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Trump demands recusal of Maine secretary of state in GOP primary challenge – UPI.com

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Trump demands recusal of Maine secretary of state in GOP primary challenge – UPI.com


Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has asked Maine’s secretary of state recuse herself from deciding challenges against his name being on the GOP’s primary ballot. Photo by Alex Wroblewski/UPI | License Photo

Dec. 28 (UPI) — Former President Donald Trump is demanding that Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows recuse herself from ruling on his eligibility to be on the state’s primary ballot, citing the Democrat’s public statements concerning the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection attempt at the U.S. Capitol.

Challenges to Trump’s application to be on Maine’s Republican primary election ballot have been presented to Bellows, arguing the former president should be made ineligible under the 14th Amendment of the Constitution having taken an oath to uphold the United States’ founding document but then engaging in insurrection.

Bellows, under state law, is expected to soon rule on the validity of those challenges and on the future of the former president and leading GOP presidential candidate’s presence on the state’s ballot.

In their letter sent Wednesday requesting that she disqualify herself from the ruling on the case, Trump’s attorneys said Bellows “has already concluded that President Trump has engaged in insurrection” and has “exhibited a personal bias in this matter.”

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His counsel points to three statements she made on what was then known as Twitter but has since been rebranded as X.

The first two were written by Bellows on Feb. 13, 2021, when the Senate voted 57-43 in favor of impeaching the president, which fell below the 67 votes needed.

In the first tweet, Bellows wrote that the “Jan. 6 insurrection was an unlawful attempt to overthrow the results of a free and fair Election.”

“Today, 57 senators … found Trump guilty. That’s short of impeachment but nevertheless an indictment. The insurrectionists failed, and democracy prevailed,” she wrote.

In the second statement published to the social media platform that same day, Bellows suggested that she was disappointed Trump wasn’t impeached, an outcome she said should have occurred.

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“History will not treat him or those who voted against impeachment kindly,” she said.

The third statement referenced by Trump’s counsel in their letter was published to the social media platform on Jan. 6, 2022.

“One year after the violent insurrection, it’s important we do all we can to safeguard our elections,” she said, while resharing a news article that was about efforts she has put forth to protect election officials as well as election integrity.

Trump’s counsel argues that by describing the events of Jan. 6, 2021, as a violent insurrection and stating that Trump should have been impeached, Bellows has exhibited personal bias against the former president.

“President Trump deserves a fair and impartial hearing,” his counsel wrote in their letter.

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“At this point in the proceedings, the secretary may designate an impartial hearing officer, withdraw from considering the matter and turn over final adjudication to that impartial hearing office. This is a far better course of action than rendering judgment after it has become evidence that the secretary has predetermined that President Trump participated in ‘insurrection.’”

The announcement comes amid several other challenges against Trump on state ballots.

On Wednesday, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled That Trump could remain on its GOP primary ballot, while the Colorado Supreme Court ruled last week to remove him. The Colorado GOP on Wednesday appealed the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.



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Maine

Ellsworth veterinarian to settle allegations over controlled substance storage

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Ellsworth veterinarian to settle allegations over controlled substance storage


An Ellsworth veterinarian has agreed to pay more than $145,000 to settle allegations that he violated the federal Controlled Substances Act.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency was unable to conduct several audits last year at Dr. Alan Toothaker’s registered location because of insufficient record keeping.

An investigation revealed that Toothaker maintained minimal oversight, had improper storage, failed to keep regular inventories and did not keep appropriate records.

U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee said the practice did not have adequate security or oversight, making it very difficult to determine if any substances had gone missing.

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2 dead and several injured in Southern California plane crash

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2 dead and several injured in Southern California plane crash


FULLERTON, Calif. — Two people died and 19 were injured Thursday when a small plane crashed through the roof of a sprawling furniture manufacturing building in Southern California where at least 200 people were working, police said.

The people who died were believed to have been on the plane, while those injured were inside the building. The deceased victims will be identified after officials have contacted the next of kin, the Fullerton Police Department said in a statement.

Eleven people were taken to hospitals, while eight were treated and released at the scene, police said.

