AUBURN — A lawyer for Maine Citizens for Clean Elections argued Tuesday in Superior Court that Republican Gov. Paul LePage was abridging the free speech rights of legislative candidates by refusing to release $1.4 million in public funds to help bankroll their campaigns. David Kallin also pointed out to Superior Court Justice William Stokes that […]
Paul LePage
Posted inNation / World
Trump says defending Montenegro, where LePage just visited, could lead to WWIII
President Trump, who rattled U.S. allies at a NATO meeting last week, voiced concern in a television interview broadcast Tuesday night that sending troops from the alliance to defend an “aggressive” Montenegro could result in World War III. Trump was asked about Montenegro, which joined NATO last year and has a population smaller than the […]
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Posted inMaine, sj-web
Court taking up LePage administration's Medicaid policy today
AUGUSTA — Maine’s highest court will hear arguments Wednesday over the LePage administration’s refusal to begin offering Medicaid coverage to tens of thousands of additional adults. Meanwhile, lawmakers and a representative for Maine’s hospitals say they have yet to see a formal plan from Gov. Paul LePage’s office detailing a proposal he made last month […]
Posted inLetters, sj-web
Send the governor to jail
In an interview recently, Gov. Paul LePage suggested that he would go to jail before he would agree to an expansion of Medicaid that could result in 70,000 additional Mainers getting affordable health care. LePage has vetoed legislation to expand Medicaid seven times. In last November’s referendum, 59 percent of Maine citizens voted for the […]
Posted inBusiness
Paul LePage visits Montenegro but his office is mum on details
AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage is in Montenegro this week to commemorate a partnership between the Maine National Guard and the young Balkan nation. LePage arrived in Montenegro’s capital, Podgorica, on Sunday night and met Monday with President Milo Djukanovic as well as the country’s prime minister, the minister of defense, the secretary of state […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine lawmakers in special session finally respond to opioid crisis
AUGUSTA — After two years of virtually no progress, the most recent session of the Legislature finally produced what treatment advocates regard as meaningful responses to Maine’s epidemic of opioid abuse. Three new laws moved forward earlier this month, despite veto attempts by Republican Gov. Paul LePage. The first funds the creation of a so-called […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Paul LePage defends hold up on public campaign funds
PORTLAND (AP) — Republican Gov. Paul LePage on Friday defended his refusal to release over $1 million in overdue public campaign funds to more than 120 legislative candidates and one gubernatorial hopeful. LePage and his finance chief Alec Porteous argued in legal briefs that the courts can’t decide whether a governor should sign a financial […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
LePage finally authorizes voter-approved bonds to fund a variety of projects
After weeks of stalling, Gov. Paul LePage has finally authorized the sale of $117 million of voter-approved bonds meant to pay for a variety of projects, including $80 million for highway projects currently underway. LePage previously had stalled the sale of bonds in a dispute with the Legislature over state borrowing and a package of […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Paul LePage says he’d go to jail before he expands Medicaid
WESTBROOK — The political debate over Medicaid expansion in Maine continued Thursday with Attorney General Janet Mills and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee slamming Gov. Paul LePage for continuing to block expansion despite voter approval. LePage, meanwhile, vowed this week that he’d risk jail time before putting Maine in “red ink” amid his ongoing battle with lawmakers over […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Paul LePage says congressional hopeful Jared Golden 'has a lot to learn'
LEWISTON — Republican U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin of Maine’s 2nd District is going to win a third term easily in November’s general election, Gov. Paul LePage said Monday. LePage said Poliquin is “one of the hardest workers in Washington,” and deserves to come out on top in the Nov. 6 general election. The governor said […]