DEMOCRATIC LEADERS WAIT MORE THAN TWO MONTHS FOR MEETING WITH GOVERNOR

LePage continues to delay responsibility to work with legislative leaders

AUGUSTA–After more than two months of requests and numerous cancellations, Governor Paul LePage has once again delayed meeting with Democratic leaders.

On June 4, Senate President Justin Alfond and House Speaker Mark Eves sent a letter requesting a meeting with the governor to discuss, among other things, the Alexander Group. Per agreement of all parties, a meeting was scheduled for July 10; however, that meeting was subsequently cancelled by the governor’s office. The meeting was then rescheduled for July 8; but on July 3, the governor’s office cancelled that meeting too. Per email notice today, the governor’s office has rescheduled the meeting for August 7.

“It continues to be a pattern where Gov. LePage has no time for you unless you’re on his side of the aisle,” said Senate President Justin Alfond of Portland. “It’s hard to believe that it takes two months to clear his schedule for us to talk about the state’s business.”

It has beenwell-documentedthat it took more than three months forGov. LePage to meet with legislative leadershipat the start of the 126th Legislature–refusing formal and informal meetings with the Presiding Officers going back as far as November 2012. Gov. LePage did not meet with Alfond and Eves until February 4, 2013.

Meanwhile, reportshave revealed that Gov. LePage began meeting with an anti-government, extremist group associated with violence against public and law enforcement officials nationally, before the governor chose to hold even his first meeting with the Presiding officers.

In total,the governor met with the Sovereign Citizens, a group the FBI considers a top domestic terrorist threat, for sixteen hours over eight meetings.According to excerpts of As Maine Went, a new book from Maine blogger and author Mike Tipping, “The central topic of conversation for most of the meetings was the sovereigns’ ‘remonstrances,’ documents they said gave them the authority to arrest and execute Maine House Speaker Mark Eves and Senate President Justin Alfond for treason. LePage indulged and supported the sovereign’s beliefs.”

Senate President Alfond added, “The fact that Maine’s governor gave credibility and preference to a group whose ideas are so dissociated from reality demonstrates a real lack in judgment. Furthermore, Gov. LePage shows time and again that he is willing to be sidetracked from the real issues facing our state.”
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TIMELINE:

June 4 – Presiding Officers sendletter requesting a meetingwith Governor LePage and Republican Leadership to discuss the Alexander Group contract.  The POs offered three possible dates: June 9, June 10 and June 11 and stated that staff would reach out to the Governor’s office to schedule a meeting. Letter was cc’d to Senator Thibodeau and Rep. Fredette.

June 13 – PO’s office e-mailed the Governor’s scheduler following up on the letter.

June 16 – Governor’s office responded that they would get back to us that afternoon with a couple of proposed dates.  They responded a couple of hours later and offered June 30, July 3, or July 10.

June 17 – PO’s offices e-mailed the Governor’s Office informing them that the Presiding Officers could meet with the Governor and Republican Leadership on July 10.

June 18 – The Governor’s Office informed us via e-mail that July 10 did not work for all involved and they offered us three more dates: June 30, July 1, and July 8.

June 20– PO’s offices e-mailed the Governor’s Office that the Presiding Officers could meet on July 8.

June 24– The Governor’s scheduler e-mailed us a confirmation of the July 8 meeting date.

July 3– Received an e-mail from the Governor’s Office informing us that they had to reschedule the July 8meeting and offered us three more dates:  August 5, August 7, and August 11.

July 8–Governor’s scheduler confirms August 7 at 9:45a.m.