Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, a Democrat, who recently disqualified former President Donald Trump from the state's 2024 Republican primary ballot, has visited the White House twice in the past year. According to visitor logs, Bellows attended a Women's History Month event on March 22, where she met President Joe Biden and took a photo with him. She later posted the photo on Instagram, expressing her honor at meeting Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and other female leaders. In June, Bellows visited the White House again, this time to meet with Justin Vail, a special assistant to Biden.

Bellows, a former state Senator in Maine, wrote an op-ed piece for Democracy Docket in June 2021, explaining her decision to run for secretary of state. She expressed concern for democracy following the 2020 presidential election and criticized the Electoral College as a "relic of white supremacy." Her ruling to disqualify Trump from the state's primary ballot cited the “insurrection” clause in the 14th Amendment and his actions leading up to the Capitol riot on January 6.

Trump's advisors plan to legally challenge the ruling in Maine, as well as an earlier ruling in Colorado that also removed him from the state's ballot. However, there are concerns that conservative judges on the Supreme Court may rule against him.

Meanwhile, Maine State Police are investigating a false “swatting” call made against Bellows, claiming a man had broken into her home. Bellows assured the public that she and her family are safe but mentioned that her office staff has been dealing with threatening communications since her decision to disqualify Trump. She condemned this behavior as unacceptable.

Bellows' visits to the White House and her decision to remove Trump from the ballot have faced backlash from both Republicans and Democrats. Some argue that Trump should be allowed on the ballot until he is convicted of the crime of insurrection, while others support Bellows' interpretation of the 14th Amendment.

Bellows' office has not yet responded to requests for comment on these matters.