AUGUSTA, Maine — State Rep. John Martin is sponsoring a bill that would make it easier for the Canadian-based Irving family to mine for valuable minerals on a Maine mountain at the same time he is negotiating a $250,000 bankruptcy debt with an Irving family oil business.
Martin, a Democrat, is co-owner of Bald Eagle convenience store in his hometown of Eagle Lake, which Irving Oil Marketing says in bankruptcy filings is $250,000 in debt for gas and diesel deliveries and related charges.
Martin acknowledges $150,000 of that debt but said there is absolutely no conflict between owing one Irving company money and his legislation to rewrite the state’s mining laws which would benefit another Irving company.
The bill was prompted by J.D. Irving Co., which is co-owner of Bald Mountain in Aroostook County. Geological studies have shown the mountain contains significant deposits of gold, silver, copper and other minerals.
Martin said he met with J.D. Irving officials earlier this year and was persuaded to sponsor a revision of the state’s mining laws because it could lead to good-paying jobs for northern Maine.
Martin, 70, has served 46 years in the House and Senate. He was speaker of the house from 1975 to 1994, but his tenure was cut short after a top aide pleaded guilty to burglary and ballot tampering charges. Martin then resigned the leadership position.
For years, his name has been preceded by the word “powerful,” and Martin is well-known for his mastery of the rules of the Legislature.
Martin said there is absolutely no connection between the debt to Irving Oil that he is trying to get lowered and his mining bill.
He also said of the two Irving-named companies, “There is positively no connection.”
Mary Keith, a spokesman for J.D. Irving, said Bald Mountain is co-owned by “Irving Woodlands LLC and Aroostook Timberlands LLC” which “are separately owned and controlled by J.D. Irving Ltd. and none of these companies has any legal relationship or affiliation to Irving Oil. The forestry operations of Irving Woodlands, Aroostook Timberlands and J.D. Irving Ltd. are separate in all respects from any operations or activities of Irving Oil.”
The relationships among the multiple Irving-named companies operating in North America are the subject of much discussion in the Canadian business press. Because the companies are all privately held, there are few public documents describing the interconnections within what Canadians call “the Irving empire.”
Toronto’s Globe and Mail refers to the Irving family’s “sprawling private business” interests, which combined helped earn the family the No. 3 spot in the 2011 “The Rich 100” list compiled by Canadian Business Magazine. That list estimates the family’s worth at $7.8 billion. While separately run by family members and their deputies, companies such as J.D. Irving — which owns Aroostook Woodlands — and Irving Oil all contribute to the family’s considerable assets, according to the magazine.
Among those assets are 1.2 million acres of Maine’s forestlands, according to Forbes magazine, making Irving the largest landowner in the state.
Part of those holdings is Bald Mountain, near Ashland and Portage, the focus of the mining bill. Bald Mountain is in Martin’s House district. The bill, LD 1853, is being discussed almost daily in the Legislature’s Natural Resources Committee.
It has been opposed by environmental groups who say the late-session fast-tracking means there will not be adequate time for the public to have its say or for the scientific studies required by such a major change to the state’s environmental laws.
Maureen Drouin, executive director of Maine Conservation Voters, a statewide nonprofit, nonpartisan environmental organization, said the situation “does raise concerns.”
“Has this influenced his decision to introduce the bill? We hope that’s not the case,” she said. “Regardless, this bill has the potential to destroy the quality of our water, land and wildlife for the benefit of Irving Oil, a company that is proposing to build a huge, open-pit copper mine in Maine’s North Woods.”
Martin said the convenience store dispute with Irving Oil Marketing Inc. “goes back six years” and involves a change in how Irving billed the store. Martin co-owns the store with Gary Voisine of Fort Kent.
Martin said the store paid off part of its debt by renovating the store at Irving’s request. After that, he said the store still owed $150,000 for gas and diesel deliveries. Martin said he could not get a bank loan for that amount because the bank wanted the records involving an earlier gas spill at the store and Irving never supplied them.
When that approach failed, Martin said, “We tried to work a deal with Irving, so much per month or so much from every gallon we sell, but none of that interested Irving.”
Irving’s Portland attorney in the case could not be reached for comment.
Martin said he didn’t have the $150,000.
“What do we do?” he said. “We’re screwed.”
Irving then went to state court and was granted a lien on the store last fall.
The day before the lien was to take effect, Martin and Voisine’s store filed in federal court for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which allows the company to renegotiate its debts.
“We’ve made them [Irving] an offer,” Martin said. He said he had not heard back yet from Irving’s local attorneys.
Meanwhile the store is buying gas from another company.
As for the future of the Bald Eagle store, Martin said, “I never make predictions, but I hope this will all be resolved” and the store will remain open.
The Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service based in Hallowell. Web: pinetreewatchdog.org. Email: mainecenter@gmail.com.
Really. no conflict? Sounds fishy to me
As Gomer Pyle always said, “surprise, surprise!” I posted it this morning after the original article, “follow the money!” Deceit, disguised as a jobs bill!
He’s gained a reputation for helping folks up there in the county. He’s from the party protecting the poor , poor John ! And before you libs jump down my throat remember that I am the child of a 6 year democratic legislator and career state employee and grew up with broken promises , lies and witnessing shady deals. Liberal voter for half of my life until I sobered up !
I also notice that when the BDN writes about crooked Dems, the paper is not held up by the Wingers as a left wing rag. When they write about LePage antics, they spread lies, but when they expose the Dems, they spread the truth? Something crooked about that position.
I was a registered Republican until the 80s, voting against Jimmy Carter 2X. Then I started reading and listening to more than the official party news. It is more work, but it opened my eyes. Now I vote for very few Republicans. Their answers to complex problems usually involve a 10 second sound bite that makes no sense if one looks at it for more than a minute.
I think that’s true of both major parties. I try to educate myself about the issues that are important to me and my family then I usually vote for the candidate who lies the least.
LOL. You should listen to Obama and Clinton, if you really cared their answers are always in sound bites. Ge t a clue man.
What a joke trying to talk with you. If all you find are sound bites, turn off Fox and watch/listen to something like C-span. Read a whole story on what they talk about.
