Maine’s Republican lawmakers scored a victory on Thursday by rejecting a bill that would have added a three-day waiting period on receiving a legally purchased firearm. “Year after year, we’ve seen extreme gun control policies pushed by out-of-state organizations that seek to infringe upon the rights of law-abiding Mainers,” said Senate Republican Leader Trey Stewart (R-Aroostook) in a GOP statement Thursday. “Today, Maine Senate Republicans stood firm and led the effort to defeat these extreme proposals,” Stewart said. [RELATED: Maine Democrat Wants Gun Control for “Abnormally Dangerous Assault Style Weapons” But She Doesn’t Know What That Means] LD 60, “An…
Author: Edward Tomic
Edward Tomic
Edward Tomic is a reporter for The Maine Wire based in Southern Maine. He grew up near Boston, Massachusetts and is a graduate of Boston University. He can be reached at tomic@themainewire.com
On Thursday the Maine Legislature’s Judiciary Committee held a follow-up work session on House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross’ (D-Portland) bill, LD 1613, which aims to strengthen Maine’s laws against racial profiling in policing. In a June 7 work session before the Judiciary on LD 1613, Speaker Talbot Ross misrepresented the position of the Maine State Police (MSP), according to an email from an MSP Lieutenant Colonel to committee staff obtained by the Maine Wire. Talbot Ross claimed that the MSP supported an amended version of the bill that included a definition of “profiling” provided by the ACLU of Maine, but…
A Twitter thread published Thursday by Daily Wire political commentator Matt Walsh showed internal documents from Fox News revealing the company is not the conservative cable news network it once was. The documents show that Fox encourages employees to donate to LGBT charities that give children “gender affirming” hormones, tells them read sexually explicit LGBT books, and monitors them with a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) AI. https://twitter.com/MattWalshBlog/status/1669457286677291008?s=20 The documents shown in Walsh’s thread were produced by Fox Corporation, the parent company of Fox News. Fox News employees are presented with the following materials when they enter their online employee…
MSNBC beat out Fox News in average primetime viewers last week, breaking Fox’s 120 week most-watched cable news network winning streak, according to Nielsen data. This comes just days after Axios reported that Fox News has sent their recently ousted primetime star Tucker Carlson a cease-and-desist letter after he took his show to Twitter, part of a contract battle between the network and its former top host. [RELATED: Tucker Carlson to Join Elon Musk at Twitter] Carlson was taken off the air in April, but Fox is set to continue paying his contract through Dec. 32, 2024. Carlson’s contract maintains…
After a settlement reached on Monday between the operator of South Portland’s Howard Johnson hotel and around 60 migrant families, the hotel will give those families an additional month to find another place to live before they are evicted. But the hotel may still face fines from the city of South Portland. South Portland Communications Officer Shara Dee said that there was an executive session Tuesday evening between state representatives and the City Council to discuss options for the asylum seekers after the June 30 deadline the city established in April. Dee said that she understood that the extension settlement…
Portland’s downtown Congress Street Starbucks is not festooned with Pride decorations inside or outside the store two weeks into Pride month, and just three days before the city’s Pride parade and festival this Saturday. [RELATED: Executives Are Rethinking Embrace of Left-Wing Causes] This comes as Starbucks workers’ union, Starbucks Workers United, alleged on Tuesday that the company’s corporate management asked workers in several states to take down their store’s Pride decorations over the last two weeks. “Taking a cue from Target, who bowed to anti-LGBTQ+ pressure and removed pride merchandise, corporate and district management are taking down the pride decorations…
Students at the Marshall Simonds Middle School in Burlington, Mass., tore down rainbow decorations and chanted “U.S.A are my pronouns” during the school’s spirit day celebrating Pride month on Friday, June 2. The school-approved spirit day was organized by the school’s student-led LGBTQ+ and allies “Spectrum Club.” According to a letter to parents sent by Marshall Simonds Principal Cari Perchase, the Spectrum Club hung up “Happy Pride Month” signs, rainbow banners, posters with slogans such as “Why it’s not ok to say ‘That’s so gay’,” and handed out rainbow stickers. Students and faculty were also asked to wear rainbow for…
Former President Donald Trump has entered a not guilty plea to all 37 counts of federal charges brought against him in an indictment related to his handling of classified documents. [RELATED: Trump Indicted on Federal Charges in Classified Documents Probe as Biden Faces Bribery Allegations] Trump left his Doral, Florida, golf club in a motorcade early Tuesday afternoon to appear at the Miami federal courthouse ahead of his 3 p.m. appearance. A large crowd of supporters and opponents of the former president congregated outside the courthouse as Trump arrived. Federal Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman barred journalists from taking any audio…
As of Tuesday, House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross (D-Portland) has not responded to three requests for comment on why she appears to have misrepresented the position of the Maine State Police (MSP) on her proposed anti-profiling bill, LD 1613. A spokesperson for the MSP has also declined to elaborate on an email Lt. Col. Brian Scott sent to Judiciary Committee staff alleging that Talbot Ross said the MSP supported amendment language it did not. The language in question would make it much easier for law enforcement to be sued civilly for actions taken in the course of their official duties.…
