Gov. Paul LePage continued a familiar refrain on Tuesday when he said Democrats in the Legislature are on a mission to keep people in poverty and dependent on social service programs. LePage said during a wide-ranging interview on WVOM that Democratic House Speaker Sara Gideon’s bill to spend $150 million in federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program funding on a […]
politics
Posted inNation / World
Sally Yates says she expected White House to take action on Flynn
WASHINGTON — Former acting attorney general Sally Yates testified Monday that she expected White House officials to “take action” on her January warning that then-national security adviser Michael Flynn could be blackmailed by Russia, offering her first public statements about the national security concerns that rocked the early days of the Trump administration. Yates’ testimony […]
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Posted inMaine
Heidi Brooks sponsors single-payer health care bill for Maine
AUGUSTA — As Congress debates the merits of the Affordable Care Act and its potential successor, some lawmakers think the time is ripe to create a single-payer health care system in Maine. “Here in Maine many people are struggling to get the care they need when and where they need it. Universal health care ideally […]
Posted inNation / World
Barack Obama warned Donald Trump about Flynn, former officials say
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama warned Donald Trump against hiring Michael Flynn as national security adviser during an Oval Office meeting after the 2016 election, according to three former Obama administration officials. The information on Monday, from officials who requested anonymity in order to disclose the private conversation, came hours before former acting Attorney General […]
Posted inMaine
Sara Gideon introduces bill to expand welfare in Maine
AUGUSTA — House Speaker Sara Gideon, D-Freeport, will introduce a new bill Monday that would expand and enhance Maine’s social services safety net, largely funded with what Gideon said is $150 million in federal funds that Gov. Paul LePage’s administration isn’t spending. Among the elements of Gideon’s wide-ranging bill are requirements for the state to use federal […]
Posted inMaine
Gov. Paul LePage D.C. trips raise speculation about political ambition
AUGUSTA — Maine’s Republican governor’s recent spate of trips to Washington has grabbed national headlines and caused speculation about the term-limited governor’s next steps. Paul LePage has been in D.C. at least a week and a half this year, according to his social media account, media appearances and itineraries of his scheduled meetings. That’s compared […]
Posted inMaine
Susan Collins says Senate will take time to get health bill right
Republican senators plan to write a health-care bill that could be radically different from the one passed last week by the House, including keeping some of the benefits and safeguards currently enshrined within Obamacare. The Senate’s different approach means there’s no clear timetable for producing a bill, and it likely ensures that President Donald Trump […]
Posted inMaine
Bond spat between Paul LePage, Terry Hayes threatens construction projects
AUGUSTA — Approximately $600 million earmarked for Maine infrastructure projects is held up in an arcane dispute between Gov. Paul LePage and State Treasurer Terry Hayes over a contract with lawyers hired to work on a bond sale set for June. The latest spat involving the Republican governor and state bonding has been simmering since […]
Posted inNation / World
Katahdin Woods and Waters on list of monuments to be reviewed
WASHINGTON — The Interior Department has released a list of 27 national monuments it is reviewing under a presidential order, including Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante in Utah and Katahdin Woods and Waters in Maine. A list released Friday includes 22 monuments on federal land in 11 states and five marine monuments in the Atlantic […]
Posted inMaine
Democrats hope to use health care vote to unseat Rep. Bruce Poliquin
Despite a big win in his re-election battle last year, U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin remains a top target for Democrats who plan to start going after him with online ads soon. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee listed the second-term Republican among the incumbents it aims to unseat in a 2018 race it hopes to turn […]