Tag Archives: Maine

Vox reports: Maine just became the first state to ban Styrofoam food containers. The bill, which was signed into law today and goes into effect in January 2021, prohibits convenience stores, restaurants, grocery stores, farm stands, and coffee shops from using containers made of polystyrene, which is more commonly referred to as Styrofoam. “Polystyrene cannot be recycled like a lot …

The Portland Press Herald reports: Federal prosecutors charged a Burlington woman with mailing a threatening letter containing a white powder to the Bangor home of Sen. Susan Collins. Suzanne E. Muscara, 37, faces one count of mailing a threatening communication, and faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted. She is expected to make her …

Politico reports: A Republican former governor of Maine claimed Monday the Democratic Party’s “money comes from” Jewish donors “for the most part” — escalating a recent spate of rhetoric from elected officials and media figures that has been widely criticized as bigoted. Paul LePage, who left the Augusta governor’s mansion in January after two terms in office, made the remarks …

The Hill reports: Former Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R) said Thursday that eliminating the Electoral College and electing a president based on the national popular vote would thwart the voice of white people. “Actually, what would happen if they do what they say they’re going to, white people will not have anything to say,” LePage, who served as governor from …

The Portland Press Herald reports: Former Gov. Paul LePage and his staff members paid for more than 40 rooms at Washington, D.C.’s Trump International Hotel during a two-year period, spending at least $22,000 in Maine taxpayer money at a business owned by the president’s family. Documents recently obtained by the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram show that the LePage administration …

Maine Public Radio reports: Gov. Paul LePage has certified the results of the election in Maine’s Second Congressional District. The governor tweeted a photo of the certificate naming Jared Golden Maine’s next congressman. The photo shows that the governor wrote “Stolen election” next to his signature on the certificate. Congressman-elect Jared Golden will begin his term on January 3. I’ve …

Bloomberg reports: Democrat Jared Golden, a U.S. Marine veteran, has defeated two-term Republican Representative Bruce Poliquin in Maine’s Second District, AP projects, as the state’s first use of ranked-choice balloting in a congressional race proved consequential. Poliquin, the incumbent, led after ballots were initially tabulated, though no candidate had an absolute majority. However, under ranked-choice voting, the lowest-choice candidates were …

But this isn’t over yet. Bangor’s CBS News affiliate reports: Judge denies Poliquin’s order for a temporary restraining order asking for the ranked-choice voting tabulation to stop. The tabulation process will continue at noon Thursday. Wednesday, a federal judge in Bangor heard from legal teams from both sides of the ballot. A lawyer representing incumbent congressman Bruce Poliquin wants the …

Roll Call reports: Maine Rep. Bruce Poliquin has sued state Attorney General Matthew Dunlap seeking an injunction to stop the tabulation of ballots under the state’s ranked-choice voting system, which is being used in his race against Democrat Jared Golden in the 2nd District. Since no candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote, the state’s ranked-choice voting system …

The Portland Press Herald reports: A new poll shows Democrat Janet Mills with an 8-point advantage over Republican Shawn Moody in Maine’s gubernatorial race. The Emerson College poll of nearly 900 registered Maine voters found that Mills, the state’s attorney general, was the top choice for 49.7 percent of respondents while 41.7 percent chose Moody, a business owner. Moody’s political …

CNN reports: Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine — one of four senators who has not yet said whether they will vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court — is expected to announce her decision on the nomination at 3 p.m. ET on Friday, a Senate source told CNN. A source close to the Senate said that the …

Via press release from hate group leader Tony Perkins: Imagine being stuck in a cycle of depression or an unhealthy relationship and not being able to get help. Well, people in 13 states don’t have to imagine it. Thanks to a string of bad laws, something as simple as sitting down and talking to a counselor of your choice about …

The Portland Press-Herald reports: Gov. Paul LePage vetoed a bill Friday to prohibit state-licensed counselors and therapists from engaging in “conversion therapy” aimed at changing an underage client’s sexual orientation or gender identity. The bill would allow the state to deny or revoke a professional license to medical or mental health professionals who engage in conversion therapy of minors. The …

Raw Story reports: A bus driver for Concord Coach Lines was filmed falsely telling passengers lined up to board that they must be U.S. citizens to ride the bus. The ACLU of New Hampshire posted this video to Facebook of the driver in Concord, Maine, along with federal ICE agents intimidating passengers. In the video, passengers wisely refuse to answer …

The Washington Post reports: President Trump is pushing Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R) to run for the U.S. Senate, according to White House advisers. Trump has told advisers that he plans to call LePage, who endorsed him in February 2016, and ask him to jump in against Sen. Angus King in 2018 and offer his endorsement. King is an independent …

Talking Points Memo reports: Maine voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to become the first state in the nation to expand Medicaid by ballot initiative, approving the measure by a nearly 20-point margin. But Republican Gov. Paul LePage, a vehement opponent of Medicaid who has vetoed expansion bills five times since the Affordable Care Act became law, is threatening once again to …

The Bangor Daily News reports: A push to remove protections from discrimination based on sexual orientation from the Maine Human Rights Act has been abandoned, according to the person who started it. Michael Heath of Chelsea said Thursday that he will not submit the 61,123 signatures from registered Maine voters required to put a referendum question on the statewide ballot. …

The Bangor Daily News reports: A man protesting against LGBT rights earlier this week at the University of Maine during the school’s Coming Out Week celebrations was met with a counter-protest: an a capella song. The unidentified man, holding a sign printed with Bible verses about sexual immorality, had been standing in front of the Memorial Union on campus for …

The Bangor Daily News reports: Gray-New Gloucester’s top school official told WMTW television a high school football coach is no longer employed by the district after allegations he told players to taunt an opponent for having two mothers. Maine School Administrative District 15 Superintendent Craig King told WMTW the district “takes concerns about the safety and security of students very …

At a press conference streamed live on Facebook just now, Republican Sen. Susan Collins announced that she will not leave the Senate next year to run for governor of Maine. Collins put an end to months of speculation when she made her announcement at the Samoset Resort in Rockport Friday morning. Collins is Maine’s senior U.S. Senator, having held her …