The Maine House of Representatives has passed a bill that will force hospitals to comply with federal price transparency requirements. The bill, LD 953, “An Act to Protect Maine Patients Regarding Hospital Price Transparency,” was sponsored by Rep. Laurel Libby (R-Auburn) and co-sponsored by Sen. Stacy Brenner (D-Scarborough). “Consumers have a right to know what they’re being charged,” said Rep. Libby. “[LD] 953 would further encourage compliance on the part of the healthcare facilities by preventing collection of non-payment from patients if the hospital is not in compliance with transparency requirements.” Blocking the ability to collect unpaid bills would create…
On Monday evening the Portland City Council voted to approve a contract to build a new 180-bed shelter targeted towards single asylum seekers in the Riverton neighborhood. The city will enter a 3-year agreement with Developers Collaborate (DC) Management to build the shelter, which will be funded by a $4.59 million grant from the Maine State Housing Authority. The grant funds will be partially reimbursed through the state’s General Assistance reimbursement program. City Manager Danielle West said that should the level of General Assistance reimbursement be changed at the state level, the Council would need to come back with an…
Unity residents who signed a petition opposing the town’s embrace of “Pride Month” in May have found themselves targeted by the creator of an anonymous website that lists their names, addresses, and images scraped from their social media accounts. In order to have their information removed from the website, the site’s creator is demanding a public statement of apology. The website was created after 100 Unity residents signed a petition calling on the Unity Select Board to rescind approval of a proposal to decorate town property for Pride Month, a month that left-wing advocates have dedicated to celebrating people who…
On Monday afternoon the Portland City Council will hold a meeting to take public comment and then vote on a new $4.59 million 180-bed homeless shelter to be constructed in Portland’s Riverside neighborhood. [RELATED: Taxes in Portland Could Rise by 10 Percent If State Declines to Help With Asylum Seeker Crisis: WGME] The proposal is being sponsored by newly-appointed Portland City Manager Danielle West. The shelter will be owned by Developers Collaborative (DC) Blueberry LLC and DC Management LLC, and will be located at 166 Riverside Industrial Parkway. The project will be funded by a $4,596,160 grant from the Maine…
On Monday JPMorgan Chase announced that they have agreed “in principle” to a settlement in a class action lawsuit alleging the bank facilitated financier Jeffrey Epstein’s child sex trafficking operation. Epstein was arrested in 2019 on federal charges for the sex trafficking of minors in Florida and New York. He was found dead in his New York jail cell a month later while awaiting trial. His death was ruled a suicide by the city’s medical examiner. [RELATED: Bowdoin College Moved Slowly to Remove Epstein Pal Staley from Board…] The lawsuit was filed in November of last year in the Southern…
Democratic lawmakers attempted to pass off a definition of “racial profiling” from the left-wing ACLU of Maine as though it were language approved and provided by the Maine State Police, the Maine Wire has learned. The proposed amendment to House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross’ bill — LD 1613, “An Act to Prohibit Profiling and to Strengthen Civil Rights in Maine” — uses a definition of “racial profiling” that is identical to one proposed by the left-wing advocacy group. However, during a committee hearing, the language was presented in such a misleading way that an official from the Maine State Police…
Former President Donald Trump revealed Thursday on social media that he has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to the classified documents probe at his Florida residence. Trump, who is the frontrunner in the Republican 2024 presidential primary, is facing 37 felony counts on seven charges, and is set to be arrested when he appears in the Federal Courthouse in Miami on Tuesday, at 3 p.m. This marks the first time a former president has been indicted on federal charges, and the second time Trump has been criminally charged this year, as the Manhattan district attorney…
Maine Wire Editor-in-Chief Steve Robinson sat down for a podcast with Christian Civic League of Maine Executive Director Carroll Conley to talk about LD 1619 a few hours before the chaotic work session unfolded. Tensions ran high at the State House Thursday night as Democratic lawmakers on the Judiciary Committee held a hastily organized work session for Gov. Janet Mills’ controversial late-term abortion bill. The chaotic evening session ended with Democrats quickly moving to table Gov. Mills’ bill after refusing to let Republican committee members ask questions of expert witnesses or call witnesses of their own. “After the largest Public…
On Thursday Democratic lawmakers in Maine’s House of Representatives defeated a series of Republican-proposed parental rights bills. [RELATED: Lawmakers Nix Public School Transparency Bill Favored by Bipartisan Majority of Mainers] The House voted to kill two bills that would have allowed parents to opt their children out of certain school classes or activities, and a bill that would require school curricula to be made public to parents. LD 1196 would have allowed a parent or guardian to remove their child from a school class or activity if it compelled the child to adopt a viewpoint that conflicts with the viewpoint…
A Syrian asylum seeker has been arrested Thursday morning after a horrific knife attack at a French Alpine town playground left four children aged 22 months to 3 years and two adults with life-threatening injuries. https://twitter.com/shezanmango/status/1666798608098955264?s=20 The attack took place in a lakeside park in the French Alpine town of Annecy. A video of the attack shows the knife-wielding Syrian refugee wearing a head-covering and chasing victims around the playground as bystanders can be heard screaming. Adults in the video can be seen trying to fend off the attacker—one man hitting him with a backpack—before he leaned over a stroller…
