Judge Dismisses Justice Department Lawsuit Against Maine Secretary of State

A federal judge, appointed by Donald Trump, dismissed a lawsuit from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) against Maine’s Secretary of State, Shena Bellows, on Thursday.

This lawsuit, filed in September, accused Maine of breaching federal election laws by not providing data on its voters to the federal government. Bellows contended that the DOJ failed to clarify how it intended to use the requested data, which included the names of Maine’s voters, alongside sensitive information like driver’s license numbers and Social Security details.

In August, Bellows denied the DOJ’s request and later motioned to dismiss the case in December.

During a July press conference, she made a notable statement, saying, “The Gulf of Maine is bitterly cold, and maybe the Justice Department needs to cool it down. So my answer to the Trump Justice Department today is this: Jump into the Gulf of Maine.”

On Thursday, Maine’s Chief Judge, Lance Walker, appointed by Trump in 2018, supported Bellows’ motion, effectively dismissing the lawsuit. He noted that granting the DOJ’s request would mean overlooking the traditional roles of federalism in American elections.

Bellows expressed her satisfaction with the ruling, asserting that it reaffirms that states, rather than the federal government, oversee elections. She stated, “From the moment the Trump administration asked for the voter data of every American, I said no. When they tried to bully me by suing Maine, I helped lead a coalition of states to fight back. And we are winning.”

She emphasized the importance of state autonomy in regulating elections, stating, “Under our Constitution, states are the primary regulators and administrators of federal elections unless Congress passes legislation preempting that framework.”

The DOJ has previously sued multiple states for not submitting uncompiled lists of voters, with similar lawsuits dismissed in states such as Arizona, California, and several others, including Maine.

The Justice Department has not issued any public comments regarding the dismissal, and attempts to get further responses from both the DOJ and Maine’s Secretary of State remain ongoing.