Ten years ago, I wrote a column for the Bangor Daily News (back when it ran actual news) entitled “The Audacity of Shenna Bellows.” At the time, she was the Democratic Party’s sacrificial lamb running for Susan Collins’ seat in the U.S. Senate and had gone to some lengths to misrepresent the centrist Republican senator’s position on abortion rights. In her decision today, by fiat, to declare Donald Trump ineligible to be on Maine’s ballot in the coming year’s presidential election, Bellows has — in essence — said to herself, the state, and the nation: “hold my beer.”
When Bellows held an eight-hour hearing last week on this question, most political observers assumed she was just posturing. But emboldened by the state of Colorado’s recent move to strike Trump from the ballot on the grounds he is ineligible because of the insurrection clause in the 14th Amendment, Bellows has made a kamikaze dive for the national klieg lights like a star-struck moth to the flame. While some on the left will call her move courageous, sensible Mainers are burying their faces in our palms at this moment. She has embarrassed us, to put it mildly.
I’ve never been a big Trump fan. This may surprise some given the fact I had to eat a felony charge in the Russia-gate imbroglio of 2017-19, but it’s a simple fact. Still, having spent a good chunk of my career promoting democracy overseas, I must say it’s stunning to see it so subverted in my own home state.
In order to be an insurrectionist, one must be convicted. Special Counsel Jack Smith may have charged Trump, and it may be true that in our lopsided courts of criminal justice in this country, prosecutors enjoy a ridiculous success ratio. But special counsels have proven to be the exception to this rule. My old pal Robert Mueller famously failed to prove Trump was installed in the White House by Russian subterfuge, despite every possible media advantage. And John Durham failed to convict two Hillary Clinton operatives of lying to the FBI about the matter despite abundant evidence they did. It is beginning to look like the U.S. Department of Justice should call the office of special counsel the house of broken toys.
That said, Trump agonists will dearly hope that the young Jack Smith is the outlier to this trend, and that he will makes his charges stick. Perhaps he will. But until he does, there is zero legal basis for disqualifying Trump from the ballot because Smith cited insurrection against the constitutional order of the United States. Thankfully in this country, one remains presumed innocent until twelve jurors conclude otherwise. And what that simply means is that Bellows has jumped the shark — if not for the first time, than in the most glaring instance of her vaunted career.
Recall that before New York City Attorney General Alvin Bragg brought campaign finance violation charges against Trump earlier this year (Hillary Clinton violated the same law when she failed to disclose her campaign’s spending on ginning up Russia-gate, yet the FEC merely fined her $100,000), Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was trailing him by a just 12 points in the polls. Today, thanks to the eleventh hour array of charges that have been brought against the former president in three jurisdictions, that lead has grown to 50 points. It seems almost as though someone wants to assure Trump wins the nomination.
Someone, that is, who is not a Republican. Nice job Shenna. If you’re still around when my Maine state driver’s license comes due for renewal in 2028, I expect I’ll now have an even longer wait than I did last time.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="24269 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=24269">61 Comments
Couldn t read the whole article
Author spent so much time early in disassembling his own crediblitiy, seemed pointless
Appreciate the candor, nevertheless
SB. Cant Understand Normal Thinking.
Let the voters decide…….. classic case of another person trying to turn off the voters voice..
God help us.
“…there is zero legal basis for disqualifying Trump from the ballot…” What damn difference does that make to a progressive Fascist such as Bellows?
There is a certain local radio talk show host who has stated that, “I’ve known her [SB] for quite a while and although I may disagree with her politically, she’s a nice person.” He said the same thing about Mills.
Republicans don’t play to win; they play to be nice and that’s a huge mistake. I don’t listen anymore.
Lastly, what’s the point about Patten stating he’s never been a big Trump fan? Apparently, he doesn’t understand that American First voters are. We’re sick to death of the UniParty, the crooked politicians, the elites who align with the globalists and apologists for a political system that is broken. Close the border, deport all illegals, revamp public education and the CDC/FDA/NIH and drill for oil now. Otherwise, STFU!
This is such a sad ruling . We are losing our rights as citizens by the political rulers!!! How dare they do this to us . Very very sad ruling indeed .
Disenfranchise half the voters in the state after you steal the 2020 election and imprison those who protested the steal – then accuse them of everything you did.
By allowing DJT to run in 2024 the dems are guaranteed talking points to deflect from their stealing the election, again.
Trump is a threat to our Democracy. As a proud Maine Democrat I stand with Bellows. Sorry but not sorry.
Whether you like Trump or not, this is another attempt by leftists trying to tell Mainers how to vote. What if Biden is impeached? Then shouldn’t he be removed from the ballot? Let the Supreme Court sort this out. Our freedom is vote is in jeopardy and we need to speak up on this issue. Without our freedom to vote, we will soon slip into socialism and communism.