Almost 30 percent of Americans ages 18-29 support the government putting “1984-style” surveillance cameras in every household, according to a recent study by the Cato Institute. https://twitter.com/emilyekins/status/1665729606379360261?s=20 The study surveyed 2,000 Americans and asked respondents whether they would “favor or oppose the government installing surveillance cameras in every household to reduce domestic violence, abuse, and other illegal activity.” [RELATED: Maine Bill Would Redefine Money to Exclude Bitcoin, Enable CBDCs] 75 percent of respondents said they would oppose such a measure, with 68 percent saying they would “strongly oppose” government surveillance cameras in homes. However, 29 percent of Americans under the…
The Maine Legislature’s Judiciary Committee held a work session Wednesday afternoon on a proposed bill LD 1735, “An Act to Safeguard Gender-affirming Healthcare,” a controversial measure modeled after a California bill. [RELATED: Alvin Lui: Transgender Trafficking Bill Infringes on Parental Rights] The bill would allow out-of-state children to seek “gender-affirming” care in Maine such as breast binding, penis tucking, puberty blockers, hormone treatments, or surgeries —over their parents objections. Supporters say LD 1735 would create a safe haven in Maine for minors looking to get transgender drug and surgery treatments that may be illegal in their homes states. It would…
As funding runs out for General Assistance vouchers, asylum seekers occupying about 30 rooms of the Sanford Inn will soon have to leave the motel without knowing where they will head next for shelter, according to reporting from WGME. [RELATED: “We’ve been overrun”: Sanford City Officials Express Frustration Over Migrant Crisis at Emergency Meeting] From WGME: “In May, families and individuals suddenly arrived in the York County community. City leaders and other groups suddenly had to find the asylum seekers a place to stay, which included motels.” “‘The lodging help is the big issue for these people right now,’ Sanford…
Portland leaders delayed a vote on the city’s proposed budget Monday night, in order to wait and see if the state will give them more money to pay for the city’s asylum seeker crisis, according to reporting by WGME. Proposed bills being considered in the State Legislature could help cover the over $4 million Portland says it needs to cover next year’s budget, including one bill that would increase state reimbursement for municipal general assistance from 70 to 90 percent. [RELATED: Maine Lawmakers Seek General Assistance Reform Amid Migrant Crisis] However, if that legislation fails, city leaders say Portland residents…
Portland residents will have the opportunity to vote Tuesday on a referendum, Question A, that would amend the city’s current rent control ordinance to eliminate a 5 percent cap on how much landlords are allowed to increase rent when a unit turns over. Portland’s rent control ordinances were implemented through a ballot initiative organized by the Maine Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) in 2020, and later modified in 2022. Landlords are currently allowed to increase rent on their tenants annually by 70 percent of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to account for inflation, but cannot increase rent by over 10…
Portland Police stopped 38-year-old Portland resident Martin Benjamin Monday afternoon on suspicion that he was participating in illegal drug activity near 55 Portland Street. A search revealed that Martin was in possession of 67 grams of fentanyl, an amount capable of killing an estimated 33,500 people. [RELATED: Maine Reports 2,506 Drug Overdoses, 140 Fatalities Through March 2023] Martin was also in possession of small amounts of methamphetamines and Cocaine HCL. He was arrested and charged with Aggravated Trafficking of Scheduled Drugs, Unlawful Possession of Scheduled W drug and Violating Conditions of Release. According to Maine Drug Data Hub’s April 2023…
Democratic New York City Mayor Eric Adams said in a press conference Monday that city residents may soon have to open their private residences to housing asylum seekers. [RELATED: NYC Mayor Seeks to Change ‘Right to Shelter’ Law After Asylum Seeker Influx] In Monday’s press conference Adams announced that the city is launching a “Faith-Based Shelter Program” for houses of worship to lend support amid a rapidly-worsening asylum seeker humanitarian crisis. “No matter what faith you practice, caring for those in need is part of every spiritual tradition,” said Mayor Adams. “As we continue to tackle this humanitarian crisis, I’m proud…
On Saturday at the League of Women Voters of Maine (LWV) Biennial Convention entitled “Democracy Forum,” Maine’s Secretary of State Shenna Bellows claimed that she had recently received a credible threat against her life. “So last Friday, I was headed to Monhegan with my husband and a social media you know, thing, popped up on my phone. Somebody said, ‘enjoy your Memorial Day. It’s gonna be your last’,” Bellows said Saturday. Bellows said that she has “15 detectives who work for [her] in the Division of law enforcement under the Secretary of State.” “They are associated with the bureau of…
UPDATE: Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) tweeted late Monday that the FBI fears the whistleblower in this story will be killed if unmasked. https://twitter.com/RepLuna/status/1665830527117434881 House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) announced Monday that he will initiate the process of holding FBI Director Christopher Wray in contempt of Congress for not complying with a subpoena of an FBI document alleging a criminal bribery scheme involving President Joe Biden. https://twitter.com/bennyjohnson/status/1665769178442383360?s=20 On Monday the FBI brought the document in question, an FBI-generated FD-1023 form from June 2020, to Comer and Ranking Oversight Committee Member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) to review at a…
