To the Editor:

This is in response to David Reed’s letter “Exactly What Has Gideon Done” (Bethel Citizen, July 23). Mr. Reed seems primarily to complain that Sara Gideon “dismissed the legislature” in March and that she was fined by the Maine Ethics Commission for a “misuse of funds”. Maybe Mr. Reed did not notice that the Republican and Democratic leaders of both the state House and Senate recommended the adjournment of the legislature “to mitigate the spread of disease.” The “misuse of campaign funds” was the use of her PAC funds in 2016 to reimburse her for a contribution to a different PAC that supported Emily Cain’s campaign, which “misuse” the Ethics Commission agreed was minor and result of a misinterpretation of rules.

What Sara Gideon has done has been to serve in the state legislature since 2012, and been Speaker of the House since 2016, which included leadership during a contentious time in Augusta. She has notably showed her support of affordable health care, advocacy for Maine businesses, and for addressing the opiod epidemic. She has done a great job for the state of Maine.

Lee Smith
Albany Township


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