President Barack Obama, a Democrat, said he’ll nominate a successor to the U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, but Republican leaders and presidential candidates have said the replacement should be picked by the next president. The nominee must win confirmation from the Senate, which is controlled by Republicans. So, Obama has some options: He could […]
politics
Posted inNation / World, sj-web
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia reported dead
Data curated by InsideGov Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, the intellectual cornerstone of the court’s modern conservative wing, whose elegant and acidic opinions inspired a movement of legal thinkers and ignited liberal critics, died Feb. 13 on a ranch near San Antonio. He was 79. The cause of death was not immediately known. “Justice Antonin […]
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Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Kimberly Sampson announces bid for state Senate District 20 seat
AUBURN — Kimberly Sampson, a dental hygienist and recent law school graduate, announced her campaign for Maine Senate District 20 on Friday. Sampson, an Auburn resident and Democrat, will run against Sen. Eric Brakey, R-Auburn, who is in his first term. The district also includes Minot, Mechanic Falls and Poland. “My great-grandfather, Amedee Gobeil, emigrated from Canada. […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Gov. Paul LePage: North Woods land access threatened by ‘federal takeover’
AUGUSTA — Citing concern of a “federal takeover,” Gov. Paul LePage announced Friday that the state will establish access to North Woods land that entrepreneur Roxanne Quimby wants to become a national park. The provocative move puts the Republican governor in the middle of the contentious debate around the 87,500 acres east of Baxter State […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Voters, petition signers could gain space from video cameras
AUGUSTA — A bill that would make it harder to use video cameras to intimidate voters is winning bipartisan support from Maine lawmakers. The Legislature’s Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee on Friday voted 11-0 to endorse the bill, which would establish a 15-foot minimum distance between video recorders and voters at the polls. It would […]
Posted inNation / World, sj-web
Fact checking Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders at the Democratic debate
Data curated by InsideGov WASHINGTON (AP) — In their latest debate, Hillary Clinton glossed over the big-money donors juicing her White House ambitions while Bernie Sanders offered disputed numbers behind his plan for a government-financed health system. A look at some of the claims in the Democratic presidential debate and how they compare with the […]
Posted inBusiness
Local businesses to lawmakers: Pass tax bill, increase predictability
AUGUSTA — Fearful of not being able to file their taxes in time and of having to face filing inconsistencies, local business leaders were pressuring state lawmakers in Augusta on Friday, urging them to quickly pass tax conformity legislation. With most businesses required to file taxes by March 15, politicians have been wrangling over changes […]
Posted inLetters
Political commercials a waste of money
I have friends who are in politics, but none who are politicians. The latter are beholden to lobbyists who are financed by big business, a la “what can you do for me?” How did George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, etc., become president without wasting (yes, wasting) billions of dollars on caucuses, primaries and conventions? […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Mark Eves’ attorney says LePage used state funds to enforce loyalty
PORTLAND — An attorney for House Speaker Mark Eves says that Gov. Paul LePage is using state funding to enforce political loyalty and that the practice threatens Maine’s public-party democracy. Attorney David Webbert, in a brief filed in U.S. District Court, says that LePage’s claim that he has a right to withhold funding from a […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Video: Gov. Paul LePage talks about recent Chinese development in Maine
Governor Paul LePage talks about Chinese development coming to Maine and the Lewiston/Auburn area during the Lewiston-Auburn Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce breakfast on Thursday morning in Lewiston.