Twitter co-founder and former CEO Jack Dorsey announced Sunday that he is endorsing Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. for president. Dorsey’s endorsement came via a tweet in which he shared a Fox News interview where RFK Jr. argues he would be the Democratic presidential nominee most capable of beating former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2024. https://twitter.com/jack/status/1665460519719895042?s=20 In the thread Dorsey called the Democratic National Committee (DNC) irrelevant, and said that he was both endorsing RFK Jr. as well as predicting that he will win the Democratic nomination. https://twitter.com/jack/status/1665462919046234115?s=20 https://twitter.com/jack/status/1665463756149645313?s=20 Kennedy officially declared his candidacy to challenge…
As conservatives across the country question why large multinational corporations and brands appear to be lurching left, it’s worth recalling what BlackRock CEO Larry Fink had to say about “Environmental, Social, and Government standards” (ESG) investing. A viral clip from a 2017 New York Times panel discussion shows Fink claiming that his investment firm forces companies to change their behavior on “diverse” recruiting and talent development. https://twitter.com/RyanGirdusky/status/1665566613637156864?s=20 “You have to force behaviors, and at BlackRock we are forcing behaviors,” Fink said. “54% of the incoming class [at BlackRock] are women. We added four more points in terms of diverse employment…
Maine has the 10th lowest performing state economy in the U.S., standing in 42nd place out of the 50 states and Washington D.C., according to a study released Monday by personal-finance website WalletHub. WalletHub’s “2023’s Best & Worst State Economies” evaluated the 50 states and D.C. across three key dimensions: economic activity, economic health, and innovation potential. Here’s how the study ranked Maine’s economic performance along certain essential factors: 23rd – Annual change in GDP 43rd – Exports per capita 31st – Startup activity 36th – Percentage of jobs in high-tech industries 49th – Annual median household income 44th -…
An independent report released Friday afternoon regarding Maine Attorney General (AG) Aaron Frey’s relationship with a subordinate employee found no significant issues with how the AG office handled the situation. [RELATED: 8-Month Long “Error in Judgement” – Maine AG Aaron Frey Caught in Sex Scandal] The report came from Deborah Whitworth of HR Studio Group, the third-party human resources consulting group hired in April to investigate Frey’s relationship, which at the time Frey called an “error in judgment”—an error he did not disclose for eight months. Whitworth’s report states that the original OAG investigation found “no wrongdoing” due to the…
The Portland School Board announced on Friday that they will vote on Tuesday to confirm Dr. Ryan Scallon as the next superintendent of Portland Public Schools. https://twitter.com/PORTLANDPUBLIC/status/1664678601147416577?s=20 Dr. Scallon, who holds a doctorate in education and currently serves as an assistant superintendent in Philadelphia, will replace Xavier Botana, who announced he would leave the Portland superintendent position a year early last summer after he was hired for the role in 2016. Portland’s Superintendent Search Committee chose Scallon over the other finalist Eric Moore, a Minneapolis Public Schools administrator who last year was embroiled in a “quid pro quo” investigation with…
Democratic State Rep. Sally Cluchey (D-Bowdoinham) advocated for an amendment that would compel Maine’s hunters to give coyotes a “respectful burial” on April 12 — the same day she cosponsored LD 1619, a bill that would allow abortions to be performed up until birth for any reason in Maine. “It’s a life, regardless of what sort of value people put on it,” Rep. Cluchey said about coyotes in the April 12 Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee work session on LD 814. https://twitter.com/TheMaineWire/status/1664763320996380680?s=20 LD 814 was a bill that proposed restricting the daytime hunting season of coyotes from year-round open season…
On Monday, June 5, the Goodall Library in Sanford will host a “Drag Story Time” as part of the taxpayer-funded domestic violence resource center Caring Unlimited’s Pride Carnival. [RELATED: Critics of Drag Queen Story Hour Are “Perverts,” Says Bookstore Owner Who Wants Children at Her Drag Event] Caring Unlimited’s Pride Carnival is open to all ages, with some activities being specifically targeted to children, such as face painting, games, music, raffles and two drag queen “story time” readings at Sanford’s Goodall Library. After receiving opposition to their event announcement post on Facebook, Caring Unlimited said they had to remove and…
A video posted to TikTok Thursday by Christian preacher Perez Ndi appears to show a self-described Satanist berating a group of Christians for protesting outside Planned Parenthood in Portland, Maine. https://twitter.com/ClownWorld_/status/1664252844462190592?s=20 “How many have you adopted? Zero! Cause you’re a hypocritical piece of sh—” The man yelled at a 71-year-old man protesting outside the Planned Parenthood clinic. “Why is that the standard?” The protestor responds. “Well why is it the standard that you have to stand out here and f—ing berate people for their f—ing beliefs and sh—?” The man screamed. “I’m berating you! I’m coming back into your face…
On Wednesday Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Golden shared his thoughts regarding President Joe Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s debt ceiling deal on his Substack, “Dear Mainer.” [RELATED: Biden-McCarthy Debt Ceiling Deal Heads to Congress for Approval] In a previous newsletter released in April, Rep. Golden called on President Biden to be the “bipartisan dealmaker” he promised to be during his 2020 campaign, and to sit down with Speaker McCarthy to negotiate a deal that would “deliver a responsible budget.” Golden suggested a compromise of returning to Fiscal Year 2022 discretionary spending levels, rescinding unspent COVID-19 relief funds, reversing Biden’s $400…
