Senate President Statement on Polling of the
Legislature

?There is universal agreement in Maine that the governor
has crossed several lines that should never be
approached ever again. His behavior has created
headlines across the nation for all of the wrong reasons.

 

?For many, his apology on Tuesday was sufficient. But
more people were interested in results. The governor, and
the governor, alone, is responsible for his behavior and I
believe there is no doubt he would benefit from additional
help to address his explosive behavior.

?Many Senate Republicans have expressed a desire to
return to the State House for a special session to hold the
governor accountable.

find myself disappointed with the decision by the House
Speaker to initiate a poll of his caucus regarding the
governor?s recent actions without specific language for the
ques?on.

?It is clear to me that Democratic leadership is not
interested in holding the governor accountable for his
actions but is more focused on the political advantage this
situation presents. With Democratic leadership favoring
impeachment, and the House Minority Office unwilling to

 

 

    

  
 
 
 
 
 
  

call back legislators for any reason, I see no path for the
Legislature to reconvene.

?At yesterday?s meeting among Democrat and Republican
leaders, we agreed to meet again to find a path fonivard to
address the situation with the governor. No sooner had it
ended that Democrat leadership went to the media and
called for the resignation of the governor. They said one

thing behind closed doors and quite another to the TV
cameras.

?Many members of the Senate Republican caucus had
expressed a desire to come back into session to consider
a narrowly defined resolution to force the governor to take
meaningful corrective action that would have demanded
he seek professional help and make it clear that his
explosive behavior would no longer be tolerated. It is the
governor?s actions that have forced us into this unfortunate
position and is not the fault of our senators. We will not be
the party of ?Clintonian ethics??making excuses for bad
behavior.

?It is regrettable that Democratic leadership, with their
actions, has made the goal of holding the governor
accountable much more difficult.

?The question, as prepared by the Speaker sets no
timetables nor does it present guidance for the actions of
the Legislature. It could result in a session lasting days or

 

Wm weeks with potentia?



offering their Own - dozens 0f individual legislators
esolutlons. I also believe it violates

an as 
pects of the section of the Maine Constitution that

tadkdresbses calling the Legislature into session. Any action
a en the Legislature would be challenged in court.

?The last thing our state needs now is to have the
Legislature look even more like a circus, and I have no
desire to be the ringmaster.

?There is nothing the Legislature can do to heal the hurt
we have experienced. My only hope is Governor LePage
understands the pervasiveness of the pain he has caused

our state.