Latest news with #JanetMills
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Why Maine lawmakers pulled back on ranked choice voting expansion
Jun. 27—Lawmakers recalled a bill from Gov. Janet Mills' desk that would have allowed ranked choice voting to be used in the 2026 gubernatorial race after Mills signaled she would veto the bill. Advocates say they recalled the bill, which had been approved by both chambers, so they could ask the Maine Law Court to revisit its 2017 advisory opinion stating that using the voting method for state-level races would unconstitutional. "Unfortunately, we learned from the governor's staff that she was likely to veto the bill, so recalling it and pursuing the solemn occasion seems to be the best path forward," lobbyist Clara McConnell said in an June 25 email obtained by the Press Herald. "It looks like the solemn occasion won't move forward today, but we hope to initiate it during a special session or the second regular session." Aids for Mills, who was attorney general when the advisory opinion was issued, did not respond to questions Friday about the governor's concerns with the bill. A "solemn occasion" is a formal request for the courts to settle legislative disputes. But they can only be requested by the Legislature, which adjourned for the year on Wednesday, effectively closing the door on that option until next year. The Senate could take up the measure in a special session, something that might be necessary to respond to the federal budget proposal being pushed by Trump and Congressional Republicans that could prompt major cuts to Medicaid. The bill's sponsor, Sen. Cameron Reny, D-Round Pond, could not be reached on Friday. Advocates had been working behind the scenes in the final week of the session to draft the request for lawmakers to consider, according to emails obtained by the Press Herald. A draft was available on June 18, the final day of the session, and supporters hoped the Senate would act when they returned June 25 to vote on additional spending bills. But instead, lawmakers only recalled the bill and did not take up the request. Rep. Laura Supica, D-Bangor, said she didn't know why the Senate failed to act. "It's very clear that the people of Maine want ranked choice voting and that they did it specifically because of the gubernatorial race and guess what's coming up right around the corner?" said Supica, a cosponsor of the bill. "The fact that it was sent to the governor's desk and was recalled does give me anxiety." The 2026 race is wide open since Mills cannot seek reelection because of term limits. The contest is generating a lot of interest from both parties and at least one viable third-party candidate — Sen. Rick Bennett, of Oxford, who unenrolled from the Republican Party to run as an independent. Maine first adopted ranked choice voting through a 2016 citizens referendum. The move came largely as a response to the 2010 governor's race, in which long-shot Republican candidate Paul LePage took office with just under 38% of the vote, after the Democratic candidate and a third-party challenger split the opposition. LePage then won reelection in 2014 in another three-way contest without receiving more than 50% of the vote. An advisory opinion from the Maine Law Court in 2017 said the voting method could not be used to elect a governor, state senator or state representative, because the state's constitution says those offices are to be elected by plurality. The court ruled the method could be used in other elections, including federal races and state-level primaries. But proponents have argued that Alaska's top court effectively dismantled the reasoning behind Maine's opinion in a 2022 case involving ranked choice voting and a similar constitutional requirement that governors must be elected by a plurality. While Maine's court essentially viewed each ranking and runoff as separate elections, Alaska's court held that the election is only final after the final tabulation and that process does not conflict with the constitutional requirement that the winner is determined by who gets the most votes. Alaska's court also criticized Maine's advisory opinion for only offering "two brief paragraphs deciding the issue, with little accompanying analysis" and pointed to 9th U.S. Circuit Court's opinion about a similar dispute in San Francisco. "After citizens cast their ranked-choice ballots, they do not later update those ballots or cast new votes," Alaska's court ruled. "Instead, the RCV system initiates another round of tabulation with the same set of vote preferences. Because an RCV ballot is a single ballot—and each vote a single vote—the Ninth Circuit rejected the claim that the first round of tabulation is somehow final (rather than a single step in a longer process)." Mike Saxl, a lobbyist with Maine Street Solutions who worked with advocates on the bill, said there is still a chance that ranked choice voting could be used in the 2026 election, but any delays in acting early in the second session could make it difficult for the Secretary of State to implement. "Even if there isn't enough time to do it, it's still good policy for 2030," he said. Copy the Story Link
Fox News
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Dem governor's decades-old political persecution claim over alleged cocaine use disputed by bombshell memo