State Rep. Laurel Libby (R-Auburn) has filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a recent change in Maine law that established fundraising limits for political action committees (PACs) led by legislators known as “leadership PACs.” In a press release sent Wednesday, Libby said she has challenged 21-A MRSA 1056-C, a new law that restricts individual contributions to leadership PACs to just $475 per year. The campaign finance law also prohibits any contributions to these PACs from business entities. In 2021, Rep. Libby was one of the co-founders of the Dinner Table PAC, a committee that spent more than $450,000 backing…
Bangor-area Pines Church is suing the Hermon School Department, alleging that the school board discriminated against the church on the basis of its religious beliefs when it denied the church’s request to lease the high school auditorium for Sunday services. The lawsuit claims that the Hermon School Committee denied the church’s lease proposal because of the church’s religious beliefs on abortion, sexual orientation, gender reassignment care, conversion therapy, and gay marriage. [RELATED: Email Shows Hermon School Board Member Discriminated Against Christian Church Over Religious Views] After the non-denominational Christian Pines Church outgrew its Sunday service meeting space at Spotlight Cinema…
On Tuesday a group of protestors lined the sidewalk outside the Maine State House in Augusta demanding justice for a U.S. Army veteran who was shot and killed at a Vassalboro apartment building on Memorial Day last year. Jeremy Gilley, a 37-year-old Iraq War veteran who previously had his lower legs amputated in 2011 after being hit by a van, died as a result of being shot inside an apartment building in Vassalboro, Maine on May 30, 2022. Public information officer for the Maine Department of Public Safety Shannon Moss said in a statement after the incident that Vassalboro apartment…
On Monday a Maine State Trooper shot at a truck near the U.S.-Canada border in Houlton, Maine, after the Trooper observed a sign on the truck indicating the driver had an explosive device on board and the driver refused to stop. According to a Monday press release by Maine State Police, State Trooper Denver Roy attempted to stop a truck going northbound on Interstate 95 in Houlton at about 10:40 a.m. PoliceStatement5-30Download The truck operator continued toward the U.S.-Canada border without stopping, at which time the Trooper saw a sign on the truck indicating that the operator had an explosive…
The Maine Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial in Augusta was vandalized over Memorial Day weekend, according to a Monday statement from the Maine State Police and several law enforcement agencies. https://twitter.com/MEStatePolice/status/1663167859923484674?s=20 Colonel William Ross of the Maine State Police issued a public statement regarding the vandalism Monday morning. “It is disheartening to see the Maine Law Enforcement Memorial vandalized. Those responsible clearly have no idea what it means to serve and protect our citizens and visitors to Maine,” Colonel Ross said. “Thankfully more people value those who served and made the ultimate sacrifice so others can live their lives peacefully. Thank…
Members of Congress are set to vote this week on the contentious debt ceiling deal reached by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and President Joe Biden over the Memorial Day weekend. [RELATED: Biden, McCarthy Fiercely Divided Over Debt Ceiling Crisis Before May 9 Meeting] The details of the deal between President Biden and Speaker McCarthy were released Sunday in a 99-page bill called the “Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023.” The proposed bill includes several hard-fought compromises with which neither congressional Republicans nor Democrats are likely to be entirely satisfied. Biden and McCarthy will work to win bipartisan approval to push…
Bangor High School officials are investigating an allegation of an “inappropriate relationship” between a staff member and a student. On Friday Bangor Superintendent James Tager announced in an email to the community that Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services and law enforcement have launched an investigation alongside school officials into an alleged inappropriate relationship between a staff member and student. Tager said that the investigation began on Wednesday, immediately after school officials were made aware of the alleged relationship. The identities of the individuals involved in this case are being kept confidential while the investigation is underway. “At this…
Republican lawmakers on the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee stormed out of a work session Wednesday after learning that noncitizens were being actively recruited for free ride scholarships at Maine’s taxpayer-funded community colleges. [RELATED: Maine’s Taxpayer-Funded Community Colleges Are Recruiting “Noncitizens” for Free Scholarships] Some GOP lawmakers in the 130th Legislature voted in support of the free scholarship program, unaware that the Maine Community College System (MCCS) would seize on the opportunity to recruit out-of-state and foreign students to Maine for taxpayer-funded scholarships. Republican Committee members refused to return to Wednesday’s work session on Gov. Janet Mills’ budgetary “change package”…
On Thursday the Maine Legislature’s Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs voted “ought to pass” on LD 1966, a bill that would allow candidates for county offices to receive taxpayer funds under the Maine Clean Election Act (MCEA). The MCEA currently allows candidates running for Governor, State Senator and State Representative to voluntarily accept full public financing of their campaigns. If a candidate decides to receive MCEA funds, he or she can no longer accept private contributions to their campaign. Rep. Benjamin Collings’ (D-Portland) proposed bill, LD 1966, would expand eligibility for MCEA funds to candidates running for county offices…
