Steve Mistler

3 weeks ago | mainepublic.org | Steve Mistler

The First Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday heard oral arguments in Republican state Rep. Laurel Libby's bid to overturn a censure by Democrats in the Maine House. The censure prohibited Libby from voting or speaking during floor debates and her legal challenge was initially dealt two key setbacks, but a recent order by the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily restoring her voting rights may have changed the trajectory of the case.

3 weeks ago | mainepublic.org | Steve Mistler

Gov. Janet Mills has signed into law a bill creating an annual observance of the Jan. 6 attacks on the U.S. Capitol in 2021. The new law requires Mills and future governors to issue a proclamation on the anniversary of the riots that honors the resiliency of democracy and encourages libraries and educational institutions to hold discussions about the event, civic engagement and the rule of law.

1 month ago | mainepublic.org | Steve Mistler

Republican state Sen. James Libby announced that he's running for governor next year with a focus on energy and economic development. Libby, 64, is currently serving his sixth nonconsecutive term in the Maine Legislature. He previously ran for governor in 2002, losing to Republican nominee Peter Cianchette. He announced his candidacy in Standish and highlighted his experience in higher education and public service.

1 month ago | mainepublic.org | Steve Mistler

Maine Democratic U.S. Reps. Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden voted Thursday against Republicans' massive spending bill, describing it as an extreme proposal that will slash health coverage and food benefits for thousands of Mainers. The bill is the centerpiece of President Donald Trump's domestic agenda, but Golden and Pingree both framed it as a blueprint for a massive wealth transfer from the poorest Americans to the wealthiest.

1 month ago | mainepublic.org | Steve Mistler

Republican bills that would reverse Maine's policy of allowing transgender girls to compete on girls' sports teams are heading to the full Legislature after the Judiciary Committee deadlocked over whether to endorse or defeat them. The tie votes reflect deep divisions over an issue that has come to dominate the legislative session and amid a high-stakes legal and political fight between the Mills administration and the Trump administration.