@Katherine Perron, if you could go back in time would you block Hitler from the ballot? I do not have a single Democrat friend or family member not willing to block Trump. Shannon Bellows will get blocked by Trump’s Supreme Court, but it will not matter. On a local level everyone is willing to take him off the ballot. Good luck using the courts to fight ten’s of thousands of cases.
Stop Thinking You Can Vote Your Way Out of This !
Perhaps it’s time to let THE PEOPLE elect the Secretary of State and Attorney General in a statewide election?
Most states do that — they have primaries and candidates running on platforms of what they would do if elected.
To assuage your TDS imply repeat after me, again and again, with no use of the brain – Trump is a threat to our democracy!
As a state Senator in 2019, Ms. Bellows cosponsored LD 1589, “An Act To Protect the Liberty of Immigrants and Asylum Seekers in Maine.”
Though the bill never got out of committee, nowadays a less-menacing federal regime allows the state to ease us into such “rights” by way of Maine’s “affordable housing” schemes for the tens of thousands of illegals expected.
Those municipalities foolish enough to accept funding for these ever-expanding schemes have only themselves to blame.
Democrats play 4D chess, Republicans don’t even play. They just complain about the moves. Maine Republicans will just make videos, statements, and get clicks. If the Supreme Court rules against Bellows, then the local Democrats who run must of the small town elections will just remove Trump. The lawsuits will take years to complete and Trump will pass away from old age. Check mate.
Maine could be 90% red and we would still turn it blue. Go on FB and watch Laurel Libby gain the likes. The Republicans in Maine are just in it to fill the position for a little bit of fame. Democrats are passionately there to change the system. And we are winning.
Keep your power dry patriots, this is nothing more than dried up liberal kunnt holding open the capital door. It knows it’ll never pass the legal stink test but is hoping that the knee jerk reaction will have better results. I always suspected she was slow but this proves, full fledge moron.
@Queenmills
Bellows knows this will get thrown out, just like Colorado. They are being Community Leaders setting an example for local towns to remove Trump off the ballot. There will be no way you can handle the amount of lawsuits to prevent this. Mark my words. We already won this election. Trump will never be President again.
Whatever happened to Shenna Bellow[‘s political career? Oh, yeah. That’s right. It’s over.
@the chopper
You chuds are so out of touch. Bellows just become a prominent figure in the Democrat Collective. We are making 4d chess moves and we sit back and watch the Republics react to what we do. We control the board. You just comment about it. Check Mate.
@Connor. It doesn’t work that way. Local towns can’t remove candidates from ballots because someone who looks like Taylor Swift’s extremely ugly sister thinks they should. They have to follow laws and coincidentally, Shenna doesn’t have a law degree or even the basic legal knowledge to work as a paralegal. Good luck with your fantasy though.
@The Watcher – “They have to follow laws”. I get that. GOP can sue all the towns that “break the law”. What then? 10,000 lawsuits?
I am tired of the word “democracy” being floated constantly. The elites have managed to have everyone repeat “democracy” when talking about our once great country.
We are a Constitutional Republic!
Democracy is mob rule and chaos…I am just amazed that people just keep repeating “democracy” when they should know better if they weren’t ignorant. That goes for @Connor in the above statement. I truly wish we had real patriots in our country, Sadly, we don’t…
Sooooo
Repeat after me “Constitutional Republic”
@Alydia, you can naively call it whatever you want. I will call it what it is or what it should be. Eventually we remove most state rights and have a true Democracy so everyone has a voice, even undocumented workers. For far too long cis-whyte men of privilege have run this society and oppressed everyone around them. As a Progressive we are opening the doors of the Country to anyone around the world, and most of them are on the side of Diversity Equity and Inclusion. We even have DEI departments going up at record pace all across the State of Maine.
@Connor where do you live in Maine? In my neck of Maine, you and your like minded family and friends would be in the minority. Maine is a large state. Stop acting like you speak for everyone. You dont…just a small minded, far left extremist, Democracy hating group. Registered Republicans are 397K. SOS Bellows has no legal right to disenfranchise them. Maine CD#2 gave their electoral college votes to Trump.
yeah connor is a bit cocky eh? weird he hasnt an example of how the socialism Demokrats wish for actually succeeds?
Was this written by AI in Middle School mode? Painful to read.
