AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage’s consultation with the attorney general’s office about calling legislators to Augusta before the November elections is typical whether the governor is vetting his policy idea or setting up a special session, according to former Attorney General Janet Mills.
Mills — who was not re-elected to the post by the Legislature after LePage’s election and the election of Republican majorities in the Maine House and Senate — said last week that she would expect the chief executive to seek counsel from the attorney general before convening any out-of-the-ordinary session.
“That would certainly involve some legal advice,” said Mills earlier in the week. “The governor can only call in the Legislature without their approval when there’s an extraordinary occasion. That seems to me like it would have to be something pretty serious, like a time of war, a drought or some kind of state emergency. If I were the attorney general, I certainly would want to be consulted on something like that.”
LePage has said repeatedly that he is working with the Maine attorney general’s office on issues surrounding the possible special session. Brenda Kielty, spokeswoman for the attorney general, declined to confirm or deny that LePage is consulting with the attorney general and would not comment on whether such conversations were about the governor’s policy idea or the issue of calling a special session.
Maine governors are given broad and seemingly ambiguous authority on the issue, according to the Maine Constitution, which states that the governor can call special sessions “on extraordinary occasions.”
Since 1960, the Legislature has convened for a total of 26 special sessions, not including the second year of each Legislature, which also is called a “special session.” All but three were called by sitting governors, according to data compiled for the Bangor Daily News by the state’s Legislative Law Library. In 1991, 2004 and 2008, Legislative leaders triggered a provision in the Constitution that allowed them to call special sessions by gaining majority approval from legislators in each of the two major parties.
In abbreviated special sessions in the past 10 years, the major bills considered by the Legislature involved approval of bond and referendum questions for statewide ballots and supplemental budget bills. The Legislature also has approved a slew of appointments and resolutions during those sessions.
Last year, the Legislature convened in September to consider emergency bills that outlawed the drug known as bath salts and reapportioned Maine’s congressional districts.
Joseph Carleton, secretary of the Senate, said that logistically, legislative staff doesn’t need much notice to prepare for a special session and that there are no timelines specified in Maine law for notifying legislators. The House clerk and Senate secretary would need to compile and print the legislative calendar and, depending on the magnitude of the business at hand, might have to call in some employees who typically work only when the Legislature is in session.
“The governor has the right to submit his proposals,” said Carleton. “Doing everything [to prepare for a special session] would take a few days, probably less than a week.”
Whether Gov. Paul LePage will call a special session of the Legislature in advance of the November election has remained as much of a mystery as what lawmakers would deliberate if convened. Democratic legislative leaders have said a special session costs the state about $35,000 a day.
House Minority Leader Emily Cain, D-Orono, told reporters Aug. 17 that LePage said during a telephone conversation with her that he would wait until January to unveil his idea, but LePage spokeswoman Adrienne Bennett said later in the day that the governor is keeping all options on the table.
“I have a track record of being open, honest and direct when it comes to the media,” said Cain. “I had a direct conversation with the governor … He was unambiguous. Adrienne Bennett was not on that phone call.”
Bennett told the Bangor Daily News twice last week that there is “nothing new to report” on the issue and declined to answer questions Monday about her statements being at odds with Cain’s. LePage, in an appearance Monday in Scarborough, indicated that he would wait until January to unveil his proposal, according to a report by WCSH.
Pressed by reporters after the meeting about whether he told Cain he has put his plans on hold, LePage responded while walking away from reporters by saying “I lie a lot. You guys tell me I lie a lot.”
The Androscoggin County Republican Committee called on LePage earlier this week to call a special session so the Legislature could consider a resolve in opposition to the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, though a similar resolve was rejected by the Legislature last year. Bennett has not returned calls and emails regarding that request.
Its not the special session that we are concerned with but the secrecy of it all. Who is there right mind can tell there boss, “he I want to do something that will make almost half the people really mad, I don’t know if its legal so I have to talk to a lawyer, and I am not going to tell you anything about it.” How long would it be before the boss demanded what was going on? Not long at all. They have since came out that it had something to do with paying the hospitals, but man did we have to drag it out. Its being secret about it all that is very scary.