One for instance, the latest “budget by your Mr. Ryan. He talks about lowering the tax rates to 10% and 25%, but nowhere in the bill does oit say where those numbers kick in, nor can he even estimate how much the deficit will grow with those numbers. but, if you listen to Fox, they present it as a complete bill with rational numbers. Pffft.
Also not on Fox, anything about their parent company’s (News corp.) bribing politicians and police in Britian, their hacking voice mails, their deleting e-mails of murder victims, etc.
Something is rotten here.
Ya think?
This is the same fellow whose untoward actions once brought about term limits…….here he proves the old adage that bad pennies always turn up again and again.
With this now explained..thank you Pine Tree Watchdog, this bill should be immediately withdrawn from further consideration..we should all demand that of the Natural Resources Committee..further there should be a censure of Martin and whatever the procedure is to force or demand his immediate resignation.
This is the place to draw a line in th sand and insist on the complete integrity of our legislators and our legislative process.
is all of this any different than the appropriations committee taking 23 MILLION and giving it to their own companies and or spouses companie? Come on folks, if this mining is safe for our environment and brings jobs to the state…………someone will make money. Is this any different than Cianbro making all the money when EMMC and all needs something done. The CEO of Cianbro sits on the EMH board. Any different than all the rich making money off our wars?
Is Brooks running again?
Let’s hope not.
In the history of the Maine Legislature, I do not think there has ever been a more “shady” character. He even makes some of America’s most notarious politicians of the past look “bright” by comparison. He is the master of closed door and back room dealings and that is why he is rarely seen out in the halls like other legislators. And he obviously has no shame. Does anyone know who I am talking about?
I think that whack-job Legislator that threatened a minding-his-own-business-citizen with a concealed weapon last year might have been a bit ‘shadier’.
Actually, definitely crazier, but he wasn’t trying to hide anything. It’s apples to oranges with Martin. Martin would never point a gun at someone, and I bet the crazy legislator would never have even been able to grasp the concept of selling a bill for $250k in debt relief.
no he sure wouldn’t point the gun himself, but if someone else did he would help to get them off.
same thing with big drug dealers and other not-so-honorable citizens
That wasn’t shady, that was just plain stupid.
He was a veteran of the Navy and suffers from PTSD amongst some other stuff.He is also a friend of mine and he is getting help.Fortunately. he didn’t hurt anybody during his breakdown. Your name calling bears your ignorance.Of course though, we see your name in just about every article here and you are an expert on everything,right? Get a life.
Please ask your friend to apologize to the people of Maine in bringing this bill forward to serve his own needs, to withdraw his support for the bill and to submit his resignation. I did in a personal letter yesterday.
It’s personally devastating to be in such desparate circumstances in the public eye and he will need faithul friends to stand by him.
Yeah, he *does* remind you of “kingfish” Huey Long, doesn’t he?
Good ole David “Wind” Farmer feels the State Treasurer Poliquin has conflict of interest issues. Holy Cow Batman talk about conflict of interest.
No need for a lobbyist here, 150-250K debt is probably enough for Irving to give Mr. Martin a nudge in the right direction (i.e. The direction of making them millions ripping the earth apart and spreading pollution with their “new” mining techniques). Hmm, sounds like Irving’s is using the oldest mining technique in the book to get what they want, good old fashion arm twisting, payoffs and puppeteering.
Oh, Oh John. Me thinks you have opened the big can of worms……………..
Damn those Republicans always in bed with the billionaires willing to sell out our environment to big multi-national corporations! What? Wha- he’s not a Republican? Damn those Republicans! It’s all George Bush’s fault! …….Somehow…..
LOL. John Martin, poster child of DemocRAT politics in Maine for over thirty years.
Yes he is.
Moose Point Camps are conveniently located on Fish Lake (a stones throw from Bald Mt). Owned by none other than John Martin and a convenient place to stay if working on a mine. Not sayin, just sayin.
I will be sooooo happy when that crook finally leaves the legislature. He behaves like a Republican.
Correction, I guided for Moose Point Camps for 11 years when Bill & Rose Mitchell owned them for seventeen years. They were sold to a Maple syrp giant in New Hampshire who bought it for his daughter and her husband to run who lost it back to the Mitchells who than sold it to three Co-owners. One who held the largest share was Pat from the Maine State Legislture in Augusta, than Martin with the second largest, than Clayton with 10 percent. Three co-owners own Moose Point Camps. John Martin would like you to think that he owns the camps out right….that’s John for you….always wants you to know that he is Mr. Big Guy…who can’t even run a grocery store let alone a camp for 3 co-owners.
Your right in that John is not only selling out to Arving on this Ball Mtn. project to hopefully get them to forgive his debt, but he is also hoping that he will get this project rushed through the legislature so no enviorment impact study can be done, while hopefully planning on the workers staying at his share of the camps to keep them from going into chapter 11 which he is running into the ground with his attitude. John claims to be a Maine Guide, HA! I’d like to have him for a week in the back woods of Allagash Lake. We would see just how much of a guide he claims he is……having a license John doesn’t mean you can guide….
wow, you’re obviously a John Martin hater. You may want to get your facts straight. Pat wasn’t in the legislature and the Irving John is promoting is NOT connected to the one that he owes money to. I think if you look at his political record…….he has done well for his constituents or they wouldn’t keep voting him in!!!!
No, I don’t hate John Martin, I dispise some of his shady dealings he has done against some who you call his own constituents. And yes Eagle Lake likes John, but really who else would they elect YOU!
I’ve known John for 40 years…..he doesn’t do anything unless their is a profit for him in some way or form. I know the truth hurts sometime….some friends aren’t always your friends…..
Look at the over all comments on this issue here and you can see that John is not as well liked in Augusta and Aroostook County as you think. Yes he has done some good things also, but let’s be honest with ourselves….If John really cared about paying his debt off to Irving, than he would sell his share of Moose Point Camps off and pay his bills…..No that would be too easy……
Yes I know it is upsetting for you that John got caught with his hand in the cookie jar….by the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, a nonprofit, nonpartisan new service, pinetreewatchdog.org………………they are just doing there job…and he got caught again….John will survive. He just wants to retire and sit on Camp six’s porch with out debt over looking Fish Lake and Wilderness Island across the way…..he will….
