AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine lawmakers serving in Washington and Augusta continue to weigh in over Democratic Secretary of State Shenna Bellows' decision to keep former President Donald Trump off Maine's Republican primary ballot.
Bellows said Friday she was duty-bound by state law to make a determination on three challenges brought by registered Maine voters. She reiterated that she suspended her decision pending an anticipated appeal by the Trump Campaign in Superior Court.
Among Maine's congressional delegation, only Democratic U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, who represents the liberal First Congressional District, supported Bellows’ conclusion that Trump incited an insurrection, justifying his removal from the March 5 primary ballot.
Andrew Piantidosi, a Republican, who is running for Congress in CD1, strongly disagreed with the Congresswoman and said Bellows was 'grandstanding' as the courts will eventually make the final decision.
"As we move forward, I think there are dangerous implications now that have been laid on the table," he said Friday.
Piantidosi, who said he plans to work for parental rights and fiscal responsibility, among other issues, was at Bellows' office last month when voters dropped off the required signatures to get Trump on the primary ballot.
"All of Maine's constituents are not being represented properly", he said.
Piantidosi added he will support whoever the Republican nominee is in next year's general election, but repeated he is concerned that this ruling could have lingering impacts in Maine and across the country.
The Republicans running for Congress in Maine's Second District, where Trump picked up an electoral vote in each of the last two elections, have also been outspoken since the ruling. Reps. Austin Theriault, who represents Fort Kent, and Michael Soboelski, who represents Phillips, are both calling for the removal of Bellows.
Theriault sent a letter to her office asking her to resign immediately, according to a news release this week. He also asked incumbent Democrat Jared Golden to co-sign the letter.
Golden publicly released a statement on Bellows' decision, agreeing with U.S. Senator Angus King, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, that said in part, “until (Trump) is found guilty of the crime of insurrection, he should be allowed on the ballot.”
King, said Friday that absent a final judicial determination on the issue of insurrection, the decision on whether Trump should be considered for president, “should rest with the people as expressed in free and fair elections.”
Meanwhile, Theriault's primary challenger, Rep. Mike Soboleski joined fellow GOP Rep. John Andrews', who represents district 73, effort to impeach Maine's highest ranking election official. That process would be carried out in the state Legislature. Lawmakers return to Augusta on Wednesday for the next legislative session.
“She has failed to fulfill her duties faithfully as Secretary of State. Therefore, I will support impeachment procedures to remove her from office," part of Soboleski's statement read.
Andrews, who sits on the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, called the decision “hyper-partisanship on full display” as he pressed for an impeachment proceeding. He said he sent a notice to the state revisor’s office for a joint order to set the wheels in motion ahead of lawmakers’ return to Augusta next week.
Maine Democrats are speaking out in support of Bellows decision.
House Majority Leader Mo Terry, a Democrat who represents Gorham, said Saturday that "Secretary Bellows was acting within her legal authority — regardless of whether or not someone agrees with the outcome of the decision," read a part of the statement. "I have complete confidence in her understanding of the law and her principles in matters like this, and I am certain she did not reach her conclusion casually.”
And Bangor's Democratic State Senator Joe Baldacci told NEWS CENTER Maine on Saturday, "this is a democracy and we're not going to allow people who violate the rules benefit."
As of Saturday, Maine's Democratic Governor Janet Mills has not weighed in on the decision publicly.