STATE OF MAINE
_____
In House__________
WHEREAS, the Constitution of Maine, Article IX, Section 5 provides that every person
holding any civil office under this State may be removed by impeachment for misdemeanor in
office; and
WHEREAS, the Constitution of Maine, Article IV, Part First, Section 8 vests in the House of
Representatives the sole power of impeachment;
WHEREAS, grave and serious allegations have been raised regarding the conduct of
Governor Paul R. LePage; now, therefore, be it
ORDERED, that the House Special Investigative Committee is established to investigate
allegations of misfeasance, malfeasance, nonfeasance and other misconduct by Governor Paul R.
LePage, and to make a recommendation to the full House of Representatives as to whether cause
exists for impeachment. The committee shall conduct a comprehensive review of allegations of
misconduct by Governor LePage, including but not limited to the:
1. Refusal, beginning in 2012, to facilitate the issuance of land conservation bonds that
were ratified by the voters of the State in statewide elections held in November 2010
and November 2012, and the Governor’s repeated insistence on extracting
compliance from the Legislature on unrelated issues prior to his carrying out the will
of the people of the State regarding issuance of the bonds;
2. Alleged use of state assets as leverage to bring about the resignation in 2013 of the
President of the World Acadian Congress, Jason Parent;
3. Exertion of pressure, in March 2013, on hearing officers in the Bureau of
Unemployment Compensation of the Maine Department of Labor to favor employers
in their decision-making;
4. Refusal, beginning in May 2013, to allow cabinet members and members of the
administration to appear and testify before legislative committees;
5. Alleged use of state assets as leverage to bring about the resignation in January 2015
of the Maine Community College System President, John Fitzsimmons;
6. Requesting, in February 2015, that the Maine Human Rights Commission postpone a
proceeding against a particular business pending before the commission and
threatening to withhold state assets when the commission declined to postpone the
proceeding;
7. Creation in April 2015, without public notice in violation of the Maine Freedom of
Access Act, of a panel to conduct a review of the Maine Human Rights Commission;
and
8. Alleged use of state assets as leverage to intimidate the Board of Directors of Good
Will-Hinckley in June 2015 into terminating its employment of Mark W. Eves, the
Speaker of the House of Representatives; and be it further
ORDERED, that the House Special Investigative Committee consists of 13 members
appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives or the Speaker’s designee, 6 of
whom are appointed by the Speaker upon the recommendation of the House Minority Leader;
and that the first-named member is the chair; and be it further

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 ORDERED, that the House Special Investigative Committee:
1. Shall adopt rules to govern the proceedings before it in order to ensure due process,
fundamental fairness and a thorough investigation;
2. May administer oaths and compel the attendance and testimony of persons and the
production of papers, documents and other evidence under oath, by subpoena, when the
testimony, documents or evidence is necessary for or incident to any inquiry relevant to
the business or purposes of the committee, and punish any person for the neglect, refusal
to appear or failure to produce papers or documents or provide evidence commanded by
subpoena or who upon appearance, either with or without subpoena, refuses to be sworn
or testify or produce papers, documents or evidence demanded;
3. May hire special counsel and such other personnel as may be necessary to carry out the
committee’s responsibilities; and
4. Following its review and investigation of the facts and circumstances relating to the
alleged misconduct of Governor Paul R. LePage, shall submit to the House of
Representatives, no later than April 1, 2016, its findings and recommendations in the
form of a final report, including, if the committee concludes such action is warranted,
articles of impeachment describing the misdemeanors in office with which Governor Paul
R. LePage is charged. The committee may request from the Speaker, or the Speaker’s
designee, extensions of time to complete its work.

SPONSORED BY: ___________________________________
(Representative CHIPMAN)
TOWN: Portland

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