The LePage Administration is a slow motion emergency of ineptness for the State Maine.
Don’t buy into the smokescreen that what he was talking about in Bangor, has anything to do with paying the hospitals; with or without money from the alcohol contract.
It’s simple and straight forward, wait for the legislature to be in session, which will be in September. Then put up to vote the necessity for another special session to deal with LaPudge’s secret agenda, which includes wasting $30k for the special session.
Why should we be told what he has in mind? After all we are just citizens.
And why should we be told everything that is on your mind? Yes, we don’t need to know everything on the governor’s mind. Not even his wife needs to know.
“you people”
He’s going to try being governor “nice guy” in hopes that we’ll forget he’s been a bully and tyrant for 2 years. He’s trying to garner votes for his repub. pals so his reign of incompetence can continue unchecked.
He might be a bully but he is a far cry from incompetent. For that, you need only look at the Baldacci administration, the most incompetent of all time and apparently violated Maine’s constitution by running a deficit budget. But then, Baldacci never did worry about laws, they were for the citizens of Maine, not him.
Why is it that instead of defending LePage, you always point out someone that may or may not have been worse. Your argument is like saying Lepage is dumb, but Baldacci is dumber…therefore LePage must be smart. Makes no sense. Baldacci is gone, LePage will be in 2 years.
T-R-A-N-S-P-A-R-E-N-C-Y!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Did the Governor forget his promise??????? Maybe he is right…maybe he does lie all the time……….
Just like Obama.
Socialists won’t be happy until Maine continues back on the road to financial ruin that we’ve had a brief respite from under LePage. Maine is really hopeless. Wanna bet it goes 60% easy for the marxist in chief?!
Another story from the Bangor Daily Enquirer, another opportunity for those with intelligence challenges to display their skill at name-calling.
Can you imagine how different this article would have read if the main players were all Democrats? BDN don’t even try to say that you are politically unbiased. You have your agenda and your stories bare that out. You are no different than MSNBC.
Wow! Addressing a political story with cries of BIAS (waaaaaaa!) without pointing out what you are talking about. Conservatives never do this! They are never hyper-sensitive about any story that is critical of a Republican with open ended shrikes of BIAS! You sir, are a trailblazer.
Conservatives wear hip boots when reading or listening to liberal left.
And why not? They already have them on from when talking about all their policies.
So sorry you just can’t see thru the pablum and kool aid.
Do you need a tissue?
I suggest you wear hip boots when reading the BDN. It is safer that way. And get a good sense of humor to read the comments, that often helps expecially when you get under the libs skin. The pablum often flies off the page. LOLS.
Reelect LePage-
Guaranteed to pissoff tree-huggn quimby minion… :-P
He’s my boy as long as he keeps doing that !
I’m speculating this special session will be called when it’s likely the most outspoken members of the other party are scheduled to be out of town. Anyone want to bet on it?
Ah, just all remember, The Great Gov ain’t ta workin’ alone, whoever is pullin’ his string, I doubt we will ever know. The great battle for Maine, to take it over, and push and extract the blights on the landscape not considered worthy. The blackhearts and Gop’ers lurking and smugly smiling, looking down their long noses at the landscape littered with the refuse of time past, the condescending looks exchanged, the wily high jinks about to be slyly sifted down on the ones unable to overcome and defend and remain, the un-remorseful push of drawing up lifelines and rendering the sea of life to a torrid storm.
Have I got a landfill to sell you, great location with a nice view.
No thanks, I would not want you as a neighbor.
Poor Emily Cain !
Left out of the loop again……………….
What was concerning about the special session was that there was so much secrecy about it, and apparently for GOP ears only. LePage is governor of all the people of Maine and he needs to represent the interests of the citizens as a whole, not just a select few.
To the Governor, telling the competition one thing and doing something else is simply clever strategy, both in business and in politics.
He doesn’t seem to grasp that, to most Mainers, this does indeed make him a liar.
Lepage tells his pals a made up story while speaking in a bar and the next day he has a different story to cover up his lie.. I can see why all the abusive alcoholics vote Republican. Lepage reminds them of themselves.
Is Janet Mills retired or Not? She certainly doled out money deals. She should be retired.