Mr. Martin should not survive thi s politically..he should be frced into a resignation by his fellow legsilators..and “we the people” I am considering starting an online petition demandig that and am just waiting on the proper procedural language.
Staple it to the ones against LePage, Poliquin, Mayhew….
How about we start with the oldest offenders, first, and work our way up to today?
King John’s worked for his own interests for decades, and that includes fancy new roads and libraries near Eagle Lake to guarantee his next election.
But state-wide, King John’s been nothing but a self-serving disaster for four decades; possibly the most nefarious Legislature in recorded Maine history.
Too bad he won’t resign in disgrace, or be voted out …
Hell yes. Those three could only aspire to be as, um, shady as Mr. Martin.
I know..none of the dems I contacted last night about censure even answered my email(even though they are in pretty close touch usually)..is it because they are afraid of losing a democratic vote?? They are willing to tolerate a creep like this to have a democratic vote assured?
Should I name names of those dems ?
mmmllldd ..Irving the oil company isowned by JD Irving..that is well nown, well documentated undisputed..the staement in the arrice by the iRving spokesmen is misleading..the J.D. Irving owned comanies involved at Bald Mountain are sibling companies..all are owned by J.D. Irving.
With a ilttle google work you can readily confirm that.
It is pretty clear from the fcats laid out in the article this was quido pro quo..get this through the legislature and we’ll see what we can do about your babkrupcy becauase of the Irving debt
obviously you must be one of those constituents that he did right be cause it was mostly for himself and as far as the irvings, you don’t think at the end of the year that they don’t all share in the earnings?? come on you can not be that smart?
he does well for a minor super minor population in a remote area at a loss to the rest of the state. They vote him in because they like the gravy train – it is the same mistake that keeps the state and coutnry behind
So glad he’s being called out on this one. He’s done a lot of unsavory things for his own benefit.
lol this is all so funny … whats in it for me i wonder…??
District 132, years ago introduced me to you when I was a child. He said you are a good man. This is not good. Fix this before it goes further.
Aren’t they talking about banning pink slime?
Yes. I’m buying up green slime commodity futures in anticipation.
Kudos to Naomi Schalit and John Christie.
They have been doing some outstanding work. Almost reaffirms my faith that journalism’s role as a public watchdog is not yet dead.
Common John I have to say isn’t there a Maine Company that can do the mining?
It’s Irvings land.
Oh, is he a boy scout leader or something?
Ask Mike Michaud.
Maybe he could ask his old “roomie” Michaud for a loan?
Ask Mike Michaud.
You know this might actually be a meaningful article IF it told you what the Bill was CHANGING THE MINING LAWS TO? As it stands it’s pretty much a waste of ink!
Really??? Does this mean Democratics are in politics for personal gain??? hehehe!!!
And all along people thought Republicans had a lock on that . . .
crook
Republican or Democrat, town employee or CEO, cashier or bishop…there are more honest people than dishonest but you still have to follow the money trails.
Term limits : one term at minimum wage ,no state retirement and no government job afterward would result in a citizen government that would work properly !
You think? Easy 1-2-3 solution, but why do you not suspect that it would lead to trying to max out your income during that one term? What would stop you from promising Irving anything they wanted for a cushy job with the Irving family afterwards? Term limits have not stopped stuff like this from happening in Calif. As a matter of fact, some would say that the constant churning has thrown good out with the bad and made legislators even more dependent on lobbyists to figure out what is going on.
Let’s say you are an expert on farming. Great for when farming bills come up. What do you do when crime bils, or pharmaceutical matters arise? Do you vote in ignorance, or do you find some “experts” to guide you? There are no easy fixes. That is wishful thinking.
Maine legislature…………job opening, no experience wanted!! What are you folks thinking? Term limits take place at the poles. Why wouldn’t you want your elected officials to have experience in state government?
Experience breeds dishonesty in politics.
Not a conflict of interest? Come on who is he trying to fool.
A sleaze-ball politician no matter if they are Democrat or Republican is a sleaze-ball politician. This guy ranks right at the top of the list. Didn’t we pass term limits primarily because he ran the State of Maine from the Speakers office. He had more power then the Governor. Anyone who buys into this legislation being about JOBS, JOBS, JOBS is as nuts as the people who buy into the current resident of the Blaine House who selling the same thing. In both cases it is BS and both of them are all about special interest. I don’t care who you sell out to be it Irving and their associated companies or if it is the insurance industry or The Heritage Foundation it is still selling out. It is time we start demanding something new and different from our politicians. That they are honest. Until we do we can fight with each other on these message boards until the cows come home about who is to blame for the problems we are facing. But when you boil it all down the real problem isn’t the politicians it is us. Because if we didn’t vote for them they would never get the opportunity to screw us they way they are doing and have done for way to long. Honesty isn’t a Democratic thing, it isn’t a Republican thing, it isn’t an Independent or Green thing. Honesty is the right thing and until we, the real owners of the State of Maine, start to demand it from our elected officials we will get just what we currently have which is exactly what we have had for way too long in Maine. Maine people are honest , hard working and care about their families and neighbors. It is about time we started electing people who have those same values.
Let me remind you that sleeze comes with seniority. Term limits .
We have term limits. Sleaze comes from our allowing it in the first place. Elect honest people and it solves the problem. Put in recall provisions so that when sleaze is found it can be dealt with right then and there instead of having to wait until a term is over.
Term limits in this state are a joke and a game. These guys serve their terms in the State Senate, then sit out a cycle before then serving in the House, sit out another cycle, then start over again. That’s all it is to most of these crooks- a game. Another one was the case of a member of the legislature wh0, despite being terminally ill with end-stage cancer, was re-elected. He was too ill to travel to Augusta to be sworn in, so a trip was made to his home where the oath of office was performed. He died shortly thereafter. This was all done for the benefit of his wife, who was then able to keep the health insurance following his death. By all rights he shouldn’t even have been allowed to run because he knew he wouldn’t live to serve a day of his term. Our tax dollars at work.
Really should blame the voters in that case. Can’t say they knew their candidate now can they ?
well said other than the term limit issue. Obviously John Martins constituents want him in Augusta. That is a right they have as voters. Term limits are done at the poles and should never have been made a law. I agree HONESTY is so far removed from politics. Greed and hatred have taken over.
