AUGUSTA

Tempers involving Midcoast legislators are boiling over in public during gun rights debates in the Legislature’s Criminal Justice Committee.

The committee, which is in the midst of deliberating dozens of bills related to gun control and concealed weapons permits, descended into conflict April 25 when Senate Chairman Stan Gerzofsky, D-Brunswick, cut off debate among lawmakers.

Gerzofsky said he was trying to make efficient use of the committee’s time and that the issues under discussion would be added to the agenda later. But at least three members of the committee told the Bangor Daily News they were angry about what transpired.

At issue was an effort seeking to repeal a law enacted two years ago allowing employers to prohibit guns in employee vehicles on company grounds.

State Rep. Corey Wilson, RAugusta, was questioning a member of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce when Gerzofsky told Wilson his time was up.

When Wilson told Gerzofsky he had more questions, Gerzofsky told him, “not in this work session.”

That caused some dissension among other committee members, including Rep. Timothy Marks, D-Pittston, who represented several Mid-coast communities and was overheard saying “this committee is dysfunctional” as he left the room.

Marks later reiterated his concern about the encounter with Gerzofsky.

“I’ve only been in the Legislature for a few months so I’m not familiar with all the rules,” said Marks. “When he refused to let me ask my question, I didn’t know if it was right or wrong, but I’m not happy with the answer I got. I should have been allowed to ask my questions.”

Wilson said he saw Thursday’s events as a continuation of conflict brewing between Gerzofsky and some members of the committee.

“It’s unfortunate that there’s continued personality conflicts between the Senate chairman and virtually all the members of the committee,” said Wilson. “It can be extremely frustrating.”

Senate President Justin Alfond, D-Portland, said in a prepared statement Friday he would follow up with Gerzofsky.

“I’m certainly concerned by what I heard,” said Alfond. “It is absolutely necessary that the committee process has the full faith and confidence of the public and lawmakers alike. And to that end, I will be speaking with the chair.”

Senate Minority Leader Michael Thibodeau, R-Winterport, said he will meet with Alfond early next week about the issue.

“We’ve just got to make sure that the committee doesn’t get derailed and have things get personal between the members,” he said.

Gerzofsky said that as chairman of the committee, it is his prerogative about how committee hearings are run and that his actions had nothing to do with personalities.

He said Marks, Wilson and others arrived at the hearing late and attempted to extend the discussion as he was moving toward ending it. Gerzofsky said the committee had been in session until late the night before and that he had promised one of the committee members that they would adjourn by about 4 p.m.

“These [gun control and concealed handgun permit] bills have tied up an enormous amount of time,” said Gerzofsky. “They all deserve the same respect and some serious due diligence.”

Gerzofsky said the tension on the committee is caused by tremendous pressure lawmakers are under as they consider the gun bills, which have drawn hundreds of people to the State House to testify.

Gerzofsky said there have been serious physical threats against committee members and numerous adversarial exchanges with the public.

Marks, who has proposed several bills related to concealed handgun permits, was the subject of a gun rights rally in Wiscasset last month and said he learned this week that he is named in a mailer being circulated by the National Rifle Association that supports abolishing Maine’s concealed handgun permit system.

“The committee is clearly tired and nerves are getting a little frayed,” said Gerzofsky. “I know this is a very sensitive issue. … I broke no rules. There will be no repercussions.”

But evidence of the rift between Gerzofsky and others remains, including in the form of a Wilson-brand volleyball in Gerzofsky’s office that has a face painted on it similar to a soccer ball in the movie “Castaway,” which features Tom Hanks stranded on a deserted island.

Gerzofsky admitted he bought the ball for Rep. Wilson and plans to give it to the young lawmaker later in the legislative session “so he can have a friend.”

Gerzofsky said the ball is not meant to disparage Wilson, but Wilson said he’s not so sure.

“I thought it was rather peculiar because he and I have had a number of conflicts in the past,” said Wilson. “This is a committee of 13 members, not a committee of one member.”

FOR MORE, see the Bangor Daily News at bangordailynews.com.