The Maine House Democrats endeavored to move forward with what will be a nearly $12 billion biennial spending program on Thursday—a controversial measure that the majority party is looking to pass, once again, on a majority basis with zero input from Republican lawmakers.
But the debate over the record-setting budget devolved when it came time for Republican amendments to be considered, thanks in part to the House Democrats’ earlier decision to censure Rep. Laurel Libby (R-Auburn) for a social media post they didn’t like.
The censure, House Speaker Ryan Fecteau (D-Biddeford) has claimed, meant that Libby would not be allowed to vote or speak on the House floor. At least, that was his position prior to Thursday. Yet when it came time for Libby’s ten amendments to the budget to be considered, Libby was allowed to speak on the floor of the House.
Although Democrats refused to allow her to speak to her motion — that is, to defend a given amendment — the process restarted a debate over the procedural and constitutional questions involved.
[RELATED: Boston Globe Wrecks Democrat Men of Maine for Giving Libby the Handmaid’s Tale Treatment…]
The events of Thursday may also impact Libby’s pending federal lawsuit against Speaker Fecteau and the Clerk of the House because of the appearance of selective enforcement of the terms of her censure.
In the end, Democrats predictably rejected all ten of Libby’s amendments, which offered various fiscally conservative reforms, including a measure to stop Maine from forcing female athletes to compete against male athletes, as well as spending reductions, and the spending bill moved forward, as predicted.
The procedural aspects of this legislative drama are deep ‘inside baseball’ for most voters and taxpayers, of interest only to those who work in the State House or depend on state government for their livelihoods. That the vast spending package would move through Augusta, packed with spending on pet projects and progressive programs, was largely a foregone conclusion after the Nov. 2024 elections, which gave Democrats majorities in both the House and Senate, though by only a few hundred votes.
However, the non-fiscal issue underlying the broader debate around Libby, transgenderism, and high school sports remains unresolved.
The state of Maine, following multiple investigations into the Maine Department of Education and Department of Health and Human Services, has been found in violation of Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972.
In letters delivered last week and this week, the Trump administration gave both departments a 10-day ultimatum to either comply with Title IX of risk a prosecution by the U.S. Justice Department.
“If Maine does not swiftly and completely come into compliance with Title IX, we will initiate the process to limit MDOE’s access to federal funding,” Craig Trainor, acting assistant secretary for civil rights at the federal Department of Education, said in a statement.
Take away the federal funding . Every penny .
We HAVE TO STOP this “ trans “ nonsense .
It has gotten totally out of control .
It is nothing short of insanity .
Dirty Dems are reckless and only care for power
$&!@?”:/ U Democrats
I STAND WITH LAUREL!
And just as importantly, I stand against the Socialist Democrats and the Toad of a governor driving Maine into a bankruptcy we can never dig our way out of!
They have drained the well dry, and their only solution is to spend 70% more!
That goes beyond irresponsibility, straight to insanity! Where do they expect the money to come from? They don’t care!
They don’t care what hardhip it is on your family, just hand your hard earned money over to them! Democrats have their useless pet projects and illegals to waste your money on!
Take away all fedral funding and look into cps and both family court’s and district courts cause there a few violating a eo by our president due process 1th 2th 4th 5th 14th 9th 10th 6th of our constitution of the uninted states look up excutive orders 13818 and 13903 ..
It can be fun to read the comments but honestly, half of them are the same thing over and over again. The best are the funny ones but all the same words over and again is cool and all but no fun
Education was much better be for the Feds got into it.
100% behind Libby
She’d make a good Governor — she doesn’t lose her temper like LePage did.
LIbby is just after the Spot light in her Up Coming Bid to be Govenor looking for the Trump endorsement and associated funding …… After this issue goes ” Below the Fold ” you won’t hear from her on this topic again … Remember when she was ” Fighting to get health care workers jobs back that refused the Jab ” ?Nothing but crickets from her on that now ….quickest way to get injured is to get between Libby and a Camera and /or a Microphone . Women in Gov’t have DESTOYED THIS STATE !…
Democrats are nothing but 💩for brains 🫏-holes!!!! F U and yours libtards.
I am so disgusted by Maine Democrats. Censorship has no place in American representative government. That’s exactly what Democrats have done, censorship. Sickening.
I hope the Feds withhold the education money. That way there, everyone’s taxes will go up substantially so those boys from Freeport and Cumberland will still be able to outshine the girls. (Janet Mills and all the Demwits hill to die on)
“Sam Brady” aka Matt Moonen
It is my hope that the people of Maine remember this mess come the midterms and start voting some of these democratic Nazi’s out of office! (But I’m bot betting on it)
A week long conservative aligned “blue flu” that crashes the state tax system will demonstrate to the radical Maine government that there’s another voice to be heard.
How would that work? Don’t show up for work just like a union strike… short handed: retail sales, substitutes will be needed for classrooms, decreased fuel delivery, automotive repair etc etc would all have a significant impact on the state tax revenues and expenditures that are flagrantly mishandled without reverence to all tax payer voices in the state. Where’s the DEI in fascist democrat bullying???
And just like that Maine Democrats are pro facism.
“The procedural aspects of this legislative drama are deep ‘inside baseball’ for most voters and taxpayers, of interest only to those who work in the State House or depend on state government for their livelihoods. That the vast spending package would move through Augusta, packed with spending on pet projects and progressive programs, was largely a foregone conclusion after the Nov. 2024 elections, which gave Democrats majorities in both the House and Senate, though by only a few hundred votes.”
Thank God for the Maine Wire (Steve Robinson) for their responsible journalism. It raises the bar with Maine voters in that, they can make a more qualified decision when going to the ballot box.
Thanks again to the Maine WIre, keep up the great work.
I support Libby.
You people are blaming the Democrats when Mills reduce the budget $400 million and provides education beyond high School for our kids including trade schools and you’re mad at her because some person that is persecuting one kid in the state who wants to place boards is absolutely unhinged. A convicted criminal just took 5 trillion tax dollars and gutted our institutions so that rich people can have more and this is what you’re mad at
Has Maine goes, so goes Bangor.
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