Poster child for “Stockholm Syndrome!”
we can call for his resignation can’t we? how many sigatures does it take to force a vote on the floor ?
CORRUPTION…ENOUGH SAID…
“Martin acknowledges $150,000 of that debt but said there is absolutely
no conflict between owing one Irving company money and his legislation
to rewrite the state’s mining laws which would benefit another Irving
company.”
Corruption is not limited to any one party. It runs rampant in Augusta, every other State Government, and in Washington D.C. “He that has the gold makes the rules.”
It’s way past time for Martin to go. He should have been booted years ago but nobody had the stones to follow through.
He apparently still has the weight of the “stones” to throw around in his district. If his past behavior hasn’t demonstrated to them that he needs to be thrown out . . .
On the flip side, perhaps the state is better off with his audacious carcass in office, where he seems to have no compunctions about letting us know what he’s up to.
If you saw the way the voting is conducted up here you would know how he gets elected.
He is NOT a one man band!
What ever he comes up with has to be voted on.
Whats the Differance to him writeing Legislation for this Irving Outfit and Doug Thomas writing Legislation for Cianbro for a FREE Feasibility study?
Remember Doug Thomas owns a Firewood Company and it is not unreasonable to suspect that he has affiliations with wood lot ownwers affected by an East West Highway.
I agree with your statement , that’s why I favor term linits of 1 term and no benefits.
Why? Because Martin has a distinct odor about him. And if you ever lived in The County, you would know that Irving has the same smell to them.
and you guys wanted bruce poliquin kicked out for what? doing the same?
Your last 2 paragraphs remind me of Ted Kennedy and Barney Frank. Lots of power because of their longevity, many examples of ineptness, and may more skeletons in their closets.
We in Mass couldn’t/wouldn’t vote them out: One died in office and the other saw the writing on the wall and quit after 30 years as another career politician (or, as the saying goes: He left because of illness. The voters were sick of him).
I find this to be a poor report. Irving fuels and Irving woodlands are not affiliated with one another Irving oil its its own company and Irving woodlands is owned by J.D. Irving. Its like trying to say that all people with the last name Martin are related when there not. I do not see why this was not looked in to seems like a pretty basic fact.
The Irvings involved in the enterprises in question are, in fact all related.
Besides, judges have the final say in Chapter 11.
And you don’t think John doesn’t know any of them?
You are so right. The WalMart in Houlton is so not connected to the Walmart in Presque Isle. They are separated by at least 40 miles.
Oooh. I get it now. Eeeeeewww. That’s nasty…
Oh, blimey. Is “that” what I think it is?
I will NOT use the word “sleaze.”
John Martin vs. the Irvings? Part of me is smiling. What finer bedfellows?
I suspect Mr. Martin’s audacity and “power” have met their match.
This is almost as deceptive as the sugar beet scandal of the early ’70’s. Ranking right up there with the Maine Housing Authority. I see a pattern……
Mr Martin is a scumbag. A disgrace to Maine. Notice how the BDN cowers to him by repeating twice – no conflict
Gee, where did the paper say 2X that Martin has “no conflict”? Did they quote him as saying there is no conflict? Yes. Does the subject of the story get to speak? He should. I know this is not how things are done on the right, but most real news organizations let the person speak for themselves.
It know it is a habit on Fox to take a quote, twist the meaning, and then write a whole story about what the person said without ever directly showing the quote in context, or even showing the real words the person said. I know that you might accept this as fair and balanced, but, as they say Downeast, you can put biscuits in the oven and call it cake, but that don’t make it so.
If you can show me where, in the story, the BDN takes it upon itself to say that there is no conflict, I will apologize to you. Otherwise, control your impulse to act like a winger who finds misplaced commas and misspellings to prove their point.
Martin can introduce any bills he wants to! It doesn’t mean that they have to be approved and passed by the legislative branch!! As a matter of fact, using taxpayers’ dollars to fund private business –
well, it doesn’t make sense to this person … whether it is research $$ for an east-west highway (toll road) to be built with private funds –
or changing the laws to allow more pollution to one of the most pristine areas in the nation to accommodate a mining enterprise.
There are three Wings to the Maine Republican Party,
The Corporate Wing,
The Psycriatric Wing,
And the John Martin!
John Martin is a Democrat. He stays in office because he has been the only elected official from Aroostook who has brought anything of consequence home from Southern Maine controlled Augusta. If he has benefited personally, it is no different from any of the rest of the State’s politicians. Martin is not rich as many of them have become.
To Haroldreport” correction wrong on that count, he has benefited personally and still continues to do so. He has and still uses his inside knowledge to acquire all the assets he has, uses his power to control others so you have to “think his way” and there is conflict of interest everywhere he goes from all the boards he sits on to what he owns on paper, always! always! a conflict of interest….go visit his hometown and ask around (but then, most people are afraid to speak out) ….so Irving vs Martin, yeah I say definitely a conflict….just remember “KARMA”, is headed his way.
Karma is a wonderfull thing!
I think you are misinformed. Buying property has nothing to do with his being in the legislature! His assets have been purchased on his own and or with other folks. Nothing to do with politics.
to mmmlllddd, wrong he has used his connections and inside info to acquire assets, (talk to the people he has stepped on to get where he is and what he has)please pull your head out of the sand
“If he has benefited personally, it is no different from any of the rest
of the State’s politicians. Martin is not rich as many of them have
become. ”
haroldreport, I hope you dont mean it is ok because he didnt get as rich as some others? because he is from northern maine and brings home the goods…..we are in sad shape when we all accept things going on that we know are not right…..
Hey dilbert, he’s a Democrat. How can you be that uninformed.
No Kiddin!
What?
Democrats cant be crooked?
What is this slimy old rogue still doing in our government?
People in his district continue to re-elect him. They like his “expertise” and the way he “brings home the bacon” for them. In short, they believe he is their old rogue.
Yes, I believe the saying is something like “He might be a dirty lowdown scalawag, but he’s our dirty lowdown scalawag.”
