Former Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives Rachel Talbot Ross (D-Portland) has been absent from the meetings of the state racial equity commission she co-chairs for at least six months, according to meeting minutes published by the commission.
The Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous & Tribal Populations (PCRITP) is a taxpayer-funded board tasked with “ending structural racism” in Maine established by the Legislature in 2019.
The bill to establish PCRITP, LD 777, was sponsored by Speaker Talbot Ross, and she, alongside Penobscot Nation Ambassador Maulian Bryant, co-chair the Commission.
The Permanent Commission holds monthly meetings to discuss their ongoing research projects — such as their map of “offensive” place names in Maine — as well as their grant programs, budget and staffing.
However, for at least six months, Speaker Talbot Ross has been absent from the Commission’s meetings.
Minutes for PCRITP’s full monthly meetings from January through June of 2024 all record Talbot Ross as absent:
- June 2024 – absent
- May 2024 – absent
- April 2024 – absent
- March 2024 – absent
- February 2024 – absent
- January 2024 – absent
At the Commission’s most recent meeting on Wednesday, June 26, their fiscal year 2025 budget was approved, with a total expenditure of $538,168 in taxpayer dollars.
Talbot Ross, being absent from that meeting, did not vote on the budget, which included over $100,000 for office space, nearly $65,000 for research initiatives and about $180,000 for contract and temporary staffing positions.
The approved budget does not include a one-time grant of $1,000,000 in federal COVID-19 relief funds that the Mills administration allocated to PCRITP that must be spent by the Commission before the end of this year.
[RELATED: Gov Mills “Jobs and Recovery Plan” Diverted $1,000,000 to Maine DEI Commission…]
In March, when Talbot Ross was also absent, the Commission voted to adopt a new conflict of interest policy after reporting from the Maine Wire revealed that PCRITP gave $12,000 to a nonprofit run by the House Speaker’s sister for a Black History Month event.
Now termed out her seat in the Maine House, this November Talbot Ross is running for State Senate in District 28, part of Portland and Long Island.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="28934 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=28934">11 Comments
That makes sense – she already funneled all the money she could to her sisters. Why show up now, when there’s no SWAG to gain?
This woman has to go. I still have not gotten over her screaming and calling for a “storming of the state capitol” . No censure no expulsion, nothing. Vote her ass put of Maine.
This woman is a Marxist p.o.s ANY PERSON in our government who’s not 1000% against DEI, OR ANY MARXIST THEORY , needs to go!! Her term is expired, she needs to leave government, not run for another position where she can pillage more money and push more extreme policies on our state.
Can we please find a way to vote this morbidly obese virtue signaling race baiting useless bag of hot air out of office in the next election?
I have seen this at my former employer, a major NE utility. People promoted who should not be but fills the dei quotas. BTW upper managements bonuses are based on dei hires/promotions. The stock is down 20% over the last year.
In 1967 a gold once would cost you $35.00 or a dolor would cost you1/35 of an once of gold. This morning it would take 2,322 dollars to by an ounce of Gold or 66.34 more dollars than in 1967. An once of gold is the same now as in 1967, BUT the “FULL FAITH AND credit OF THE US GOVERNMENT is much less thanks to our leaders.
Shows you how unnecessary this commission is. Useless! Nothing but a waste of your dollars. Enough of this phony dei crap!
Come on now she fits the narrative of Maine perfectly. She checks all of the boxes of who the Dems want to lead this state. She has gained so much experience on how to spend other people’s money and dodge all and any criticism. She is truly the epitome of what’s wrong with this state and I am sure she will have full backing of the commies in her senate campaign.
Do the board members get a stipend or other compensation for their “service” on this fake excuse pretending to be for the public benefit?
It’s equality for people who do do their jobs — The repressed class of Good for nothing, lazy scammers need jobs too — apparently.
Just another Race Pimp / Winnie Mandela Wanna be , Zero accomplishments other than skin pigment …. Shelia Jackson Lee I.Q. , A poster child for why Affirmative Action is a failure