AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Maine’s Republican governor wants to make public the names of those who are hired to film videos of alleged animal cruelty.
In 2014, Gov. Paul LePage received a $1,000 contribution from Contract Farming of Maine LLC, which is associated with a man who owns New England’s largest egg-producing farm in Turner. Last summer, the Humane Society of the United States released undercover footage of the facility showing hens in cages so small they couldn’t spread their wings, but the state later concluded there was no reason to pursue animal cruelty charges.
A LePage advisor said this week a bill proposed by the governor would prevent future “unwarranted political attacks” by letting businesses know the names of undercover operators.
The Humane Society says the bill would discourage investigations into industrial farms.
Egg barns 77, 78 and 79 are where the Humane Society of the United States says it recorded undercover footage showing inhumane treatment of egg-laying chickens at the DeCoster-owned farm in Turner.
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