Tag Archives: Joe Baldacci

Still undecided? Meet ‘Soul Tsukino,’ one of 14 presidential candidates from Maine

Good morning from Augusta, where I figured you were bored with and burned out from this slog of a presidential election that’s coming in an eternal four days. So, we wanted to let you know about Maine’s 14 declared write-in candidates for the presidency, although that list includes “Cracked Fourpounder” of the non-existent Halifax, Maine, an apparent reference to […]

LePage: Asylum seekers ‘the biggest problem in our state’

Good morning from Augusta, where Tuesday began with a recognition day for Boy Scouts and ended with a Gov. Paul LePage town hall meeting in Freeport. It was reasonably hostile territory for the Republican, who gave his normal stump speech on energy, economic, welfare and drug issues. But there were a couple of highlights. At one point, […]

Maine’s congressional delegation demands VA program fix

Good morning from Augusta, which should be reasonably quiet today, with three legislative committees set to do work today. This week, the Maine Legislature’s biggest topic of discussion will likely be conformity with federal income tax changes, an issue that has consisted mostly of partisan posturing so far between Gov. Paul LePage and Democrats. Two […]

Bruce Poliquin’s fundraising doubles his two Democratic opponents’ combined

Good morning from Augusta, folks. Let’s put on some relaxing music from one of my favorite bands before we get started. If you like that song, check out this one. Now that we’re all grooving, on to business. Today the Legislature will do some of its most important work when the Judiciary Committee considers three […]

Martin Shkreli won’t participate in Collins-led drug pricing inquiry

Good morning from Augusta, where the Legislature is in session on Thursday and committees will work on bills that would change oil spill reporting standards and promote fundraising for the Governor Baxter School for the Deaf. But the biggest news involving Maine politics yesterday came when U.S. Sen. Susan Collins announced that controversial drug industry figure Martin Shkreli would invoke the […]

Cain outraises Baldacci in 2nd District race by nearly five times in 2015

Democrat Emily Cain has raised nearly five times more than Joe Baldacci in their 2016 primary for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, but they’ll both lag far behind Republican U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin. Cain, a former state senator from Orono who lost to Poliquin in 2014, said in a Tuesday news release that she raised $787,000 in 2015, well ahead […]

Will Maine legislators’ spirit of compromise extend to drug bill?

Good morning from Augusta, where the first day of the 2016 legislative session was marked by some semblance of harmony. An effort from a group of legislators to impeach Gov. Paul LePage was delayed as Democratic leaders said they want to focus on more important business and legislative leaders in all chambers agreed to reauthorize […]

Maine legislators target settlement money to help fund anti-drug plan

A $4.8 million proposal from legislative leaders aimed at fighting Maine’s drug crisis would mostly be funded by drawing from a pool of Wall Street settlement money. That proposal, which would allow for 10 new drug agents and expand addiction treatment and education efforts, was rolled out earlier this month by a bipartisan group of legislative leaders, but funding […]

Poliquin: Refugees will only be settled where ‘they’re welcome’

U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin went on “The Howie Carr Show” on Monday to talk about the Syrian refugee situation and criticize President Barack Obama’s foreign policy. The Republican from Maine’s 2nd District has voted against continuing President Barack Obama’s plan of resettling 10,000 refugees from Syria, which is in the midst of a civil war complicated […]

Maine again looks to ban soda, candy purchases with food stamps

Gov. Paul LePage’s administration has called a Monday news conference to announce another proposal to ban soda and candy purchases with food stamps, a long-standing goal of the governor, who has floated similar changes since 2013. It’s an uphill battle: Federal law doesn’t allow states to regulate purchases under the federal and state Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, so Maine has to ask the […]