LePage refusal to swear in new Senator denies voters a voice in Augusta
Sen.-elect Susan Deschambault, D-Biddeford, speaks to reporters during a press conference after Gov. LePage refused to swear her into the Maine Senate.
AUGUSTA — Senate Democrats on Friday denounced Gov. Paul LePage for denying more than 38,000 voters in southern Maine a voice in the Maine Senate when he reneged on his plan to swear-in Susan Deschambault, the duly elected senator-elect from Senate District 32.
Sen.-elect Deschambault won the special election in Senate District 32 on Tuesday, March 29. The governor asked the senator-elect to come to Augusta on Friday to be administered the Oath of Office. However, when Sen.-elect Deschambault and her family arrived at the governor’s office, a member of his staff said the governor would not swear her in.
Senate District 32 includes the communities of Alfred, Arundel, Biddeford, Dayton, Kennebunkport and Lyman. It has been without representation in the Maine Senate since January 28, when former Sen. David Dutremble resigned for personal reasons. Deschambault defeated Republican Stephen Martin in the special election by a 16-point margin.
“My constituents, the people of my community, chose me to speak for them in Augusta,” said Sen.-elect Deschambault. “They have been without representation in the Senate for more than two months. I came to Augusta today ready to get to work. Unfortunately, because of the governor, the people of Senate District 32 will have to keep waiting.”
In public statements, Gov. LePage has said he would not swear in Sen.-elect Deschambault because of a vote taken Thursday in the Legislature’s Labor Committee that he didn’t like.
“What I just cannot understand is what the Labor Committee has to do with Susan Deschambault, or why the people of Senate District 32 should be punished because they governor is upset with the committee,” said Senate Democratic Leader Justin Alfond of Portland. “This is petty, political retribution, plain and simple. Susan is ready and willing to hit the ground running. The governor should do the right thing and swear her into the Maine Senate.”
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