Crowds gathered at Maine’s State House on Thursday for two events: a rally against a bill that would eliminate restrictions on late-term abortions, and a public hearing for a bill that would create a 12-week paid family and medical leave program funded by a new payroll tax. The “Speak Up for Life Rally @ the State House 2.0,” is the second rally this month led by State Rep. Laurel Libby (R-Auburn) against Gov. Janet Mills and House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross’ (D-Portland) proposed bill LD 1619. [RELATED: Maine Women’s Lobby on Late-term Abortion Bill: “This One’s in the Bag”] Speaker…
On Wednesday morning Maine’s Judiciary Committee held a public hearing on LD 1953, a bill presented by Rep. Jennifer Poirier (R-Skowhegan) which would establish a “Parental Bill of Rights” in the Constitution of Maine. Rep. Poirier’s proposed legislation seeks to ensure that parents have control over the upbringing and education of their children. [RELATED: New Hampshire Democrat Rep Tells Parent to “Shut Up” About Parents’ Rights Bill] The rights outlined in the bill include the right of parents to inspect and object to instructional materials used in the classroom, opt their children out of health and sex education and to…
Democratic lawmakers in Augusta killed a series of GOP-backed measures aimed at promoting safe schools on Wednesday — the anniversary of the tragic school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Maine’s Republican lawmakers brought four of their proposed school safety bills to Wednesday’s work session before the Education and Cultural Affairs committee. Three of the proposed bills would allow certain teachers, security officers or staff with concealed carry permits to be armed on school grounds (LD 52, LD 518, LD 1557). LD 1326 would require teachers to be trained on school design features implemented to defend against active shooters, and would hold…
Maine House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross (D-Portland) is withdrawing her bill which would allow homeless people to avoid criminal charges for criminal trespassing on private property if they are trying to find a place to sleep. [RELATED: Maine House Speaker Proposes Amnesty for Homeless People Who Criminally Trespass on Private Property] On Wednesday morning, State Sen. Stacey Guerin (R-Penobscot) broke the news in a radio interview with George Hale and Ric Tyler on Voice of Maine that Speaker Talbot Ross put in a “leave to withdraw” on LD 1949 late Tuesday night. Guerin said that she got involved with the…
After experiencing a surge in asylum seekers, New York City Mayor Eric Adams asked Justice Deborah Kaplan of the New York County Supreme Court to alter the city’s 39-year-old “right to shelter” law. Following a court order in 1984, the “Callahan consent decree,” New York City has been required to provide shelter and board to all homeless people who apply for it, provided that the applicant qualifies for the city’s home relief program or is in need of shelter due to physical, mental or social dysfunction. Mayor Adams seeks to amend the 1984 court order to allow the city to…
The Biden Administration is planning to end familial DNA testing at the U.S.-Mexico border, a key tool used by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to prevent the fraudulent entry of migrants posing as family units and mitigate child trafficking, according to leaked memo obtained by Just The News. DNA testing was a measure initially implemented in the Trump-era “following a court order related to the separation of migrant children from their families and evidence drug cartels were using children to create fake family units to sneak illegal immigrants across the border,” Just The News reported. “[CBP’s] familial DNA contract…
According to reporting by Fox News and NBC, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis plans to announce his 2024 presidential campaign Wednesday on a Twitter Space with Twitter CEO Elon Musk. [RELATED: NAACP Warns Black Americans Against Traveling to Florida] Fox and NBC claim that sources familiar with the governor’s plans say DeSantis will host an online discussion on Twitter with Musk and tech entrepreneur David Sacks, in which he will formally declare his candidacy. The event is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday. Musk seemed to confirm the reports by retweeting the breaking news: The decision to host the event…
On Saturday the Bangor Daily News published an article from opinion contributor and former Washington Post reporter Gordon Weil in which Weil compares former President Trump’s CNN townhall performance to Adolf Hitler’s “Big Lie.” https://twitter.com/bangordailynews/status/1659910595754196992?s=20 “Because Adolf Hitler operated so far below civilized bounds, it may seem unfair to say anybody else is like him. But some people continue to use his strategies,” Weil says in the article. This opening disclaimer, however, did not deter Weil from going on to equate Trump’s claims of election fraud in the 2020 Presidential election to the dictator of Nazi Germany. “While the situation…
On Saturday the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) issued a travel advisory warning Black Americans and other people of color against travelling to Florida. “Florida is openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals,” the travel advisory states. “Before traveling to Florida, please understand that the state of Florida devalues and marginalizes the contributions of, and the challenges faced by African Americans and other communities of color,” the travel advisory reads,” it says. https://twitter.com/NAACP/status/1660050271328694273?s=20 The civil rights advocacy group cites recent legislative action taken by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as the reason behind…
