As Maine goes, so goes the nation

RFK Jr. Sues ‘Political Hack’ Shenna Bellows Over Sudden Change to Maine Petition Rules

“Political Hack” is Kennedy’s lawyer’s term, not mine, but it seems apt for this woman who tried, and is still trying to keep Trump off the Republican primary’s ballot in order to protect her own party’s figurehead.

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has filed a lawsuit against Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows over a restriction on campaigns collecting signatures at polling locations during the March 5 primary election. 4

In an email obtained by the Maine Wire, team Kennedy attorney Paul Rossi said Bellows is “out of control” and a “political hack without any regard for rights guaranteed under the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.”

The federal lawsuit, filed Wednesday in the District of Maine and assigned to District Judge John Woodcock, Jr., argues that Bellows’ “sudden ban” on signature collection defies precedent as the Secretary of State has historically allowed independents to join party candidates to collect petition signatures inside polling places on election day.

Maine requires that non-party presidential candidates file a petition with at least 4,000 signatures by Aug. 1 to qualify for the November general election ballot.

The lawsuit claims the Kennedy campaign was initially informed it would be allowed to collect signatures inside polling locations on March 5, but that earlier this month Bellows informed town clerks not to allow signature collection as it “runs the risk of influence to the voters.”

“So unfortunately, no signature collection can happen at our polling locations for any candidate that is campaigning for President in 2024, regardless if they appear on this ballot or not,” a message to the RFK Jr. campaign from the Portland city clerk said.

Team Kennedy is seeking an injunction from the federal judge to stay enforcement of her prohibition against circulators collecting petition signatures at the polls during Maine’s March 5 presidential primary election.

A Quinnipiac 2024 general election presidential matchup poll released Wednesday had RFK Jr. in third place with 15 percent, behind Trump at 37 percent and the incumbent President Joe Biden narrowly leading at 38 percent.

You don’t have to be a Kennedy supporter to know that this is wrong, just a free citizen who cares about America.