carrying out her responsibility to disqualify Donald Trump from Maine presidential ballots.
Constitutional requirements for presidential candidates protect we the people from selecting an ill-prepared or dangerous president. Unfortunately, Bellows decision has been politicized and made into a partisan issue.
Three of Maine’s elected officials to Congress, Rep. Jared Golden, Sen. Angus King, and Sen. Susan Collins are to be admonished for their responses to her action. Their statements to let the voters decide distract from the issue. Bellows’ decision was required by her job; she upheld the 14th Amendment Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution.
On the other hand, we think ignoring Trump’s apparent crimes against the state and his insurrection participation is an anti-democratic stand. Many of us witnessed his aiding and abetting insurrectionists, a direct violation of his oath of office. We think the statements from Golden, King, and Collins are hypocritical and misleading. Voters did decide in 2020, and then-President Trump lied to the public about the outcome of the election, as proven in approximately 60 court cases.
We encourage Mainers to call out our elected representatives for their anti-democratic and troubling responses to the honorable secretary of state’s decision. Mainers do vote and will make their choices at the ballot box, not only in the presidential race, but for all offices that are up for election and re-election.
Jay Hanes
Eleanor Weisman
Knox