FIRST ON FOX: Maine's Democratic Gov. Janet Mills has for years dismissed an investigation into her alleged cocaine use as politically motivated, but a newly unearthed memo obtained by Fox News Digital contradicts her decades-old claim. In early 1990, the U.S. Attorney's Office (USAO) in Maine, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Maine's Bureau of Intergovernmental Drug Enforcement (BIDE) investigated Mills, then a sitting district attorney in Maine, after a drug suspect accused her of using cocaine. The investigation was eventually dropped without charges being filed, but Mills has maintained that the investigation never had any merit and that she was politically targeted for her Democratic affiliation and criticism of BIDE. In 1990, she and two other district attorneys in Maine criticized BIDE for inflating arrest numbers through excessive enforcement of low-level drug offenders. "It's scary," Mills told the Portland Press Herald in November 1991. "Maine apparently has a secret police force at work that can ruin the reputation of any who opposes it." A March 1995 memorandum from the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Professional Responsibility (DOJ/OPR), addressed to the Deputy Attorney General, of whom Merrick Garland was an associate serving as the principal associate Deputy Attorney General, unearthed by Fox News Digital, refutes Mills' claim, revealing there was no misconduct by federal or state authorities investigating her case. According to the DOJ memo, WCSH-TV reported in December 1990 that Mills was being investigated by a federal grand jury for drug use, citing law enforcement sources. Mills later sued that reporter for libel and slander. The report also prompted Mills' attorney to demand a grand jury investigation, arguing that "the press received leaks from BIDE law enforcement officials." The results of the libel and slander suit are no longer available. The docket for the case showed that the records were disposed of in 2015 in accordance with policy. However, a 1991 Lewiston Sun-Journal article appears to state that the effort to "end drug probe rumors" was thrown out by a judge. In January 1992, then-Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., stepped in and requested the DOJ/OPR investigate allegations that Maine's USAO had "refused to investigate the grand jury leak" and that attorneys had engaged in "intimidation and coercion of witnesses" during the investigation. Those concerns were initially raised by Patrick Paradis and N. Paul Gauvreau, the House and Senate chairs of the Judiciary Committee of the Maine Legislature, in a letter sent to then-Sen. George Mitchell, D-Maine. The letter suggested that the allegations involving Maine's USAO "go far beyond the state agency involved." Ultimately, no charges were filed against Mills for her alleged cocaine use. But the Department of Justice also found that all of Mills' claims were "unsubstantiated," including allegations that she was politically targeted, that investigators solicited false testimony, that witnesses were coerced or threatened and that BIDE agents leaked grand jury information to the press. "The USAO in Maine conducted a proper investigation of serious allegations; no misconduct of any kind can fairly be attributed to any member of that office," DOJ/OPR concluded in 1995. While the Justice Department debunked Mills' claims, she dismissed the allegations against her as politically motivated throughout the investigation. According to the memo, Mills "announced publicly that she was the victim of a smear campaign" in 1991. "I'd say it's awfully coincidental that this investigation started and was leaked to the press shortly after my public comments about the lack of accountability at BIDE," Mills said that same year. Mills also claimed it sets a "very bad precedent when a prosecutor has to look over his or her shoulder every time you put somebody in jail and wonder whether that person is going to find an audience down the street in the BIDE office or down the road in the U.S. Attorney's Office to say dirty things about you." Fox News Digital reached out to Mills's office multiple times for comment but did not receive a response. Earlier this year, Mills accused President Donald Trump of leading a "politically directed investigation" into Maine's Department of Education. During a National Governors Association (NGA) meeting at the White House in February, Mills and Trump publicly sparred over biological men playing in women's sports. Trump said Mills should comply with his executive order preventing transgender athletes from competing in girls' and women's sports, or "you're not going to get any federal funding," to which she replied, "We'll see you in court," which is exactly where the issue has been tied up. Longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins is up for re-election in 2026, and with Mills' governorship term limited next year, she would be a competitive Democratic candidate to challenge Collins. Mills indicated in April that she did not "plan to run for another office," but admitted that "things change week to week, month to month," leaving the door open to a potential Senate bid.