Keep in mind that this is a very financially oppressed area that is often ignored by Augusta. It irritates me to no extent when people refer to Bangor as Northern Maine!
I’m not making any excuses for his behavior but one can certainly see why some blindly follow him.
John Martin….Maine’s Ted Kennedy
A more interesting story would be why they let him get $250,000.00 in debt.
Oh, come on! A fill up from empty with one of those Ford Trucks with the double tanks on it could handle $250K based on the price of gas in Northern Maine.
Have you hugged your Community Organizer and Chief today, yet?
Right…And they just drive around with that truck delivering a quarter million dollars worth of fuel and say pay us when you can?
Typically, national level politicians are required to place their assets in a blind trust to prevent situations just like this. Irving recognized Martin’s influence early on and thus most likely allowed that debt to accrue to the point that they could expect to possibly extort him in the future like they may be doing now.
Guess term litmits didn’t work for Martin. Now he wants to let a firm from Canada tear up Maine. Where are all the protestors that want to stop land being made into a national park and saved from being tore up?
They don’t want a park that could be mined in the future. They want a mine that can never be a park.
Where’s the little sheriff Mark Dion now? Shouldn’t he be asking the Maine Supreme Court for a ruling on this or something?
There is alot more to this story and I suspect the tip of the iceberg if you ask anyone who lives up there. A good investigative reporter should continue to connect the dots and follow the money. To date no media outlet has done their job in this regard .
46 years in the house and senate. Time to retire.
46 years as a state legislator? seems like it would be good to have citizen representatives who come from the real world….not lifetime politicians…………….all politicians are not bad but sometimes they lose touch, especially when they seem to be looking out for their own interests more than the citizens and the state…..
typical behavior of a career politician a democrat no less.
Completely separate companies owned by a vague assortment of people who just happen to be related to each other. See no problem!
We all need to get rid of the old regardless of the parties. This is not a career it is suppose to be a job to help your fellow Mainer not your own pocket. Look at Robert Nutting, he is in the state house and should be in the big house. We need to get rid of them all.
In other news, A cat killed a mouse, and an eagle flew.
Caught in another conflict of interest. Thast should be his middle name.
Lets see, sits on the committee that decides where the DHHS money goes, but then owns numerous homes funded by that source. He owes Irving $250,000, now a bill gets introduced by him that would probably reap hundreds of millions for Irving. Gee golly, no problem there!
He’s a crooked politician. Don’t sugar coat all this with, Well thats one Irving company, and thats another Irving company.
Go to Eagle Lake, listen to some of the stories about this man. ALL your tunes would change.
E.L. is GREAT place to visit but … his questionable activities and investments are well known. How does he get elected time after time? Let’s see.. Getting criminals off for blatent poaching violations and other crimes, making sure the patients and residents of his many non profit homes/facilities vote for him and through shear intimidation. EL only has 1000 or so residents and older people and others that don’t know any better think he is God. The bigger they are… The Warden service and State police should breath a collective sigh of relief if he retires, sooner than later.
Not all people from E.L think John Martin is God…only his family and close friends…which out number the ones that think John should get out also.
Perfect Dish, no insult intended. I am well aware of the situation and have the utmost respect for those who have attempted to stand up to him! I am ‘somewhat’ removed now but the stories I could share … (but won’t).
No conflict of interest? Sorry, Martin . . . this does not pass the straight face test. Something here stinks.
there is gold in them there hills!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Setting aside the fact that BDN has brought to light the perceived “conjectures” of the slime ball dealings of an actual Democrat, there is a basic content to this story that is being ignored.
JOBS. ECONOMY. “good-paying jobs for northern Maine.” Although it is popular to hate the wealthy and their despicable “profit”, how many sustainable jobs are created by the poor?
Environmentalists will squelch this bill, anyway, so why worry? The environment will remain clean, the mountain will be “preserved” for species including ants and timber invasive insects, EXCLUDING the human species ….. Roxanne Quimby style.
I have a relative who was a Maine Warden. One night some canoes pulled up in front of the ranger camp ar the foot/head of Chamberlain Lake near Telos. When they started unloading stuff, the ranger told them that where they wanted to camp was not an approved campsite. One fellow came up to him and asked him “Do you know who I am”. He told the ranger he could basically do what he pleased in the woods because he was John Martin.
I’m talking about John Martin, not LePage, even though they appear cut from the same cloth. Both bullies, both thinking they canhave their way because they are God’s gift to the planet. Get them both outta there.
Those stories numerous and very well known. He treats the wardens like they were his personal valets working on his estate. Shows his pretty boy guests that he’s a big shot.
Well, of COURSE he doesn’t have a conflict of interest. The public interest isn’t allowed to interfere with his own . . .
“No matter who you voted for, the Government won.”
I wonder if all the jobs this is supposed to creat are going to be the same as the ones that were supposed to have been created when Irving took over in the New Sweden/ Stockholm areas. Anyone want to bet that Canadians will be the only workers on these sites? Seen this all before from Irving. As long as they get what they want the way they want it, the people of Maine can just go hang. Best block this now.
oh BDN this must really hurt to have to report on one of your own
How come no headline like conflict of interest seen here ?
Ya I forgot Martin is a Dem.
The man is 70 years old, and has lived off the Maine taxpayer for 66% of those years. Please, go away already! Oh, that’s right, I forgot, it’s called Public Service.
As a Democrat, I say “if it walks like a duck….”. Definitely a conflict.
How convenient , getting laws passed for your creditor that you are in debit to, how novel ! Its the scratch my back and ill scratch yours syndrome and in this case its maybe you can call it even steven and make my debt disappear syndrome !
Did you not understand the article? The Irvings are two different companies.
Did you not understand it? Different companies, yes…they “just happen” to be owned by the same family. How much do you suppose a legal connection between the companies matters when the money is flowing to the same people, or their relatives.
The Irvings have far more than “two different companies”……but, follow the money trail and eventually you end up at the core of the Irving family…..
