Trump's legal team requests Maine Secretary of State be disqualified from ballot case

Former President Donald Trump's legal team filed a request Wednesday, requesting that Maine Secretary of State, Shenna Bellows, be disqualified from ruling whether or not Trump is eligible for the 2024 ballot. 

"President Trump requests that the Secretary disqualify herself from this matter because she has already concluded that President Trump engaged in insurrection — a determination that she made well before the submission of evidence or argument in this current matter," the filing reads. "Because the Secretary has exhibited a personal bias in this matter, she should disqualify herself from further proceedings."

Trump went on to cite in an email message three instances where he believed that Bellows showed bias regarding the former president. 

"One year after the violent insurrection, it’s important to do all we can to safeguard our elections," Bellows wrote on X almost two years ago. 

Another example was from Feb. 13, 2021 where Bellows wrote: "The Jan 6 insurrection was an unlawful attempt to overthrow the results of a free and fair election. Today 57 Senators including King & Collins found Trump guilty. That’s short of impeachment but nevertheless an indictment. The insurrectionists failed, and democracy prevailed."

Bellows is expected to make a decision on whether or not Trump engaged in an insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, which would determine whether or not he could appear on the ballot in 2024. 

In other states, plaintiffs have sued regarding Trump’s eligibility, but in Maine, the Secretary of State first weighs in and the decision can be challenged in court, according to The Hill.