The media company behind former President Donald Trump’s social media platform, Truth Social, is suing The Washington Post for defamation after the news outlet published an article on May 13 accusing the company of securities fraud and other illegal actions. The lawsuit, brought by Trump Media & Technology Group Corp. (TMTG) in Florida’s Sarasota County, seeks $3.78 billion in damages from the Washington Post for the article, which TMTG alleges was false and defamatory, posing an “existential threat” to the company. TMTG claims that the Washington Post article in question, “Trust linked to porn-friendly bank could gain a stake in…
Democratic New Hampshire State Rep. Tommy Hoyt had harsh words for a parent who wrote to him in support of a bill establishing a parental “bill of rights” in education. A parent of children in Hopkinton, New Hampshire wrote to Rep. Hoyt asking him to support the passage of the bill, SB 272, without any amendments. Hoyt angrily responded to the parent, “Do you know why children’s results tanked during covid? Their parents were incompetent teachers.” “Do your children a favor, let the teachers teach, and shut up. You’re clearly no professional,” Hoyt said. Hoyt later confirmed to the NHJournal…
Border Patrol agents have encountered 98 total non-U.S. citizens at ports of entry that are on the government’s terror watchlist, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) statistics. [RELATED: Biden Deploys 1,500 Troops to Mexican Border as End of Title 42 Restrictions Risks Migrant Surge: DoD] The Terrorist Screening Dataset (TSDS) is the U.S. government’s database or “watchlist” on terrorist identities. This database includes known or suspected terrorists, as well as individuals who represent a potential threat to the United States and its affiliates. CBP reports that so far in 2023, Border Patrol agents have stopped 96 individuals on…
On Thursday the Maine Legislature’s Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee held a public hearing on a proposal to pave the way for the development of offshore wind infrastructure in the Gulf of Maine, including the construction of a coastal manufacturing facility that would build the offshore floating wind turbines Lawmakers also considered Thursday Rep. Tiffany Strout’s (R-Harrington) LD 1884, a bill that would block offshore wind developments. In recent years, the prospect of filling the Gulf of Maine with hundreds of wind turbines has taken on an air of inevitability, with environmental groups, industry groups, and well-paid lobbyists pouring millions…
On Wednesday former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele released a statement on Twitter defending himself after the release of special counsel John Durham’s report on the FBI’s “missteps” during their 2016 Trump-Russia collusion investigation. [RELATED: Durham Report: FBI Never Should Have Launched Investigation Into Trump/Russia Collusion] https://twitter.com/Chris_D_Steele/status/1658907748212285441?s=20 The so-called Steele Dossier (a.k.a. the Golden Showers Dossier) was a compilation of raw intelligence pertaining to alleged ties between former President Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and Russia, and claimed the existence of a sex tape of Trump’s alleged lewd exploits in a Moscow hotel. Steele was hired to compile the dossier…
Maine House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross (D-Portland) sponsored a bill Tuesday that would allow an “unhoused” person to avoid the legal consequences of committing criminal trespass and some cases of aggravated criminal trespass. Speaker Talbot Ross’ bill, LD 1949, proposes to establish an affirmative defense to the prosecution of criminal trespass in cases where the “unhoused person” was “attempting to seek shelter” in the dwelling place, structure, place, cemetery, or burial ground the person entered. An affirmative defense does not deny a crime was committed by the defendant, but rather attempts to prove exculpatory circumstances which may mitigate the criminal…
In a public hearing by the Maine Legislature’s Judiciary Committee on Wednesday morning, Rep. Rebecca Millett (D-Cape Elizabeth) struggled to clearly define the terms “abnormally dangerous” and “assault style weapons” in relation to her proposed bill to hold firearm manufacturers liable for damages inflicted by people who use their products. WATCH: Rep. Rebecca Millet Crumbles Under Question From Rep. John Andrews https://rumble.com/v2oe63w-rep.-rebecca-millet-crumbles-under-question-from-rep.-john-andrews.html Rep. Millett’s LD 1696, “An Act to Create a Civil Cause of Action for Persons Suffering Damages Arising from the Sale of Abnormally Dangerous Firearms,” would allow firearm manufacturers to be held liable for the manufacturing, marketing, importing,…
Crossfire Hurricane, the infamous investigation into the allegation that former Republican President Donald Trump conspired with the Russian government to defeat Hillary Clinton in 2016, was based on unsubstantiated intelligence and should not have been opened by the FBI, according to a report from special counsel John Durham. The Department of Justice released the more than 300-page report Monday, signalling the end of Durham’s years-long investigation into an FBI probe that consumed much of Trump’s presidency and dogged his 2020 re-election effort. “Neither U.S. law enforcement nor the Intelligence Community appears to have possessed any actual evidence of collusion in…
On Monday morning Portland Police officers responded to a report of a suspicious man who had entered King Middle School in Portland. Upon arrival, officers found the perpetrator near the Deering Oaks Park entrance to the middle school. Portland Police announced Tuesday the arrest of Jacob Horwitch, a 43-year-old Portland man, charged with Criminal Trespass, Violation of Privacy and Refusing to Submit to Arrest or Detention. https://twitter.com/PolicePortland/status/1658524284623388689?s=20 The officers’ investigation revealed that Horwitch had entered the girl’s bathroom and offered hypodermic needles to a female student.
