PORTLAND, Maine — It was another busy week in politics. From a last-minute gun bill introduced in Augusta to a big endorsement for congressional candidate Austin Theriault, our analysts weigh in on the big issues up for debate.
Red flag bill
In Augusta, Speaker of the House Rachel Talbot Ross introduced a last-minute bill to create a "red flag law." If passed, the bill would allow family members to petition a judge directly to have a person's guns removed temporarily. Maine's current "yellow flag law" requires police to be the ones to remove a subject's guns by first taking them into custody.
ZACH: "Kathy, the governor has already introduced her own bill to try and improve the current yellow flag law. Is there some kind of divide between Democratic leadership and the governor's office?"
CATHY: "Well, if there is, it wouldn't be the first time or the last. But listen a red flag bill is very similar to what you have in domestic violence situation or in the case where you think a child might be in danger, where a family member can go to a judge who makes a ruling for temporary removal of weapons based on the facts presented. That's what other states have. It's much more streamlined. It's much less cumbersome than the yellow flag law. Eighteen people died in Maine. I think it's time for a red flag law. It's very simple. We have them in other states. And again, it's when, you know, the family members of Robert Card knew that he was in mental distress, knew that he had weapons, and they had no agency, they had no authority, no mechanism to poll, to alert authorities and to, you know, go to a judge on their own to try to keep people safe. That's what the red flag law would do.
ZACH: "But, Ray, they did go to authorities."
RAY: "So Kevin Joyce, Cumberland County sheriff, was on my program on Good Friday and we talked about this a lot. There's just a lot of tension with freedom and a lot of tension with the Constitution. And that's one of the things that he talked about with these yellow flag laws. They recently had an incident in December and he went into a great explanation of how they were so conscious of making sure they did not violate the man's constitutional rights. He hadn't actually done anything, but his behavior was outside of the norm, and some people felt threatening. I struggle with these laws because I don't want to see any person who is innocent lose their constitutional rights, even temporarily. But I also understand that people are very concerned. After Lewis said it was a great tragedy for the state, great tragedy for all the families. So that tension, I don't know the answer. I wish I did, but I'm always on the side of freedom and individual rights."
CATHY:" I think I air on the side of safety. And, you know, three days is three days. And it gives someone in a crisis the time to get evaluated, possibly get admitted, possibly get treatment. And after three days, that person can petition to get those weapons back."
Collins on GOP
There is a growing divide in the Republican Party. Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski made some headlines for hinting she might leave the party after choosing not to support former President Donald Trump. She has since clarified her remarks. Both Murkowski and Senator Susan Collins have voiced their opposition to the former president's 2024 bid. NEWS CENTER Maine asked Collins this week if she'd caucus outside her party. She said she was "a moderate Republican" and "comfortable in that role."
ZACH: "Ray, I know you're a big supporter of Trump, but is Collins trying to walk a fine line here?"
RAY: "No, I don't think so. I mean, if you're a member of a political party and you're not constantly analyzing what that party's doing, then you're not paying attention. You're just a rigid ideologue. I mean, I do it myself. I constantly look at the Republican Party. I do support President Trump because I think he's a better president than Joe Biden. If there were a different circumstance, I might choose differently. I don't think Senator Collins is walking a line here. She's a Republican. She always has been. She chooses not to support the current nominee, I don't think that that's some big fan of hers. I know some do. She's an American and she has every right to choose who she wants to support and who she doesn't want to support. But I think she'll always be a Republican. Her family is a Republican family, just as mine was. But do I think about it every now and then? I get doggone frustrated with some of these guys. And yeah, I've thought about leaving. I'm not by the way."
CATHY: "You know, Susan Collins does a great job of looking like a moderate and talking like a moderate. But when you look at her voting record, she is a Republican. She votes with her party. She voted with President Trump, including voting for Supreme Court justices who overturn Roe v Wade. Fifty years of settled law. So, you know, I went, sure she's not going to support Trump. That's her prerogative. But I don't you know, I don't think that her voting record is nearly as moderate as the way she likes to present herself."
Trump endorses Theriault
Republican congressional candidate Austin Theriault officially has the backing of former President Donald Trump. Theriault is a state lawmaker and former NASCAR driver from Aroostook County. He said in a statement he is excited to work with Trump to "save America."
ZACH: "Ray, clearly, Republicans really want to unseat Jared Golden here."
RAY: "Yeah, I think they do. And if things remain as they are right now, I wouldn't be surprised if Trump wins that district 12 to 15 points. We have a lot of stations and half of my stations are in that district. I hear from them all the time, not just Republicans, but people across the spectrum. Mike Sobolewski, he's a good guy. He and Austin have been fighting it out for Trump support, and they both claim to be Trump Republicans. President Trump came out and endorsed Austin. So is it game, set, match? I don't know. But it certainly gives a big leg up for Austin Theriault."
ZACH: "If it is game, set, match, Cathy can Golden compete with this?"
CATHY: "Well, of course he can. And that's the real question is what the what the, you know, the general election will be. But in terms of the primary, you know, if I were a person who lived in Aroostook County, I would want to know what these two gentlemen have done for my district and what they have done in the legislature and other places of public service where they have been able to improve life for people who live in the county. And to me, that's the question that should be on every voter's mind, not what someone from New York or Florida thinks about them."
You can watch Political Brew every Sunday on The Morning Report at 6 a.m. You can also catch it any time on NEWS CENTER Maine+.