AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine lawmakers are weighing in after the House of Representatives voted 80-60 Tuesday to reject an impeachment investigation of Secretary of State Shenna Bellows.
This request comes after Bellows ruled to dismiss former President Donald Trump from Maine's primary election ballot in December, a decision that turned into a heated discussion across the state.
"But regardless of how people voted today, I will work with them. All of us,” Bellows commented after the vote.
With the decision up to Maine’s Superior Court moving forward, she is now advising the Kennebec County judge to reject a pause on former President Donald Trump’s appeal, after it was filed Monday.
In a weekly press conference, state Republicans were asked on the vote and how it may play into future legislative pushes in the second session.
“If you want to get rid of this Secretary, the simplest and easiest way to do that, in fact, now the only way to do that, is to vote Republican down the ticket when we get to November here,” Sen. Trey Stewart said.
Stewart has previously commented on his support for looking into changing how the Secretary of State is elected, and says moving forward he expects to see a challenge to how candidate eligibility is handled in Maine.
“When the shoe's on the other foot here, which it very well could be at some point soon, the Democrats aren't going to want us to say who they can or can't vote for either in their primary elections either,” Sen. Stewart added.
Other supporters for the impeachment request, filed by Rep. John Andrews, said they believe the decision was rushed and there should have been a public hearing from voters about whether Trump should stay on the ballot.
“I just feel like it’s rushed. The whole decision was rushed.” Maine resident Heather Sprauge said, who was watching the discussion in the House. “We're being disenfranchised of our vote, to vote for the candidate of our choosing here based on feelings, not convictions."
Bellows, a democrat, has remained firm that her decision came solely from her duty as Secretary of State, and that although most states leave the decision up to the courts, Maine law requires a hearing for both ballot challengers and candidate in question, and for her to come to a decision on their qualifications.
The decision must now be made by Maine's Superior Court by Jan. 17.