MACHIAS (NEWS CENTER Maine) -- Former employees of the Downeast Correctional Facility have refused to give up their fight to have the prison reopened, that was reiterated Wednesday morning when they had the ear of House Republican leader Ken Fredette.
Rep. Fredette is the first legislator from outside Washington county to come meet with former employees, business owners who were impacted, and see the facility.
"I came down here today because I really wanted to see and learn for myself what was going on," Fredette said. "It has been very helpful for me to have the interaction with folks that worked there, see the facility, see what employers are doing."
The group of former employees packed into the back room of Helen’s restaurant in Machias. "This is what we have been pushing for since the very beginning," said Daniel Ramsdell.
Fredette greeted everyone with a handshake but was soon bombarded with questions.
"How can you vote on a bill if you don't have all the facts?" one person asked. They were referencing Gov. Paul LePage’s remarks on the cost to run the prison and its condition. Many of the former employees have crunched the numbers and claim what the governor has stated as fact is just not true.
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"Why would you maintain loyalty in a party to a man who has violated state constitution, violated state statutes," another said. "You could go on and on."
Fredette expressed his desire to help. He explained he was a Washington County native himself and that he didn’t agree with how Gov. LePage handled the closing of the prison.
"It’s not how I would have done it," Fredette said.
After talking for over an hour, Fredette joined the former employees outside of the prison. "It certainly is in better shape than I thought it was going to be," Fredette said. However, he was denied access inside the prison gates. Fredette respected the decision but says it would have given him a chance to cross reference the Governor's comments about conditions.
"I think it would have been helpful for me to sort of make that assessment on the ground to see that," Fredette said.
While those who were there expressed gratitude for him coming, many questioned why it took so long for him to come speak with them. They also questioned why other legislators hadn’t taken the time to visit the county as well. When asked if he trusted the loyalty of Fredette to the people of Washington County, one man replied he wasn’t buying it completely. "He's a politician and he skirted a lot of questions," he said.
Fredette, who is also running for governor, would not commit one way or another about his support for reopening the prison.
"I'm in the process of developing my decision and so I don't have a decision today," Fredette said.
He promised to take what he learned back to his colleagues. For the people he's leaving behind, they're focused on delivering their own message to the legislature and LePage.
"It's something that we can hold somebody accountable to and that's what we are going to do," Ramsdell said. "We are going to stand up and continue to push the facts and the truth and we are going to make sure that people hear it."