John Martin Democrat Eagle Lake, Maine. THE most corrupt politician in the history of the history of Maine. Makes Mr. Paul LePage look like a pica. Conflict of interest? Never! I give the BDN credit for shining a light on this corrupt corrupt corrupt John Martin Democrat Eagle Lake, Maine.
thank you Bangor Daily News for your courage and taking a pro-active stand with your investigative journalism in exercising one of our inalienable rights “Freedom of the Press”
Rep. John Martin issued the following statement on what he says are baseless insinuations on the mining bill:
The bill was prompted by J.D. Irving Co., which is co-owner of Bald Mountain in Aroostook County. Geological studies have shown the mountain contains significant deposits of gold, silver, copper and other minerals.
Martin’s convenience store, Bald Eagle, which he co-owns, is in bankruptcy filings with Irving Oil, a separate company with the same name, for $150,000.Bald Mountain is co-owned by “Irving Woodlands LLC and Aroostook Timberlands LLC” which are separately owned and controlled by J.D. Irving Ltd. and neither of these companies has any legal relationship or affiliation to Irving Oil. The forestry operations of Irving Woodlands, Aroostook Timberlands and J.D. Irving Ltd. are separate in all respects from any operations or activities of Irving Oil.
“These two companies are completely separate entities with no relation other than a similar name. If my debt to Irving Oil were to vanish tomorrow then you’d have a story to write. No one but the bankruptcy court will decide what my company owes Irving Oil. Just because I’m a small business owner having a fight with a big oil company doesn’t mean I’m going to stop fighting for jobs in my community. I introduced this bill for no other reason than to create jobs and economic opportunities for the people of Aroostook County.
Mining development at Bald Mountain could create up to 300 direct, good paying jobs and hundreds of indirect jobs for the people of Eagle Lake and the surrounding areas.”Maine’s current mining laws were put into place twenty years ago, which Martin helped draft. His mining measure proposes to update these laws to take into account new advances in mining technology and stricter environmental laws.
John, please do us a favor. Go up on the back side of Allagash Lake and get lost. You aren’t funny anymore. No one cares about your goofy back door wheeling and dealing anymore….youv’ve cost us Aroostook tax payers enough grief. They threw you out of Allagash village, now they need to get you out of Augusta….No…John’s not a Republican….he is just trying to get Irving to forgive his and Gary’s debt while trying to drum up a little business for Moose Point Camps who he is still going around telling everyone he knows that he owns them instead of the truth that Pat from Augusta is the biggest co-owner, John second, than Clayton Cyr. Mr big guy who wants to steal the show…..Naw! not Bush’s fault…..at least Bush had others to fib for him….John does it all first class!!
What I find of interest is that the bill is a concept draft – there is no actual language for anyone to read. While I am not a supporter of strip mining in general, I am happy to at least discuss what Martin is proposing – when it actually is available.
Which hopefully is soon, as the Environmental Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing on the bill this afternoon.
CROOK Hes done for . Dont mess with J.D.I
The present Speaker of the House from Oakland Republican Nutting and a former speaker now just Representative from Eagle Lake Democrat Martin owned or co-owned and ran businesses that had to file bankruptcy. So one path to success in politics appears to be to own or run a business so poorly it must file bankruptcy, then blame someone else for the misfortune (the supplier or the government), and then claim you have the ideas necessary to lead a party to help make Maine government operate more efficiently and fairly. Sad. At the end of the day the voters in Oakland and Eagle Lake deemed this folks fit for office. The problem is not with Nutting and Martin but perhaps with the good people who refuse to run for office so voters have real alternatives to choose from. Or voter apathy. What is the saying, if you are not part of the solution then you are part of the problem.
Who’s trying to fool who ? Martin owes Irving the money. Irving needs the legislation introduced and passed to get Bald Mountian mined. Martin, who is in the Legislature, can get the Bill introduced and get it thru the legislative process. He also has dammed good motivation to do so. ($150K is pretty good motivation in my book). Irving knows that and is no doubt, however politiely you want to phrase it, going to give Martin ‘consideration if not outright forgiveness’ of the current obligations and money’s once the bill passes and Irving is mining the mountain. The State DNC should be ashamed of itself for letting ths nonsense get this far along and coming to light, especially right now.
Given the business community’s unabashed grab for power, courtesy of Paulie the First and his Marden’s connection, adding in the Anthem Health insurance mess in the Court’s, the Calais LPG Terminal mess and now the LPG Tank Farm on the coast, it is now more than clear that a huge amount of responsible, and practical, ethics need to be made law in the State of Maine. That Martin is clearly involved is also another reason why ethics are now so badly, and clearly, needed. When ever economics and politics are in any type of close proximity there is always a big tendency for the ethical line to blur. In this case it wasn’t a blur. It was completely either ignored or just plain whitewashed. And that, if nothing else, demonstrates just how badly ethics needs to be made a part of Maine.
Please read Martin’s statement below. These are two separate companies owned by different people that share nothing accept the name “Irving.”
Follow the business connections and you end up at the core of the Irving Family……
Does anyone remember the ballot fraud incident starring none other than Maine State Senator John Martin, Democrat from Eagle Lake??
Yeah, because Republicans have never been accused of ballot fraud. H*ll, they can’t even be trusted to run their own primary honestly.
A crooked politician is a crooked politician, but I do not know of any Maine Republicans who, while in office got caught red-handed as Martin did. I’m not saying you are wrong, but please cite a specific incident
Oh, please. Just re-read the comment I left and you will see that the most recent incident was the way the results were announced by the Romney supporters before some of the ballots were even cast. Comments about a 200 vote margin before most were cast, and weeks before Aroostook and Washington Counties voted don’t constitute some kind of fraud?
Martin is some kind of crook, but his electoral fraud pales in comparision with his other antics.
Democrats are routinely accused of stuffing ballot boxes, although nothing can be laid at the feet of the Democratic Party, and nobody has been prosecuted for that in how many years. Republicans, on the opther hand, have gone to jail for supressing the vote, and have not gone to jail, even after being shown to have interfered with voting. Examples? The Bush Republican leader in New England, and closer to home, the hiding of the buses that are used to transport voters. Another farther afield Republican party tampering, Ehrlich’s robocalls in MD in 2010. Here’s a link to the last one:
http://www.google.com/#hl=en&sugexp=frgbld&gs_nf=1&cp=17&gs_id=1b&xhr=t&q=ehrlich+robocalls&pf=p&sclient=psy-ab&oq=ehrlich+robocalls&aq=&aqi=&aql=&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=9487830796264a14&biw=1536&bih=719
So, yes, there are a ton of cases where the Republican establishment has tried to supress the vote. Where are your cases where the Democratic Party sanctioned voter abuse? Not individual Dems., but Party driven cases?
