It was a workmanlike beginning to the 129th Legislature. Bills were drafted, printed and assigned to committees. Hearings were scheduled. The House and Senate met now and again, processing mostly routine matters. Athletes, retirees and the city of Auburn were congratulated. A bill to “Exclude Antique Tractors from the Laws Governing Motor Vehicle Racing” was …
Election reform and election security are very much a part of the conversation in Augusta this winter. There is a bill that would allow a candidate’s nickname to appear on the ballot (LD 517) and one that seeks to clarify residency requirements for legislative candidates (LD 95). There are bills seeking to compel a wider …
If the human wreckage is any indication, it has been a tough week in Hancock County. A snowstorm brought 4 inches of snow topped with 3 inches of ice, rendering the streets and sidewalks unnavigable. Then came the rain, pouring down in biblical proportions and turning it all to slush. Lawns became lakes, streets became …
Those distant rumbles are the sounds of the Statehouse coming to life for the 129th Legislature. The happy little feet of new legislators are trying out the marble stairways, pattering down the tunnel to the State Office Building, and echoing across the rotunda. Legislators have their seat assignments, they have their committee assignments, and bills …
This month marks the end of a remarkable political partnership between U.S. Senator Angus King and Kay Rand, the woman who managed his campaigns and his offices since he first ran for governor of Maine in 1993. A long-shot independent candidate for governor, King won a 5-way race in 1994 with just over 35 percent …
Governor Janet Mills was inaugurated on Jan. 2, making her election official. Her “welcome home” theme might speak to Mainers living in exile, but what does “welcome home” convey to those Mainers who haven’t been away? We’ve all been “away” in one sense. The soundtrack of our public life has been full of discord. The …
Former Maine Congressman Bruce Poliquin finally threw in the towel, abandoning his effort to reverse the outcome of the November election for Maine’s Second District. Having received no encouragement from the courts as he pressed his objections, he announced the end of his legal challenges last week. There is no doubt the congressman was sincere …
All was calm, all was bright as a big December moon ushered in the winter solstice. The week between Christmas and New Year’s is usually a quiet one as the frenzy of the holidays gives way to sitting around in your cozy new slippers and reading a book. Always give yourself a book at Christmas …
Organizing a new legislature is not a simple proposition. There are details large and small. The election of leadership. The allocation of staff and offices. Seating. Yes, seating. Front row? Back row? Aisle? Or buried in the middle of the chamber? Legislators make the request, leadership makes the call. The customary arrangement is to lump …
The 129th Maine Legislature convened on Dec. 5 for its organizational meeting. The list of senators certified by the Secretary of State to have won election was duly “examined and reported.” A provision was made for the designation of Chaplains of the Senate, to be paid $30 for “each officiation.” A process was provided for …
