I have worked hard representing District 13 in the Maine Senate for the last four years and nothing less should be expected from me; so when the Oct. 6 letter to the editor from Bill Felts attacked my work ethic, I owe a response.

Here are the facts; I’ll let others be the judge.

Felts says I missed many votes last session, and have been less than a full-time senator. In fact, I did miss 16 votes, but it was over the last two sessions, not one.

Here’s why I missed them: Ten were on May 24, 2007, when I was at my son’s wedding. Five were on March 10, 2008, when I needed to be with my parents. Those are the only two Senate days I have missed in two years.

I missed the last vote on April 8 of this year when I was in a Judiciary Committee hearing and could not get downstairs in time to vote.

In one way, his attack on my attendance makes me chuckle. Many Democratic senators are absent far more often, but their leaders, who control the Senate calendar, are careful to not schedule votes when they are gone. No such courtesy was extended to me on my two absences.

I take my Senate seat seriously and I give it my all. Felts can criticize my votes, but he can’t call me a slacker.

Sen. Dave Hastings, Fryeburg