AUGUSTA, Maine — House Republicans on Wednesday offered their own request to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court that it look into a possible violation of the Maine Constitution by Treasurer Bruce Poliquin.
The House order, introduced by Majority Leader Philip Curtis, R-Madison, is similar to an order introduced earlier in the week by Rep. Mark Dion, D-Portland.
Curtis’ order reads, in part: “If it is determined that the Treasurer of State has engaged in any business of trade or commerce, or as a broker, or as an agent or factor for any merchant or trader, does that finding affect or have an impact on the validity of the actions taken by the Treasurer of State in the performance of his official duties as used in the Constitution of Maine, Article V, Part Third, Section 3?”
House members are expected to take up the matter on Thursday.
Dion addressed his own order on the House floor Wednesday, an order he said “speaks to our fundamental responsibility to uphold the constitution.”
For several weeks, Democrats have questioned Poliquin’s business connections, in particular his plans to expand the Popham Beach Club, which he owns, and his real estate company, Dirigo Holdings LLC.
Dion has been pushing the issue and requested an opinion from Maine’s attorney general. The attorney general said Poliquin should not be actively involved in any business dealings going forward but did not say whether he thought Poliquin had violated the constitution.
House Speaker Robert Nutting said both orders are sitting in the House and could come up on Thursday.
“Instead of a three-page order, which is really loaded with a lot of political speech, we’ve narrowed it down,” Nutting said.
Also on Wednesday, the Maine Ethics Commission ruled on a complaint from the Maine Democratic Party that Poliquin failed to disclose all of his finances in 2010. The commission said Poliquin’s original disclosure form was substantially compliant but was incomplete. It has now been made complete through an amended filing. The commission recommended no penalty.
State of Maine Inc. is a business and the people involved are businessman and businesswoman, so why is everyone surprised at the treasurers’ fortune. What a hoax.
Fortune? While I’m not gloating, from the reports I’ve read I don’t think the Popham business was doing all that well.
Our constitution is no joke, no hoax. No pass for for party affiliation.
Poliquin thinks that laws are only made for the little people. Men as important as he thinks he is need not comply with constitutional prohibitions.
Or rightfully pay his TAXES like the rest of us “Little people.” The guy is as dirty as a politician can come. The longer the GOP/Tea Party clings to him the more his grime will rub off on them. Great! Then they’ll be well primed to take a long soaking bath next November.
“Or rightfully pay his TAXES like the rest of us “Little people.” The guy is as dirty as a politician can come.”
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For a minute there…..I thought you were talking about little Timothy Geithner. Oh wait a minute ! Timothy Geithner is a Treasurer also…….on yes, now I recall…he’s the Treasurer of the entire Nation. If Bruce Poliquin knew what was good for himself, he would give Geithner a call and seek his advice.
This discussion is about Poloquin, did you lose the thread? Maybe you are one of those that thinks it is ok to do something wrong if someone else does it first?
I was specifically responding to StillRelaxin’s self-righteous remark about TAXES. QUOTE: “Or rightfully pay his TAXES like the rest of us “Little people.” The guy is as dirty as a politician can come.”
So when I read StillRelaxin’s self-righteous remark about politicians who “overlook” paying their taxes, I only wondered if StillRelaxin applied the same judgment to the Treasurer of the U.S.
I don’t believe I went off topic, because if it is proven that Treasurer Poliquin violated something (whatever it is that the Democrats are having a meltdown over) then I thought it would be a real good piece of advice to remind Poliquin to call Timothy Geithner, the top Treasurer of the whole Country, to find out how he slithered out from under avoiding taxes from 2001 – 2004 and still went on to become Treasurer of the U.S.
I wonder if Kiki knows that Geithner was appointed to the job of Governor of the New York Federal Reserve bank in 2003. So it was G. W. Bush that appointed him first. Does this make him a Republican? He also worked in the Clinton White House.
Mainly, Poloquin’s problems are entirely separate from what the Maine Legislature is trying to figure out in regard to the Maine Treasurer.
I wonder if Kiki knows that Geithner was appointed to the job of Governor of the New York Federal Reserve bank in 2003. So it was G. W. Bush that appointed him first.
