Dawn Roberts, in her Jan. 7 letter, “Decision about Trump on ballot raising wrong questions,” suggests that “it would be difficult to establish with confidence whether Trump was qualified to appear on the primary ballot.” Bellows thought not.
Secretary of State Shenna Bellows stated, “I have little trouble concluding that the events of Jan. 6, 2021, were an insurrection,” (Ruling p. 24) and “that Mr. Trump engaged in the insurrection” (p. 26) through “incendiary rhetoric” (p. 32). However, the Jan. 5, 2024, update from the United States Attorney Office reports that 1,265 arrests have been made. No one was charged with insurrection. Thus, there were no insurrectionists. Without insurrectionists there can be no insurrection. Even the U.S. Attorney’s Office referred to Jan. 6 as an “attack” and a “breach.”
Bellows states that Trump’s language supported violence and concludes that “Trump was aware of the likelihood of violence … and took no timely action to stop it” (p. 32). However, Trump said, “I know that everyone here will soon be marching … to peacefully … make your voices heard.” (Jan. 6, 2021). Retired U.S. Army General Keith Kellogg states that Trump requested National Guard troops prior to the Jan. 6 rally to provide additional security (americanmilitarynews.com, Aug. 8, 2023).
Summarily, a pertinent question is, should Bellows, an unelected official and a Democrat to boot, render a legal decision (watching “My Cousin Vinny” doesn’t make a lawyer) banning Trump, GOP’s front runner nominee, from Maine’s primary ballot disenfranchising over a million Maine voters? It appears that Bellows is part of a nationwide effort to subvert democracy and engage in election interference by deciding the 2024 election through a weaponized judiciary system rather than the ballot box. Her claim that “democracy is sacred” (p. 33) rings hollow. The U.S. Supreme Court will decide.
Nancy Chesley
Brunswick
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