DEI…Dolts, egos and idiots…yeah, the anti science group is thriving,… where? Racist Democrat cities? I guess some dont realize that delusions from indocrination’s ignorance, isnt what science is. Reality is coming for the Jacobins, …again. LOL
18 U.S.C.
United States Code, 2022 Edition
Title 18 – CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
PART I – CRIMES
CHAPTER 29 – ELECTIONS AND POLITICAL ACTIVITIES
Sec. 595 – Interference by administrative employees of Federal, State, or Territorial Governments
From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, http://www.gpo.gov
§595. Interference by administrative employees of Federal, State, or Territorial Governments
Whoever, being a person employed in any administrative position by the United States, or by any department or agency thereof, or by the District of Columbia or any agency or instrumentality thereof, or by any State, Territory, or Possession of the United States, or any political subdivision, municipality, or agency thereof, or agency of such political subdivision or municipality (including any corporation owned or controlled by any State, Territory, or Possession of the United States or by any such political subdivision, municipality, or agency), in connection with any activity which is financed in whole or in part by loans or grants made by the United States, or any department or agency thereof, uses his official authority for the purpose of interfering with, or affecting, the nomination or the election of any candidate for the office of President, Vice President, Presidential elector, Member of the Senate, Member of the House of Representatives, Delegate from the District of Columbia, or Resident Commissioner, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
This section shall not prohibit or make unlawful any act by any officer or employee of any educational or research institution, establishment, agency, or system which is supported in whole or in part by any state or political subdivision thereof, or by the District of Columbia or by any Territory or Possession of the United States; or by any recognized religious, philanthropic or cultural organization.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 720; Pub. L. 91–405, title II, §204(d)(6), Sept. 22, 1970, 84 Stat. 853; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, §330016(1)(H), (L), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)
Connor lost standing for over posting
Sorry, I’ll restrict my speech a bit for the so-called “free speech” advocates.
The truly sad part is waaay too many people are ignorant of actual truth. RINO’s that speak of promoting democracy are liars grifting off taxpayers. Why doesn’t one ask of their elected conmen why our tax dollars that go to foreign aid fail so miserably that no one wants to live anywhere but here? For all the talk of helping the poor and spreading ‘democracy’ our elected conmen on both sides of the isle have failed miserably at their task to spread freedom and democracy. Bu then again, we aren’t a democracy. Hey Conner, show me in the Constitution where it says “democracy”……… I’ll wait. If lawfare is the only strategy the LEFT has, it will fail, because at some point after the Left has disregarded the law, so will the right, and then you won’t like what happens next when there is no law because you Marxists ruined it for your perversions of truth. ooopsy, I wouldn’t want to be in a Demokrat city then.
Death by Estrogen. Emotional with no common sense. Excessive women’s rights causing a sense of entitlement and self-righteousness. These nuts are making a mess everywhere.
If you’re not progressive enough to tolerate butt sex with autistic students and cheating in elections then you’re not a real Mainah. When SB shows you her penile prosthetic on her only fascist fans page you’ll all know who is in charge!
Y’ain’t gettin’ trump, doofus mainers
Gettin’ Mrs O who’s gonna put all your fat maine asses on a diet
Shenna, txt anytime 478-0067
TRUMP GONNA WIN NEXT LECTION FROM ACROSSED THE STREET NO BODY ELSE HAS GOT A CHANCE MAKE AMERICAN GREAT AGAIN NO FOREIGN PRODUCTS BRING BACK DANDYISM AND NO BIRTH CONTROL OR SPAYING ANIMALS
mainers are stupid and they smell like shit
Connor, poster CHILD of Globohomo
Connor, poster CHILD of Globohomo…
Connor’s case of TDS is showing
Try it here and you’ll be clubbed shot and bombed
All nazi is gay
Not gay
I said clubbed shot and bombed
I have a Big One
A Big One means gay
Fuck you
Suck shit out my asshole, you Hebe
Hurry up and dies, White People, go git your FLU shot
Haha hahahahahahaha aahaahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Hate to tell y’all, 06 January wasn’t an insurrection. But keep pushing and people will find out what insurrection is all about.
Most of you local politicians and journalists are on reddit, not some obscure website like maine wire. If you want to see what the rest of Maine thinks, take a moment and read the explosive sheers and support of Bellows. Read it and weep losers.
https://www.reddit.com/r/portlandme/comments/18t8t54/maines_top_election_official_removes_trump_from/
No Connor – only wise men like you frequent Maine Wire
I’m kind of hoping Connor’s dream political system comes to pass. That way I can close my business, stop working so hard to provide an important service to my community, stop paying taxes and just sit back and wait for all the free stuff to come rolling in from all the dummies too stubborn or principled to quit working. Oh wait a minute, everyone will quit working won’t they, just like in the Soviet Union where the wheat crop “failed” for 70 years straight. It’s just a fact of human nature that we won’t work or try very hard or care very much when we have no say in our future, no control over our lives, own nothing and don’t even get to keep what we work for, thus shrinking the pie that the socialist government promises we all will get a giant slice of. (taken from some rich greedy capitalist of course) My brother has already dropped out, says he saves $200 a day by not firing up his truck to roof houses and build decks, additions and remodel kitchens anymore. When my youngest graduates in a few years I think I’ll do the same. Working and paying taxes to support Connor and his pals in Portland and Lewiston is for chumps. I bet Connor is so generous that he would give a poor person or an asylum seeker the shirt off someone else’s back.
