After word spread Wednesday that Michael Heath of the Maine Christian Civic League was soliciting information on which state lawmakers are gay, legislators became really offended.

If Heath wanted to grab their attention, he succeeded. If he wanted to promote his credibility, he failed.

To protest, Rep. Lillian O’Brien, D-Lewiston, a widow and grandmother of 10, was ready to stand up on the House floor that day and announce: “I’m gay.”

So was Rep. Marilyn Canavan, D-Waterville, who is married.

So was Rep. Glenn Cummings, D-Portland, who is married.

It was to be like the ending scene from the movie “In and Out,” in which townspeople stand up in a school gym and all claim they’re gay to defend a teacher who was about to be fired because he was gay. The plan was to stage the mass outing to show solidarity in the House against the kind of hate some lawmakers said Heath was trying to spread.

Cummings came up with the idea. He quickly got 16 or 17 lawmakers to agree to participate. But Cummings and his followers didn’t realize that both party’s leaders, House Majority Leader John Richardson, D-Brunswick, and House Minority Leader Joe Bruno, R-Raymond, were to give strong floor speeches condemning Heath’s actions.

Cummings felt that to follow those speeches with lawmakers standing up and declaring, “I’m gay,” would have been overkill. So he hand-signaled to the others, calling it off. Rep. John Eder, G-Portland, didn’t catch the signal. Eder jumped out of his seat and pronounced: “I’m gay.”

O’Brien was a tad disappointed that she didn’t get to have her “outing.” She wanted to demonstrate her opposition to discrimination. “Each person is to be valued, not put down,” she said.

Later that same day, Heath apologized.

Heath did achieve one thing that hasn’t happened this year: uniting both parties.

Defending the river

On Tuesday, the Lewiston delegation showed solidarity by appearing together at a Natural Resources Committee hearing to protest a Department of Environmental Protection proposal to exempt the Androscoggin River from higher quality water standards.

Some others at the hearing argued that with three paper mills on the Androscoggin, it’s “a working river” that should be treated differently than other rivers. The delegation bristled at that, noting that both Lewiston and Auburn have invested millions to revitalize their downtowns.

Rep. William Walcott, D-Lewiston, asked: “What if your community was being asked to have lower standards than all the other rivers in Maine? That’s what you’re asking. You’re asking Lewiston-Auburn and the Androscoggin River to accept lower standards than the rivers in your district.”

They were hard to ignore. There’s power in numbers.

With testimony concluded, the committee was working on compromise legislation at the end of last week.

3-minute speaking rule at today’s hearing

The Appropriations Committee will again hold public hearings to get public input on more proposed budget cuts. Today the committee will hear feedback on Gov. John Baldacci’s proposed cuts to Department of Human Services and Behavioral and Developmental Services programs. MaineCare cuts are on the agenda; Lewiston Sen. Peggy Rotundo called them “drastic” and said they will affect the most vulnerable.

That hearing begins at 9 a.m. at the Augusta Civic Center. Because a large turnout is expected, people testifying will be limited to three minutes.

Budget hearings continue Tuesday and Wednesday in Room 228 of the State House.

Quote of the week

“Your life is your private life, and I don’t want to know about it.” – House Minority Joe Bruno, R-Raymond, condemning Michael Heath’s call to come up with a list of gay legislators.

Bonnie Washuk is the Sun Journal State House reporter.

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