AUGUSTA, Maine — It was another busy week in politics. From Republican lawmakers in Augusta getting censured to Gov. Mills' ongoing budget battle with Democrats and a push by the Biden Administration to close the so-called "gun show loophole," our analysts weigh in.
Republican lawmakers censured
Two Republican lawmakers in Augusta were censured in the House this week. State Representative Michael Lemelin from Chelsea, essentially saying the Lewiston shootings were God's punishment for the legislature passing a bill to expand abortion access in the state. He and his fellow Republican Representative Shelley Rudnicki, were forced to apologize.
ZACH: "Ray, Lemelin is no stranger to controversy, but was this beyond the pale?"
RAY: "Oh, absolutely. I couldn't agree more. And I have a couple of thoughts on this. I do think that Speaker Ross was histrionic. It was crazy. I mean, she last year said twice, storm the capital. She should have been censured. So that's number one. Number two, I have no problem with the House censuring anyone if they want to. It's the House. But they should do it with a roll call vote so that we know who votes to censure the members. And number three, I am a faith-filled follower of Jesus Christ. It doesn't work this way. He came to this earth for our atonement. And first of all, the comments are crazy because it was the Maine House, the Maine Senate and Governor Mills. If there was going to be a wrath of God, it would be on them, not on 18 innocent people in Lewiston. Republicans and Christians have got to stop talking like this."
ZACH: "Betsy, I also don't want to lose sight of the fact that there was a bill actually up for debate on this to protect providers of abortions as well as gender-affirming care."
BETSY: "Right. And so that was what prompted this incredibly horrible attack. And if you saw in the clip, it was a personal attack on the speaker. 'You caused this. You did this, not the legislature.' And you know the speaker, again, I was there for that. The speaker was gracious and warned him multiple times and gave him the opportunity to stop this line of questioning, and he didn't take it. Censure was absolutely called for and it was important for the institution and respect for the institution that this happened because otherwise all bets are off and we're going to turn into a circus more like Washington than we want to be."
ZACH: "Genius, a lot of people have been saying that this behavior is like Washington. How do we get state politics back?"
GENIUS: "It's a good point. I think that the... I'll call it a game. I don't mean it's a game, but it's a contest that's being played to kind of send these signals and say these things in front of certain supporters. I think is despicable. I think immediately about the families and just people in my own life that were directly affected by the shooting in Lewiston. And I think about the comment that was made and it's just despicable, it's inappropriate, it doesn't really make sense. And as someone who also believes in God, I just think it's shameful. But in this larger political kind of environment, invoking God and God's decisions is unfortunately allowed, even if you don't know what you're talking about. So to me, no, it doesn't feel like Maine."
Mills' budget battle
There is an apparent battle between Governor Janet Mills and Democratic leadership over a significant last-minute budget proposal changes made by the Appropriations Committee in an early morning meeting last weekend. The governor and Republicans voiced concerns about those changes, including rolling back millions in transportation funds, tax relief for people who receive state pensions and cutting aid to dairy farmers. Republican leadership even called for the removal of the committee's chair.
ZACH: "Ray, the governor is calling on that committee to reconvene, but the clock is ticking with the legislative session ending Wednesday."
RAY: "Yeah, and I don't do this a lot because we don't share a lot of common political ground. I like Janet Mills, but as governor, you know, we're not on the same page. I applaud her for speaking out so strongly on this. She's absolutely right. I think this was passed at 143 in the morning. The public doesn't stay up and listen at 1:43 in the morning because they got to go to work. Even if it's Saturday, they still got to go to work. Taking money from transportation. I wrote in here this morning and every time I do, I get a little red-faced because the roads are so bad. We're not taking care of things. And they gave this money last year from the sales tax. Now they've taken it away this year. It seems like the majority Democrats don't have any idea what they're doing."
ZACH: "Betsy, but this speaks to a larger issue that seems to be a divide between Democratic leaders and the governor."