The kind of political ideology Connor is heavily promoting here has led to economic collapse, hunger and starvation, imprisonment of millions and murder of many millions more. Stalin, Chairman Mao, Pol Pot and many others have done all of that and lots more. If any dems ever bother to read any history books they could look it up and see this but, like Bellows, they all think THEY are smart enough to make it work this time. The political power in Maine is all in the southern heavily urban part where the demss hold power. And they don’t think the rest of us can ever do anything about it. When those fancy electric trucks you are all believing in and promoting, are not able to bring food to your local grocery as it is Feb 24 and 18 below zero and that wonderful battery is kaput, maybe you will see what us “rubes” as your kind think of us, can do for ourselves.
Hard to know where to start with this dissembling editorial, but let’s start at the beginning. The 14th amendment does not say anything about a conviction. In fact, it doesn’t even say that insurrection is a crime, only that it is disqualifying for holding public office. The interesting question is this: who determines participation in an insurrection? In Maine, that falls first to the SOS, then to Superior Court. The process is what it is, and was put in place by the legislature. Damn, Bellows followed the law! She must be impeached! She must be doxxed! She must be Swatted! What is wrong with people?
So one single person in Maine has stopped a former president from being on the ballot ?
Was SHE even elected ?
What a sham.
It didn’t take us that long to data mine her home address at town hall and publish her address. She certainly has a smirk on her face when she banned Trump but it disappeared when she got swatted. Oh well ..she got the MTG effect. How does it feel when voter’s don’t like you and now want to remove Bellows
Does anyone know her home address?
Wayne, I agree with the no swatting, Unfortunately it has become a favorite tactic on the left, so sooner or later what goes around comes around. Still doesn’t make it right. I don’t see things getting a y better either, 6 million invaders have crossed our borders and no one seems to care. Top down, bottom, no more middle is where we are headed. I do not even recognize the state let alone the country. And it is a world wide problem as near as I can tell.
I cry when I am by myself. No one loves me.
I made a yuuuge mistake earlier. I said that the other infidel sites supported shenna bellows. I should have explained that george soros purchased all of the other infidel sites. News in Maine is dead.
Also, I am a yuuuge supporter of street crime and thug life in general. If we bump into each other feel free to kick me around a bit. I have no respect for law or humanity. Why should you!?
Bellows is an illiterate, spiritual, and intellectual deficient. De-educated in the new great American de-education system taken over by the Marxists (democracy: code word for communism, socialism, mob rule, anti god’s law, crowd) decades ago. No deductive reasoning. Cannot define the difference a man and a women, good and evil, the truth and a lie, life and death, and eternal life and eternal death(torment). Wonder how many compromises to what is right she and those like her had to make to get where they are? These Deficients have caused America to descend into Demonic depravity. They are power hungry servants of Satan.
The real insurrection took place when biden was installed as president. And BTW, an insurrection is going on 24hrs a day every day right under our noses with the millions of illegals pouring across the border into our country. By the will of a treasonous illegitimate president.
Bellows is a usurper, assuming power that was not given to her, just like her father Satan. And by definition, a Usurper is an Insurrectionist.
Anyone with any deductive reasoning powers can see (if their eyes and ears are open) that the demonrats(democrats, marxists), and their globalist buddies and partners have been attempting to convict Donald Trump of the very crimes they have, along with the clintons, the obamas, and the bidens, committed and are committing.
The end goal is to destroy American Sovereignty, and Sovereignties in general, and merge all Sovereignties into a global Totalitarian rule under the control (power) of Satan’s proxie, The Antichrist.
The lines are being drawn-out. Who’s side are you on? Who will you stand with?
Multitudes, Multitudes in the valley of decision in The Day of The Lord, in the Valley of Megiddo.
Chose you this day who you will serve, whether it be the Lord (YHWH) or Ba’al (satan).
The Lord sets before you this day life and death. Chose life, that you and your seed may live.
Don’t listen to the MSM. The are the very well paid propagandists of the atheistic globalalist Marxists. As god’s word says, they justify the wicked for reward. The Anchors for the MSM are paid 10s of millions of dollars every year to lie to you or say nothing at all, to feed you pablum. If you don’t know what pablum is, get a dictionary and look it up. They also divert your attention by reporting on depraved celebrities that defy most things that are good. They elevate the perverts and deviants, put them on a pedestal, and parade them before the public as though they are above everyone else and as though they are better than the majority. They tell the rest of us that we are stupid and deplorable because we disapprove of their practices of perversions. Wake up!!!!!! Darkness (deception) is covering the earth, and Great Darkness (deception) the people!!!!!!!
Mainers are weak. The whole country is laughing at you all. Should have voted republican. Hahaha