A candidate for the Portland schools’ superintendent job was at the center of a March 2022 scandal over allegations he inappropriately sought a deal with the Minneapolis teachers’ union that would have landed him the top job in that district. The Portland Superintendent Search Committee announced last week that Eric Moore, who is currently the senior advisor to the Minneapolis schools superintendent, was one of two finalists to become Portland’s next superintendent. Although the Committee’s public statements about the process suggest they are aware of some of the controversy associated with Moore’s tenure in Minnesota’s largest school district, many of…
Amid Maine’s ongoing migrant and housing crises, Maine’s elite liberal arts colleges could help alleviate the burden placed on Maine’s cities and towns by welcoming housing insecure migrants into student dormitories. But despite an abundance of resources and receiving generous tax benefits and grants from the federal government, Maine’s private colleges in Brunswick, Lewiston, and Waterville will not be opening their dorms to asylum seekers this summer, the Maine Wire has learned. Representatives from Bowdoin College, Bates College, and Colby College all confirmed that they do not intend to lend a hand by housing asylum seekers in their dormitories this…
Two Republican State Senators have proposed bills seeking to reform the municipal General Assistance program to provide relief to Maine municipalities struggling to accommodate a recent influx of migrants and asylum seekers entering their communities. [RELATED: “We’ve been overrun”: Sanford City Officials Express Frustration Over Migrant Crisis at Emergency Meeting] Sen. Eric Brakey (R-Androscoggin) proposed five bills before the Committee on Health and Human Services on Friday, May 5. The proposed legislation would enact substantial reforms to current regulations governing municipal General Assistance (GA) benefits, in efforts to ensure the limited GA resources are utilized for their intended purposes and…
Portland’s Presumpscot Elementary School cancelled math and literacy classes one day in March so that staffers at the public school could lead students on a “Black Lives Matter” march, according to videos posted by the school and emails obtained by Parents Defending Education. A video posted to Portland’s Presumpscot Elementary School’s Facebook page on March 4, 2023 showed teachers leading young students in a march on the street while chanting “Black Lives Matter” and holding signs reading “antiracist baby” and “speak up”. Watch the full video below: https://www.facebook.com/presumpscot/videos/3190867101211553 In the caption of the video, the Principal of Portland’s Presumpscot Elementary…
The city of Sanford — population: 22,000 — has been overrun with asylum-seekers who arrived throughout last week seeking General Assistance benefits and free housing, according to city officials. The migrants arrived in private cars, Ubers, and even some vehicles purporting to be DoorDash drivers. Why did they suddenly show up in Sanford? City Manager Steve Buck told the Maine Wire two Sanford city residents — unidentified, at present — took it upon themselves to invite asylum-seekers to Sanford. Those individuals went to the Portland Expo building and promised asylum-seeker families better housing and better benefits, but those promises were…
Tuesday marked National Fentanyl Awareness Day as the Maine Drug Data Hub’s March 2023 Overdose Report revealed a total of 2,506 recorded overdoses in Maine this year, 140 of which were fatal. The Maine Drug Data Hub aggregates state and community information in collaboration with several state departments, the Governor’s Office, and the University of Maine. While 5.6 percent of overdoses in the first three months of the year were fatal, this is down 11.1 percent from the proportion of fatalities in the first three months of 2022, according to recently released data. Cumberland, Penobscot, and Androscoggin Counties accounted for…
New England talk radio legend Howie Carr gave his listeners a scare on Monday when he appeared to pass out in the middle of his afternoon radio broadcast. An update posted to Carr’s Twitter by his family stated that he fainted during his show and was now recovering. https://twitter.com/HowieCarrShow/status/1655681340845568002?s=20 Carr opened Monday’s Howie Carr Show saying he was not feeling well after an unspecified medical procedure. Carr fainted during an interview segment with Gerry Manning, owner of Captain Parker’s Pub and a sponsor of his show. While speaking with Manning about his chowder, Carr’s speech trailed off and he slumped…
Democratic lawmakers announced their re-introduction of the “Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal Act” (FAIR Act) on April 28, a bill proposing a ban on forced arbitration clauses in employment, consumer, and civil rights cases. The FAIR Act would grant employees and consumers the right to choose between resolving legal disputes by arbitration or in the Court system. Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), one of the Congressmen who initially re-introduced the bill, issued a press release on the FAIR Act. “Forced arbitration is an underhanded maneuver that corporations use to trick consumers, worker, and small businesses out of their right to go to…
In an email sent out to Sanford City officials Sunday, Sanford School Department Superintendent Matt Nelson provided a detailed account of the city’s response to the arrival of 23 asylum-seeking families from Angola. “Over the past week, new immigrant families from Angola arrived unexpectedly in the Sanford area,” Nelson said in the email. “As families arrived, the General Assistance office worked to find temporary housing at the Sanford Inn and provided resources to help the families meet their basic needs,” he said. “Our outreach and ESOL staff immediately began the process of connecting with the families to welcome them to our community and to…
During Wednesday’s Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, President Biden’s Secretary of Energy David Turk struggled to answer Sen. John Kennedy’s (R-La.) questions regarding how many trillions of dollars the U.S. would need to spend in order to become carbon neutral by 2050. Watch a video of the full exchange between Secretary Turk and Senator Kennedy below: https://twitter.com/SenJohnKennedy/status/1654187532991492096?s=20 In the hearing, entitled, “A Review of the FY 2024 Budget Request for the U.S. Department of Energy, including the National Nuclear Security Administration,” Sec. Turk couldn’t say how much American carbon neutrality would cost — or how much it would lower global temperatures.…
Negotiations over the debt ceiling remain tense between President Joe Biden and GOP lawmakers after House Republicans narrowly passed the “Limit, Save, Grow Act” on April 26. Finding a resolution to the fierce debate was given an added sense of urgency by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s May 1 letter to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in which she warned the Treasury will be unable to meet all of the government’s obligations potentially as early as June 1. “I respectfully urge Congress to act promptly to protect the full faith and credit of the United States”, Secretary Yellen said. The debt…