Good morning from Portland (not Augusta! Can you believe it?).
Daily Brief is back on its early schedule for one day only, as oral arguments in the case of the disputed vetoes will take place before the Supreme Judicial Court at 9 a.m.
Lawyers for Gov. Paul LePage, the presiding officers of the Legislature, Attorney General Janet Mills and a trio of top House Republicans will all get their chance to weigh in before the justices about whether the governor missed his chance to veto 65 bills he aimed to kill.
Will the governor have to enforce dozens of bills he opposes, having botched his attempt to veto by missing the 10-day deadline? Or did lawmakers blunder their way through session extensions and adjournments, guaranteeing LePage’s vetoes will await them when they return in January?
Only the court can decide. Oral arguments begin at 9 a.m. and are scheduled to last roughly one hour. A decisions is likely to come in the next couple weeks, although the justices are on no deadline but whatever they may self-impose.
This is likely to be the biggest political story of the day. So those of you who are interested in listening in at home can do so here. — Mario Moretto, BDN.
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Reading list
- In lawsuit, House Speaker Eves accuses LePage of blackmail — Mario Moretto, BDN.
- Obama taps Mike Michaud for veterans employment post — Darren Fishell, BDN.
- Bill to set up vets commission stuck in LePage’s legal limbo — Scott Thistle, Sun Journal.
- Will Congress act in time to help Maine’s 73,000 disabled workers? — Christopher Burns, BDN.
- US Senate approves bill to shore up Highway Trust Fund — Reuters.
- Consumer spending bolsters US 2nd-quarter growth — Lucia Mutikani, Reuters.
- US Senate lifts oil export ban — Reuters.
- Greek prime minister challenges bailout critics to showdown — Renee Maltezou and Angeliki Koutanou, Reuters.
Read this
I usually try to post something fun, cute or at least pleasantly distracting here at the end of the Daily Brief. Today, I just ask you to read this compelling, personal story by our own Beth Brogan about her fight with bipolar disorder. I don’t know about you, but I’d say she’s winning. — Mario Moretto, BDN.