Maine Senate Money from outside groups that can spend unlimited amounts on a campaign is pouring into state legislative races much earlier than usual — and at an exponentially higher rate. Spending by party committees and political action committees, known as independent expenditures, reached $365,979 for all legislative races by Sept. 7, according to 60-day […]
Maine Legislature
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Democrats say GOP newsletters misstate education funding
AUGUSTA — In otherwise-mundane newsletters to constituents, at least four Republican state senators used the same wording to make a claim about education spending that Democrats say is not true. Each of the four wrote in his or her taxpayer-funded mailing, “We made the largest one-time investment in education in the state’s history, putting the […]
advertisement
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Lawmaker Larry Lockman behind provocative anti-immigration flyer
A political mailer stoking anti-immigration fears in the House District 55 race is the work of a political action committee run by conservative Republican Rep. Larry Lockman. The glossy, oversized flyer accuses incumbent Rep. Seth Berry, D-Bowdoinham, of voting “to allow the killings to continue in Portland,” referring to two homicides in which immigrants were […]
Posted inLocal & State
Paul LePage halts nominations a day after panel rejects Maine Turnpike Authority nominee
AUGUSTA (AP) Paul LePage A spokesman is blaming “petty partisan politicians” for Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s decision to halt his nominations for individuals to state boards and commissions. LePage’s adviser Michael Beardsley told a legislative panel Thursday that committees will not hold hearings scheduled on the governor’s nominations. LePage spokesman Peter Steele said it’s wrong […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Legislature hands LePage a win on child protection bill
AUGUSTA — The Legislature handed Republican Gov. Paul LePage a victory Thursday when it approved a bill that would shift the focus in Maine’s child protection system away from family reunification and toward the best interest of the child. The measure was one in a package of bills the governor submitted with the goal of […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
LePage’s proposed child protection system reforms get mixed reaction at hearing
AUGUSTA — A public hearing held Monday on a handful of child protection reform bills revealed strong support for additional investments but also laid bare wider systemic problems that have worsened, in part, because of a continued erosion of social services. Dozens testified before the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee on five bills unveiled […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Paul LePage submits bills to revamp child-protection system
Maine Gov. Paul LePage has sent five bills to the Legislature that would dramatically overhaul a child protection system that has been under investigation for months following two high-profile deaths. The most wide-ranging bill has not yet been printed, but an overview provided by the Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday revealed that it seeks […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Westbrook Democrat resigns after misconduct allegations
Dillon Bates, a two-term Democratic state representative from Westbrook who has been accused of inappropriate relationships with female students, has resigned effective immediately. Democratic House Speaker Sara Gideon, who had previously sought the two-term lawmaker’s resignation, shared an email from the 30-year-old former teacher and coach on Monday. “Speaker Gideon, I will be resigning my […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Republican lawmaker calls for ethics probe against Westbrook Democrat
With Democratic lawmaker Dillon Bates defying his party leader’s request to resign, a Republican lawmaker said Wednesday that she’s formally asking for the House Ethics Committee to be “convened immediately” to investigate allegations that the two-term lawmaker, a former teacher and coach, acted inappropriately with students. “These are very serious allegations against Rep. Bates, and […]
Posted inLocal & State
Democratic leader calls for lawmaker to resign after accusations of relationships with students
House Speaker Sara Gideon said Friday she has asked state Rep. Dillon Bates of Westbrook to resign his seat in the Legislature, citing allegations in a published report that he engaged in inappropriate behavior with several female students. “The allegations made against Rep. Bates’ are deeply troubling,” Gideon said in a statement issued Friday. “I […]