Maine GOP chair squirms when cornered by CNN anchor over Trump disqualification
January 02, 2024
Maine Republican Party chair Joel Stetkis slammed the state elections chief, Shenna Bellows, for her move to take former President Donald Trump off the state primary ballot under the Insurrection Clause of the 14th Amendment — but when pressed by CNN anchor Boris Sanchez, he failed to articulate any legal argument why she was wrong.
"If there is part of the Constitution that says, if someone is an insurrectionist, a state can remove them from a ballot, and she is designated to make that decision, according to Maine's constitution, then isn't it up to her?" asked Sanchez.
"Her reasoning behind her decision is completely wrong," said Stetkis.
"What is the reasoning?" asked Sanchez.
"No matter how you asked the question, her decision is completely wrong," Stetkis replied.
"Joel, give us the details. Why is it wrong?" Sanchez pressed him.
ALSO READ: 'You lost Ivanka': Trump the target of bogus political action committees
"Boris, this is the thing," said Stetkis. "There are attorneys and judges, Democrats and Republicans across this country that have said she is wrong. Not one time in my life have I ever agreed with Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, until now. Gavin Newsom also believes the people should have the right to vote—"
"I'm trying to get to the basis of your legal argument, and you are not giving me any details," Sanchez cut in. "You are saying that it's flat-out wrong. Why is it wrong, from a legal standpoint? Is it that you think her interpretation of the amendment is wrong? Is it that you think it doesn't apply to the presidency? It's not a self-executing portion of that amendment? Is there any detail you can give us, other than saying that she is flat-out wrong?"
"One of the things that we have seen in the last week are very highly respected lawyers and judges, Democrats and Republicans alike, that of come out and given plenty of legal argument on why she is wrong," said Stetkis. "My job here is to protect the voters in the state of Maine, and what she is doing just shows absolute contempt for the everyday American. They feel like we are not smart enough to think for ourselves, that she needs to pull somebody off of the ballot, because we are not smart enough to know whether we should vote for that person or not. That is just flat-out wrong."
"I don't think it's a question of intelligence. There is a legal argument to be made," said Stetkis. "It doesn't seem like you articulated the legal argument and the flaw that you see in her decision."
Watch the video below or at the link here.
Leave a Comment
Related Post