BETSY: "Yeah, I think I think that what we're seeing here is a lot of need. And, you know, there's tends to tends to be more fighting when there's actually funding available and what it's going to go towards. was there I was in the room at that at that moment, and it was 2:30 actually, not 1:40, 2:30 guys. So I was listening. But to watch, you know, I think what's happened is the lack of transparency in the process. You know, we've gotten more into going back into back rooms and doing the whole deal so that the full legislature and the public and the interested parties don't actually have a good sense of what's happening. So we can't weigh in, come together and actually make good decisions. I don't agree totally with what you're saying, but I think there are places where we could actually get together and work. And I think it's there's a lot of divisions, right, between Republicans and Democrats, between the governor and leadership and between the two leaders. So I think that it's time to like, you know, hopefully this end-of-session staff will bring everyone together to come up with a good solution because there are a lot of issues at stake.
ZACH: "Genius, the budget includes funding for affordable housing, mental health resources, more. Should Mainers be worried here?"
GENIUS: "Worried? I think that they're going to find a way to move forward. But I do think that these are pressing issues. You know, some of these issues are really life and death. When you talk about mental health, you talk about housing. No matter what, no matter what season it is, it's been cold lately. But even outside of that. So I think that it sounds like it needs to be more open communication between the parties involved. And this is it's scary at the last minute. It's scary at the last minute to all of a sudden hear that the breaks go on. So I won't pontificate. I think that they need to move forward and I think they need to communicate more openly so that that can happen."
Pingree on background checks
On the topic of guns, Maine Democratic Congressman Chellie Pingree is applauding a move by the Biden Administration to close the so-called "gun show loophole." The rule, which was finalized by the Department of Justice this week, makes clear that anyone selling firearms must be federally licensed and conduct those background checks. That is regardless of whether they're selling on the Internet at a gun show or at a brick-and-mortar store.
ZACH: "Betsy. And this closes the loophole here in Maine. What does this mean in the ongoing debate over guns here?"
BETSY: "Well, we have a very similar... the governor has a very similar proposal in her gun safety legislation. It goes a little bit further than that. So I think this is a welcome, welcome change because this is where we're seeing lots of loopholes, not just for Maine, but for people from Massachusetts in places where stronger gun laws who come to Maine buy their weapons and then use them elsewhere. So I think this is this is definitely a positive move. We see three other important gun safety measures that are going to come up that are built in during these last couple of days of the session. And they are all equally important to make sure that Mainers can feel safe doing this."
GENIUS: "I think that actual action has to happen, and that's what I see this as. I think that often after a shooting or someone loses their life or many people get hurt, there's a lot of emotions, there's a lot of prayer, there's a lot of thoughts. And I think all those things are necessary. But then I think you have to actually do something policy-wise. I always hear whatever the policy proposed, it's always instantly knocked down by a lot of people who just say, 'Hey, I believe my right to have a gun.' Well, I also believe in my right to have and carry a gun, but I also believe in common sense. And I also believe in taking care of people by making it harder for them to hurt each other. So that's I see this as a step in the right direction, although I'm sure. Well, let me just say this too...a gun show shouldn't be a secret hidden environment where no one can know what's going on. If you want to do something bad, just wait for the gun show and go there. And I think we have to change that. It's very logical. But again, no matter how logical a powerful your assertion is when it comes to controlling things with guns, instantly, it's no, no, no, no, no. And I don't think that's I don't think that's making anyone safe. "
RAY: "So I don't like the fact that it's called a gun show loophole because if you go to a gun show, you cannot buy a gun without a federally licensed background check. No, it is true that this is a big progressive nonsense stuff. Here's how it actually works. Two guys are standing there looking at a gun. One guy says I wish I couldn't. Can't afford it. The other guy says, Hey, I've got a gun. I could sell it to you. I could tell you this gun. And they travel a mile away and do a transaction. That's the gun show loophole. If you buy a gun at a gun show, you go through a background check. I've been to them. I know this is true."
BETSY: "So why? They're closing a loophole that doesn't exist?"
RAY: "Yeah, there's not a there's no loophole here."
GENIUS: "Well, then this won't have a negative effect. It won't have anything."
ZACH: "And the NRA wouldn't be saying it is unlawful."
RAY: "The NRA is going to fight any gun thing because it's a slippery slope, just like the abortion people fight any abortion thing because it's a slippery slope in their minds. There is no gun show loophole here. What I just described were two guys go and transact it privately."
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