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What’s your point? Bush didn’t know what a tax cheat he was at the time. Only after it was revealed how big a tax cheat Geithner was..did it then qualify him to be Treasurer of the U.S. in the Obama Administration……
This applies to anyone: Republican, Democrat, Independent..ANYONE. This transcends political parties. This specifically is about right and wrong and the the absolute hypocrisy of one man presenting himself as the champion of the downtrodden taxpayer and the whole while he is abusing the system personally.
So, you’re saying two wrongs make a right?
BTW, Geithner is not running businesses on the side the way Poiquin is. The difference is significant.
So now you see how you will cover and protect your own boy Geithner…(someone you consider one of your own)? Republicans do the same, especiallywhen Treasurer Poliquin goes after Dale McCormick’s corrupt practices as head of the MSHA during the last Administration. 2.2 million is a lot of change to divert to “kick your heels up” and “let your hair down” bonuses for her employees.
I was specifically responding to StillRelaxin’s self-righteous remark about TAXES. QUOTE: “Or rightfully pay his TAXES like the rest of us “Little people.” The guy is as dirty as a politician can come.”
So when I read StillRelaxin’s self-righteous remark about politicians who “overlook” paying their taxes, I only wondered if StillRelaxin applied the same judgment to the Treasurer of the U.S.
I don’t believe I went off topic, because if it is proven that Treasurer Poliquin violated something (whatever it is that the Democrats are having a meltdown over) then I thought it would be a real good piece of advice to remind Poliquin to call Timothy Geithner to find out how he slithered out from under avoiding taxes from 2001 – 2004 and still went on to become Treasurer of the U.S.
Watch out for Nutting!
{“Instead of a three-page order, which is really loaded with a lot of political speech, we’ve narrowed it down,” Nutting said.}
He is watering down the order by running it through a blender!
Nutting, Poliquin, and LePlague: a/k/a Larry, Curly and Mo.
Is this the Nutting in the Medicare scandal:)
NO NO silly ! This is referring to a Nutter Butter Peanut Butter Sandwich…. and I can attest to it…Nutter Butter Peanut Butter Sandwiches aren’t scandalous at all !
Reply to chenard,
AKA
Dewy, Cheatum and Howe!
So did anyone here say it was just politics and those democrats were on a witch hunt, recently ?
Yes they did, I read many a ‘witch hunt’ comment. So does this make it a bipartisan witch hunt?
Double, double, toil and trouble, Heav’n help Poliquin in his trouble.
I did, still do.
Seems to me that the Democrats are trying to see that Executive appointees comply with the provisions of the state’s constitution. That seems to be well within the job description that goes with being an elected member of the Legislature. wonder that “bites” would rather that they do?
I sure don’t know what you want.
Do you ?
Well, I want to see constitutional officers comply with the constitution.
So where are those great GOP leaders Deb Plowman and Andre Cushing on this?
Scenario one–The republicans insist that Polquin has done no wrong and shrug this off, bringing even more ridicule and less credibility down on them than they currently hold…….
Scenario two–The republicans agree that Polquin has, if not actually violated Maine constitutional law, at least given the impression of violation of Maine constitutional law and then…….
a.–censure him only and thus bring down even more ridicule and less credibility than they currently hold…….
b.–Toss him out on his ear, thus bringing down even more ridicule and less credibility upon themselves.
tough choice…….
I wonder if this is a way for the Republicans to tell the governor that he needs to get in line with them rather than the Republicans getting in line with the governor?
Nah, he still would not nderstand:)
Scratch his name off the Snowe-replacement list…
Nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah nah, ayh ayh…goodby!
Good thing Bruce Bunyan has that logging biz to fall back on…wait, …what?
There’s a lot of grey area in the way that the rules for “tree growth” are applied. There’s potential for very convenient interpretations.
House Republicans don’t seem to be watching one another’s back anymore. What’s up with that?
Because this Democratic paper prints what puts Republicans in a bad light. The BDN’s readership has suffered under Democratic rule. I guess they will give their paper for free in the future when the welfare society tells them they are entitled to a free paper.
Democrats are beating this to death.
Ya, that’s why the republicans in the senate wrote up this order, because they are democrats in disguise.
Mark Dion? Read the article.