CBC
2 days ago
- Politics
- CBC
What this U.S. politician wants Canadian tourists to know
Maine's governor is wrapping up a tour of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Janet Mills is hoping to address the steep decline in the number of Canadian tourists crossing the border to visit her state during U.S. President Donald Trump's second term. She spoke with the CBC's Amy Smith.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Big Cooper Flagg Announcement Made on Wednesday
Big Cooper Flagg Announcement Made on Wednesday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Wednesday marks a monumental day for Duke Blue Devils star Cooper Flagg and the entire Flagg family. The 18-year-old, who grew up in the small town of Newport, Maine—where few athletes ever make it to the professional level—is about to see his dream become reality as the Dallas Mavericks prepare to select him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft. Advertisement Flagg has been taking part in all the pre-draft festivities in New York, with his entire family by his side. That includes his parents, his brother Ace, and even his grandparents, who made the trip to support him ahead of the big night. It's already a special moment for Flagg, but it got even bigger on Wednesday when Maine Governor Janet Mills reportedly declared June 25 as officially 'Flagg Day' in honor of Cooper. He now has a day in his home state named entirely after him. Cooper Flagg's extraordinary talent and dedication to basketball has earned him national acclaim as perhaps the most promising player of his generation. He is a source of tremendous pride for Maine,' said Governor Mills. 'I have proclaimed today as Cooper Flagg Day, so all the people of Maine can celebrate his achievement, hard work, perseverance, and sportsmanship, which should inspire youth across our state to pursue their dreams with Cooper's signature determination.' Cooper Flagg at the Combine on May 14, 2025.© David Banks-Imagn Images Flagg was viewed as the projected No. 1 overall pick even before he began his freshman season at Duke. Yet, despite the immense expectations placed on him, he somehow managed to exceed them—leaving no doubt that he's the top player on the board. Advertisement If he is indeed selected by the Mavericks, Flagg would join NBA legends Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, and former Duke star Kyrie Irving. The Mavericks had just a 1.8% chance of landing the No. 1 pick during May's draft lottery, but defied the odds and secured it—with every intention of making Flagg the future face of their franchise for years to come. Related: Cooper Flagg Names His 3 Favorite NBA Players to Watch Without Hesitation This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 25, 2025, where it first appeared.
CTV News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Some Americans staying away from Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo amid political tensions
Some U.S. acts are staying away from the Nova Scotia International Tattoo amid current political tensions. The Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo is a global gathering of civilian and military performers, but there seems to be one notable absence: performers from the United States. Scott Long, executive producer of the show, says it's a coincidence as performers are booked in advance and not every country can be represented every year. Some people from south of border are intentionally staying away. 'Unfortunately, the political climate isn't great these days. We did get a lot of emails from Americans who wanted to come up to see the show but felt like they might not be welcome and in fact were embarrassed by that,' Long says. He also confirmed some Canadians expressed frustrations over the potential inclusion of American performers. Maine Gov. Janet Mills, who is on a tour of the Maritimes, is hoping to smooth over those tensions. 'I'll tell them what a great place this is and please come visit Halifax, too. Come visit Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and it's a two-way street. Buy things here and we hope Canadians will come to Maine and buy things there,' Mills says. A recent Statistics Canada report shows a nearly nine per cent year-over-year drop in U.S. visitors in April. It's the third consecutive month of declining numbers. At the same time, the number of Canadians returning from U.S. trips tumbled by almost 30 per cent. 'We've always wanted to visit the Maritimes,' says James Hueston, who notes political tensions were enough for him and his wife to avoid the travel to the U.S. altogether. 'We've been to the States a few times in past years, but we scratched it off our list this year and decided to focus elsewhere.' Long says the Tattoo is built around the bonds of friendship of allied nations and that will continue regardless of where the performers are from. All the acts for 2026 are not yet booked but Long says if American performers are on the program, he's sure they will get a friendly welcome. Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