I specifically referred to Maine politicians in office. Everything you mention is nothing but inuendos and what you feel isn’t fair, or of a national nature. I’m talking about actual ballot stuffing by a Maine politician here in Augusta. If you want to widen the scope of the topic to include national politics, than there are many, many cases of the Dems cheating also.
Innuendos? Innuendos? Not at all. If you bother to check, some of them include jail time. You are so blind you assume the Repubs can’t have a sin. End of discussion because you choose to be uneducated about it.
Once again. I’ll say it slowly. Maine – politicians – Augusta. Your answer refers to everything but.
What year?
Disqus generic email templateI don’t remember, but it’s gotta be 8 or 10 years ago. I will research it to see if I can find out and forward any thing I can find to you.
Disqus generic email templateMaine Speaker’s Aide Admits Ballot-Tampering March 04, 1993|WILLIAM CLAIBORNE | THE WASHINGTON POST
PORTLAND, Me. — A top aide to the Speaker of Maine’s House of Representatives pleaded guilty Wednesday to burglary and ballot-tampering charges in a case that has raised questions about the state’s practice of having the Legislature appoint the secretary of state and attorney general.
Kenneth Allen, executive assistant to Democratic House Speaker John Martin, offered his plea in state Superior Court in Augusta. It came 12 days after another legislative aide, Michael Flood, pleaded guilty to breaking into a ballot storage room in the State Office Building on Dec. 11 during a recount, to alter ballots in favor of Democratic candidates in two closely contested elections for the Maine House.
Martin, whose 18 years as Speaker have made him one of the state’s most powerful politicians, Secretary of State C. William Diamond, and Atty. Gen. Michael E. Carpenter have been accused by Republicans of moving slowly to uncover alleged irregularities in the ballot recount.
Martin, who was branded by House Republican Leader Walter E. Whitcomb as “the boss of some criminals,” said he will not discuss the case until the investigation is completed.
Carpenter and U.S. Atty. Richard S. Cohen said Wednesday that they are working on a report on the incident that is expected to be made public in about a week. In addition, Diamond has appointed a bipartisan commission to investigate.
Cohen said Wednesday that evidence indicates that Allen instigated the break-in. But, he said, “While certain aspects of the investigation remain to be finalized, no evidence has been adduced to date of any chargeable criminal conduct involving an illegal cover-up of the ballot-tampering scheme.”
Denying allegations that he led a cover-up, Martin has said he suspended Allen on Dec. 14 for treatment of alcoholism and was not notified of the ballot-tampering until two days later. However, prosecutors have said telephone records show that on the night of the break-in Allen and Martin spoke with Martin’s state-paid legal counsel, Jonathan Hull.
The ballot controversy has intensified political rancor in the usually scandal-free Maine Statehouse, leaving the two legislative races undecided and prompting calls for new elections in three other House contests that required recounts after the November election.
It also has prompted questions about Maine’s 1820 constitution, which does not clearly separate executive and legislative functions and which empowers the majority of the House and the Senate to appoint the attorney general, secretary of state and treasurer.
The result is that investigations of irregularities in statewide elections are controlled by a secretary of state serving at the pleasure of the legislative majority, and responsibility for prosecuting charges of ballot fraud rests with the attorney general, another appointee of the Legislature.
I am thinking that if I had a problem resolving an issue with a company that I would not likely do something that was going to help them. Plus, for all the people who complain about John Martin, the voters of his district keep re-electing him by a large majority.
Well that explains why the store had no gas to sell most of the winter. With 100’s of sleds going by, and no gas to sell, his loss.
The crook is exposed…
It doesn’t matter what letter is after a politician’s name. They’re all a bunch of crooks. It’s one of the reasons I support term limits for all politicians: 1 term in office and an equally long or longer term in jail.
“Martin acknowledges $150,000 of that debt but said there is absolutely no conflict between owing one Irving company money”… He makes the decision? I don’t think so…
This is a ridiculous to even consider. This proposed mining project will ruin the native coldwater fisheries in the Chain of Lakes, the Machias river and the Aroostook River. Fish River Lake is a trout factory…that will generate more revenue in the long run than this short term destruction.
Irving has already done enough to the North Maine Woods in search of profit….they have killed the deer herd through monoculture forestry practices. Deer dont live in square miles of stunted spruce! ( which in result has boosted moose, rabbit and lynx numbers i must add). Hey Irving, stick to oil and spruce monoculture. Leave the waters alone!
Amen!
John Martin’s effort to
accommodate Irving is reminiscent of a previous corruption of Maine
law.
Under Baldacci and a legislature
completely controlled by Democrats, a bill was passed without debate
to expedite approval of Wind Energy projects across much of rural
Maine.
As a result of that bill,
destruction of forests and scenic areas of Maine continues to the benefit of
Angus King, Rob Gardner, First Wind and other connected entities.
Has the legislature changed
enough to prevent the same result with Martin’s bill?
OK, in situations like this, a smart politician recuses himself. period! Martin, sadly, is not one of those types. But then again, he’s a democrat so let him pass…….same old, same old.
Wow, what a conflict of interest; I thought Maine had term
limits? This is just another good example why 4 years is long enough for
someone to serve in the Senate or the House.
You would think there would be rules of ethics one would live by. This
would most certainly be to the benefit of Martin regardless of what he is
saying in public. I cannot believe that Irving will not be more favorable to
forgive this debt or reduce it if the bill can get passed. This just
stinks………….
follow the money people…John’s probably got millions outside the USA…a has been
John Martin should resign and then get a job running a brush saw, trimming Irvings clearcuts for the summer. He could pay off his 150,000 in no more than 15 summers! what a corrupt fool.
So typical democrat. If he believes there is no, or little, conflict then he is still wraped up in his own self importance. Stay home little John. You are nothing but trouble for the rest of us.
More proof Martin is dirty .. My friends up north are gonna hear from me again lol..
Yeah,sure.