The plane crashed less than two minutes after taking off from the Fullerton Municipal Airport in Orange County, located 6 miles from Disneyland, according to the flight-tracking website FlightAware.

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Security camera footage from Rucci Forged, a wheel manufacturer across the street, shows the plane was tilted on its side as it dove into the building, causing a fiery explosion and black plume of smoke.

Firefighters and police arrived on scene and battled the blaze and evacuated surrounding businesses, Fullerton police spokesperson Kristy Wells said.

Chris Villalobos, an airport operations worker, came to the warehouse to see what had happened after receiving a phone call about a plane going down nearby. He noted the airplane’s owner was a regular at the airport and has frequently taken off from there.

“He has a hangar here and everything,” Villalobos said.

After taking off, the pilot told air traffic control he was going to turn around to make an emergency landing, but it was unclear what the issue with the plane was, Villalobos said.

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The building struck by the plane was occupied by Michael Nicholas Designs, a furniture upholstery manufacturer, according to a sign on a door. There appeared to be sewing machines and textile stock inside.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the accident and identified the plane as a single-engine, four-seat Van’s RV-10. The National Transportation Safety Board said it also is investigating.

The airport in Fullerton has one runway and a heliport. Metrolink, a regional train line, is nearby and flanks a residential neighborhood and commercial warehouse buildings.

The Fullerton City Council posted a statement on social media calling the crash a “solemn tragedy.”

“The City of Fullerton is committed to providing support for all those affected and working with the agencies involved to uncover the details of this incident,” Mayor Fred Jung said in the statement. “We are grateful for the strength of our community and the compassion we show one another in times of crisis.”

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Another four-seat plane crashed into a tree a half-mile from the airport in November while making an emergency landing shortly after takeoff, The Orange County Register reported. Both people on board suffered moderate injuries.

Fullerton is a city of about 140,000 people about 25 miles southeast of Los Angeles.

Copyright 2025 NPR





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Maple workshops for beginners in southern Maine, online with UMaine Extension

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University of Maine Cooperative Extension is collaborating with several local organizations in York and Androscoggin counties to present a series of maple sugaring workshops for beginners and small-scale producers in January and February. There is also an online option hosted by the Maine Organic Farmers and Growers Association.

All of the programs are designed for backyard and homestead-scale systems that require a limited initial investment in equipment. Discussions will include identifying and tapping trees, collecting and boiling sap, as well as filtering, grading and canning syrup.

On February 1, the Southern Maine Maple Sugarmakers Association (SMMSA) will host Backyard Maple Sugaring, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., at the York County Extension Office, 45 Kennebunk Road in Alfred, ME. This day-long workshop is developed to give participants a more in-depth overview of the sugaring process. The morning session will include demonstrations and discussions by UMaine Extension Maple Industry Educator Jason Lilley and several established maple syrup producers. The afternoon will include a tour of a local sugarhouse to highlight how they got started and demonstrate the sap processing equipment that they use. The cost of this workshop will be $18 and includes a how-to guide. Visit the event webpage to register.

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A virtual session hosted by MOFGA and led by Lilley is planned for January 7, from 6 – 8 p.m. Visit MOFGA’s event page to register.

The remaining workshops, which do not include a sugarhouse tour, are scheduled to last approximately 2 hours and will be held at the Julia Adams Morse Memorial Library in Greene on January 9, Massabesic Adult Education in Waterboro on January 30, and Lewiston Adult Education in Lewiston on February 4. Look for registration information about these events coming in January.

For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact jason.lilley@maine.edu

About University of Maine Cooperative Extension

As a trusted resource for over 100 years, Extension has supported UMaine’s land and sea grant public education role by conducting community-driven, research-based programs in every Maine county. UMaine Extension seeks to build thriving communities and grow the food-based economy, focusing on aspects from production and processing to nutrition, food safety and food security. Extension also conducts the most successful out-of-school youth educational program in Maine through 4-H which offers hands-on projects in areas like health, science, agriculture and civic engagement and creates a positive environment where participants are encouraged to take on proactive leadership roles.

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