With Republicans now in charge, some lawmakers are offering up proposals that failed in the past.

AUGUSTA – The state ethics commission had a busy 2010, and some of those actions have prompted the staff to recommend law changes. In a memo to the five-member ethics panel, Executive Director Jonathan Wayne proposed changes that include: • Broadening the state’s definition of confidential “investigative working papers” to include “requests for documents, information […]

The director skips the poetry, alters the music and promises other twists, and the formal ball is out.

AUGUSTA – As Democrats regroup following a truly awful election season, they will be making key decisions in the coming months. One will come Jan. 23 when they choose a new party chairman. Four people have officially signed up to run: Stephanie Clifford, who was political director of Tom Allen’s 2008 Senate campaign; John Hanson, […]

Members of the bipartisan state ethics commission concluded on Monday that one of the two people behind the political website attacking independent gubernatorial candidate Eliot Cutler violated Maine election law.

A spending bill abandoned in the Senate contained at least $41 million for the state.

AUGUSTA – Two political action committees backed by organized labor spent more than $700,000 in support of Democratic gubernatorial nominee Libby Mitchell, according to recently filed campaign finance reports. Citizens Who Support Maine’s Public Schools spent a total of $423,000, mostly on advertising supporting Mitchell or opposing Republican Paul LePage and independent Eliot Cutler. The […]

U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe said Wednesday she would support the repeal of the military policy that prevents gays from serving openly.   The announcement came as the U.S. House of Representatives voted on repealing the policy, known as ‘don’t ask, don’t tell.’   “After careful analysis of the comprehensive report compiled by the Department of […]