Martin’s so crooked they’ll have to screw him into the grond when he dies!
Years ago Martin pulled all the lobbyists out of the lobby and all had to go through his office. He also tried to make the legislature a full time entity. He is what is wrong with Augusta.
John Martin is also teaching at UMFK in Ft. Kent. Just what we need teaching students. I hope he’s not teaching ethics.
I see Martin is re-negotiating his debts and using the pristine environment in Northern Maine as collateral. So all you Northern Mainers get a putrified mountain and loss of the natural environment, and Martin gets to keep all his stuff….seems fair to me.
wonder what my cut would be, eh?
The Repukes must have burned the toast this a.m. when they saw this.
The story forthrightly states that Martin, a Democrat, is negotiating a deal with the billionaire Irving family. And, it sounds like he’s using his political influence in an attempt to get off the hook for an unpaid debt.
That kindled a Repuke blitz against all Democrats and the newspaper. The County people like him. Some don’t. Here, shellacked by some, and respected by others. Overall – it’s death to the Democrats.
Political myopia blocks reality. Joyous Repukes vainly perceive themselves as the only creatures blessed with the ability to see the unacceptability of Martin’s actions. Just as impossible as it is for them to see so many more malfunctions by the repuke party.
What a nice objective little post! Do you have anything to say about the current topic or are you just interested in using the word repuke repeatedly? I remember in elementary school hearing words like puke on the playground. It was really funny. If you are trying to be funny great job. It is just sad if you are not.
I myself take great pleasure seeing a demo–rat take heat, Without the protection of Janet Mills as AG, it’s hard for the demo-rats to hide… 40 years you demo-rats kicked the people of Maine aside to line your pockets,, What is a repuke party, doesn’t sound like I want to go..
Corruption is not all on the Republican side of the aisle. I doubt that it will ever happen, but wouldn’t a bill specifically stating that law makers and other public officials and their immediate families could not benefit by any means more than a preset maximum, of say $5000, on any legislation enacted during their term of service nor for a period of time, say 5 years, after that be a good start? Couple that with an elected board of overseers who must relinquish any and all ties to any political party or faction upon taking office.
Are we surprise by this guy’s brazen approach to the electorate, and to think he’s a DEMOCRAT to boot.
This Martin couldn’t operate a wheelbarrow and he has been writing our laws for years? Look at Martin, Charlie Pray and Pat McGowan, when it comes down to running businesses these guys flunk, but they want to tell us how to do it. The height of hypocracy.
If it walks like a crook and it smells like a crook then it may be a legislator from Maine
Another birthday present I would not have gotten if Dems were still in charge… Keep em comming!!!!
I’m seeing a pattern, State Prison Warden buying state owned property on the cheap, Turnpike Clown taking trips, and stealing from taxpayers, and now this fine elected official using public office for personal gain. Guess I picked the wrong state government to spend my career with, should have came home to Maine! Looks like the benefits eclipse anything I was offered. Maine, Open For Business!
Absolutely positively nothing inappropriate going on here!!!
“Martin said there is absolutely no connection between the debt to
Irving Oil that he is trying to get lowered and his mining bill.
He also said of the two Irving-named companies, “There is positively no connection.”
Is he nuts? Irving is all that and more (Midland, Kent, RST, Speedy Propane, Canada’s biggest oil refinery, all the English newspapers in NB, TV, paper mills, sawmills, potatoes, The Cat, shipbuilding buses and many, many, more. All operated as one, very private, vertically integrated family business.
If you are indebted to one, you are indebted to all of them. Now play nice.
Martin’s a crook and always has been. Another one for the cell! Pretty soon we wouldn’t have any government, and that may be best!
The more things change, the more they stay the same.Anyone interested in a bridge for sale over in Brooklyn again?
Another good example of how corporate money corrupts the political process. I affects both sides of the aisle. Greed is greed. Your democracy on a plate.
This guy could never win a state wide election. Gets voted in by his Francophone friends who marvel at his ability to keep the road paved.
This has nothing to do with ‘Francophone’ friends, you narrow minded hack. As much as
I hate the guy, the condition of Rt 11 and roads to the county are considerably better than ever. Bartneally, do you travel these roads on a regular basis? You apparently have so much insight, please share.
StillRelaxin, SpruceDweller, where are youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu?
Rep. John Martin was my guest on the One on the Right radio show this afternoon, in which he explains that there is no connection between Irving Oil, which he owes $150,00, and Irving Woodlands, the company that owns the proposed mine site.
He also explains the intent of his bill to update Maine’s mining regulations, and talks about the proposed mine itself.
http://www.cyberears.com/index.php/Browse/playaudio/15458
Go tell Naomi Schalit and John Christie they’re wrong.
http://www.sunjournal.com/news/state/2012/03/22/martin-sponsors-bill-irving-mining-owes-250000-ano/1171606
Ya ok! It seems to me that there is alot of jelousy going on, or there are alot of sore losers out there. And to you people out there, who claim to have all those facts, who do you think kept John Martin Speaker of the House for 19 years? Eagle Lake? Or would you the Factual Man, dare to say he bought his way into the Speaker of the House. For somebody who claims not to hate John Martin, sure is throwing alot of sharp knives.
One political party always try’s to convince us, that, their diaper is less soiled than the other party”s diaper.
This is who Irving oil ltd. is. J.D. Irving no longer is alive. The company is owned by three siblings. Here’s the story. Follow this link.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._D._Irving By the way. J.D. had left the company to his children under the stipulation that they don’t live in Canada. They found a way to circumvent this stipulation.
Just like Gary Voisine co owner of the store.. Got fired at the Irving Mill in St john for stealing, but John bailed him out and now they are partners in crime..
And now he is a logging contractor for Irving.. It is time to get John out of office…
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Hard to believe that the PEOPLE of Maine have kept on putting this clown in office for 47 years !!! I think it is WAY past time to take out the garbage in Agusta….ALL OF IT !
Nip Him In The Bud I Say,!!!
You must be a relative or someone who owes his/her existance to him. Are you kidding? Being in the legislature gives him every advantage. Nothing to do with politics? Seriously? I’ve been reading your comments and ARG! You don’t have a clue, mmmlllddd.