Paul Lepage

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Maine's donkey party loves the rich and the poor — but can't protect both

Two-faced Democrats
In the current legislative fight over Republican Governor Paul LePage's lust to slash Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) programs because of a $221-million shortfall in its budget, Democrats say over and over that they want to protect the poor, sick, and disabled people from whom the governor wants to withdraw state assistance.
By LANCE TAPLEY | February 15, 2012

The Making of Paul LePage, Part 2

Rise to Power
Governor Paul LePage has made plenty of waves in his first year in office, and has many wondering where his sometimes provocative political attitudes come from. In this two part series we ask: who is Paul LePage?
By COLIN WOODARD | January 18, 2012

The Making of Paul LePage, Part 1

Escaping Poverty; or, the Horatio Alger Years
Governor Paul LePage generated more controversy and negative press in his first year in office than most Maine politicians do in their entire careers.
By COLIN WOODARD | January 18, 2012

It might never happen

Democrat domination
The Very Smart People have proclaimed that the Democratic Party is about to reclaim control of the Maine House of Representatives.
By AL DIAMON | January 11, 2012

Stupid is equal-opportunity

Diverse City
To me, 2011 offered a buffet of publicly expressed stupidity, perpetuated by a broad swatch of races, genders, and ideological factions. Here are a few gems.
By SHAY STEWART-BOULEY | January 04, 2012

What were you hoping for?

LePage's year
In his first year as governor, Republican Paul LePage did a decent job.
By AL DIAMON | December 28, 2011

Indestructible machine

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services
The weird thing about the Maine Department of Health and Human Services is not that it wastes enormous amounts of taxpayer money. It's that it doesn't have any fun doing it.
By AL DIAMON | December 21, 2011

Greenwashing?

Going green
Governor Paul LePage dealt a blow to Maine's green building industry earlier this month when he issued an executive order expanding the types of "green" wood products that can be used in state building construction.
By DEIRDRE FULTON | December 21, 2011

Who is behind the controversial regulatory takings bill?

On the takings
Who is behind the controversial regulatory takings bill?
By COLIN WOODARD | December 21, 2011

Good tidings from LePage

Gubernatorial Wishlist
In place of our usual monthly Gubernatorial Scorecard, we're looking at what Governor Paul LePage has been up to through the lens of the holiday season.
By PORTLAND PHOENIX STAFF | December 07, 2011

Long term plan

Maine Legislature in 2012
Since you're reading this column, I assume you're a person well-versed in the important matters facing this state, or else you're insanely bored and found my stuff marginally more entertaining than the legal notices.
By AL DIAMON | December 07, 2011

Three the hard way

Gubernatorial candidates
The current field of Democratic gubernatorial candidates consists of one who's already run unsuccessfully, one who's a member of the 1 percent of rich and powerful Americans the Occupy Maine movement is protesting, and one who's sort of loopy.
By AL DIAMON | November 30, 2011

Fraud isn't killing Maine's welfare system — conservative misunderstanding is

Barely hanging on
Last week in Ellsworth, Governor Paul LePage renewed his efforts to change Maine's welfare system, calling for increased restrictions on benefits for people seeking taxpayer support to get health coverage through the state's Medicaid program.
By JEFF INGLIS | November 16, 2011

Moving around

Press Releases
The day before Richard Connor resigned his position as editor and publisher of the Portland Press Herald and head of MaineToday Media (as well as departing his leadership posts atop a Pennsylvania newspaper company), he moved $3 million worth of real estate holdings in Maine into a trust held by his wife.
By JEFF INGLIS | November 16, 2011

Ratings game

Gubernatorial Scorecard
A recent poll found that more Mainers approve of the governor's job performance this year than did last year.
By PORTLAND PHOENIX STAFF | November 09, 2011

The wrong words

Putting Maine To Work's approach
In the past month, a political action committee called Putting Maine To Work has sent me so many brochures that I no longer need to worry about putting myself to work.
By AL DIAMON | November 09, 2011

Creature from the Black Lagoon

Tax reform: it's downright scary
I don't believe in ghosts. Or vampires. Or werewolves. Or other mythical creatures, such as Republican US Senate candidate Scott D'Amboise.
By AL DIAMON | October 26, 2011

'Bath salts' hysteria grips lawmakers

This is your Legislature on drugs
Like hopeless, strung-out junkies, one legislator after another babbled contradictions.
By LANCE TAPLEY | October 05, 2011

Three-city news war

Press releases
The Portland Press Herald is really under the gun right now, from within and without its walls.
By JEFF INGLIS | September 21, 2011

LePage’s Koch Brothers connection revealed

Corporate coziness
If you're looking for a poster child for the corrupting influence of corporate money in politics, you'd have a hard time doing better than the American Legislative Exchange Council.
By COLIN WOODARD | September 07, 2011

Storm clouds

Gubernatorial Scorecard
We just weathered a storm that hit harder elsewhere than it did in Maine.
By PORTLAND PHOENIX STAFF | August 31, 2011

Don't say the words

On the campaign trail
Raye is part of the moderate wing of the GOP, fiscally conservative but close to the middle on social issues.
By AL DIAMON | August 31, 2011

Museum dreams

Political Paleontology
This week, we're joining a guided tour of the Maine Museum of Political Paleontology. A docent is explaining to a group of schoolchildren what's happening in a scene depicting cave people trying to register to vote.
By AL DIAMON | August 24, 2011

Governor to nominate favored lobbyist to MPBN board

Up in the air
Governor Paul LePage doesn't much like the Maine Public Broadcasting Network.
By COLIN WOODARD | August 17, 2011

Where’s the drumbeat?

Press releases
Last week's news was dominated by a larger-than-life figure whose cartoonishly confident self-image was battered by revelations that high-level staffers were engaging in questionable practices while trying to get their jobs done.
By JEFF INGLIS | July 27, 2011

Look out for 'bath salts'

Bad trips
Watch out for "bath salts" — a new synthetic drug that's been on the Maine market for less than a year but has wreaked havoc in that time.
By DEIRDRE FULTON | July 27, 2011

The LePage Files

Confidential administration dossiers show governor is skilled at copying corporate and lobbyist wish lists
Confidential administration dossiers show Governor Paul LePage crafted significant portions of his regulatory reform agenda by literally copying and pasting passages from the memos his staff received from corporate lobbyists and their clients, turning swaths of it into little more than a set of giveaways to favored companies.
By COLIN WOODARD | July 20, 2011

Entering the ring

Going green
Environmental advocate Jon Hinck, a lawyer and a state representative, is "seriously considering" a run against Republican US Senator Olympia Snowe in 2012, he told the Phoenix this week.
By DEIRDRE FULTON | July 06, 2011

Democrats celebrate victory in the face of defeat

They cozy up to Republicans and the rich
Senator Dawn Hill, of Cape Neddick, the lead Democrat on the Legislature's Appropriations Committee, which fashioned the recently passed $6-billion state budget, explained to the Phoenix why she voted to reduce income and estate taxes on the rich while also voting for cuts in help to the poor and in teacher and state-worker pensions.
By LANCE TAPLEY | July 06, 2011

End of the innocence

Gubernatorial Scorecard
As the legislative session ends, the amount and nature of Governor Paul LePage's political influence has become clearer.
By PORTLAND PHOENIX STAFF | June 29, 2011