I did. And I quote: “House Republicans on Wednesday offered their own request to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court that it look into a possible violation of the Maine Constitution by Treasurer Bruce Poliquin.”
You missed where an earlier request was made by Dion. Guess he is now a waskawee wepubwican
??
” The attorney general said Poliquin should not be actively involved in any business dealings going forward but did not say whether he thought Poliquin had violated the constitution.”
So, did the AG act in the interests of us citizens by ducking the real question? Or, did he act like stooge for Mr. 39%?
It’s simple: Either Poliquin has been in violation of the Constitution, and should get the heave-ho, or he has not been in violation of the Constitution, and can remain in office. The Attorney General is
remiss in not answering that simple question.
Isin’t government wonderful when you reduce the ‘moosepoop’ question to a simple yes or no ? Does the pile stink (did he do it), yes or no ? After that the cure is even simpler. The big question is does the Court have the gut’s to do what the law actually calls for ? Judge Laughly is about to feel ‘the weight of law’ as she never imagined. Judge, now more than ever the reason for the seperation of powers being made a part of the government is about to be seen by all. Again, Maine can lead the way. All we have to do is simply do it. Everybody is equal under the law. Now is the time for that to be put into practice.
Just more Republican Corruption.
This line of inquiry is a partisan joke. Poliquin asked for advice or guidance from everyone who might listen. And ,as would be expected ,The Lib’s blew him off.He even asked his predecessor how he should manage his affairs and, again , was blown off. This guy was very open about his want to avoid this type of conflict, yet those in charge at the time,Dem’s, gave him the run around. This is beyond gotcha Politics’s, it was/is a plan to ensnare a guy who tried to do what was needed . They left him on his own to figure it out, and try to predict how they might come at him. The moment he started to look into MSHA is when the Lib’s decided to act on the little scheme they developed.
The longer Liberal progressives are out of control , the more we will uncover about their past/current misdeeds. The MSHA is looking to be the biggest examples of this, and is why we are reading about Poliquin today in the BDN and not reading stories of Dale MacCormick and her Carbon off set problems, paying her “Partner” for training services,paying Green Consultants fees totaling just over $5.5 million,ect ect.
You are kidding Rocky:)
Unfortunately ,no.
Before the politics of personal destruction settles down, the Dems will insist that their own Private Detective (Dion) find out what Bruce Poliquins favorite color is.
Treasurer ………no business…………….Poloquin by his own admission in business………….exactly how much clearer should it be?
Stop defending the Dirt B*&, lying (&$#, party hack.
What should he do, sell everything and live in a Yurt .He is a businessman, who does business type things. He even took the step to ask those in previous State positions,including the former A.G if the plan he had come up with was sufficient . This is a hit job plain and simple, the more he uncovers, the harder they try to take him down.
Rocky, maybe you’d like to see the state constitution amended to allow the state treasurer to pursue his normal occupation while service as a constitutional officer. But until that’s done, the rules are the rules, and enforcing them isn’t a witch hunt. He may indeed have consulted with the “former AG” on the matter, but that doesn’t mean that the current AG is bound by whatever advice that the former AG gave. It also doesn’t give him immunity from being questioned by the legislature, or impeached.
I might very well be ok with a change ,or at least a clarification ,on the rules/expectations on this Matter. The point remains that this man tried to do what was right, he asked questions and sought input and got little to nothing. Once he was blown off by the former A.G many us of knew,and spoke of, that we would be here today,after the Lib’s waited long enough to hope folks would forget the truth of this matter.
I stand by my statement that this is worse than political Gotcha, it is the end result of sneaky, dishonorable scheme. It is disgusting.
It’s an election year, of course they care. If this wasn’t so fresh in voter’s minds it might otherwise get swept under the rug.
You can read both orders for yourself here, beginning with Rep. Dion’s:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/83085788/Dion-Maine-House-Order
Rep. Curtis’:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/83205851/Order-41-Floor-Amendment
This guy is a lap dog.
“Instead of a three-page order, which is really loaded with a lot of political speech, we’ve narrowed it down,” Nutting said. THAT SAYS IT ALL-
Dion is a political hack that went to law school full time, studied for and passed the bar exam all while he was Cumberland County’s full time sheriff. Hypocrisy at the highest level!