News & Commentary

On Tuesday, January 19, a $3.7 million bill funding 10 new Maine Drug Enforcement Agents, drug recovery programs, and a detox facility in the Bangor area was signed by Governor LePage. This bill is a step in the right direction for Maine, and support from both sides of the aisle for funding treatment contributed to the quick passing of the bill - which was signed despite Gov. LePage’s initial threat to veto.

This piece originally appeared in the Bangor Daily News. 

On Sunday, I was honored to speak at a rally for solidarity organized by the Portland Racial Justice Congress. Here are my remarks:

You might have heard of a bill making its way through congress called the American Security Against Foreign Enemies Act of 2015, or "American SAFE Act of 2015." Despite the catchy title, the bill has little to do with safety. It actually creates barriers against the most vulnerable people seeking safety in the U.S. Unfortunately, the bill has already passed the House and is headed to the Senate soon. We're calling on Senator King and Senator Collins to take a stand against this discriminatory bill and vote no on the "SAFE" Act.

As I wrote in an op-ed in the Press Herald on Sunday, the Constitution makes it clear that the bills – now totaling 71 – languishing on Governor LePage’s desk are now law. That includes six new laws we worked hard to pass that protect civil liberties in Maine. Here’s a look at them:

Earlier today, President Obama announced a ban on the federal government’s transfer of certain military vehicles and weaponry to local and state police departments in the United States. This is extremely welcome news, and given that it is effective today, it will immediately begin to show dividends by increasing the trust between police and the public they serve.

UPDATE: The bill's sponsor has announced he will withdraw the bill!

Lately, it seems that not a week goes by that there isn’t some news from Ferguson, MO. Sadly, the news this morning was of more bloodshed. Last week, it was the scathing report issued by the Justice Department finding that Ferguson law enforcement engaged in a pattern of biased policing and that municipal courts in the city were operating in a corrupt manner, using their judicial authority to compel payment of fines in order to fill the city’s coffers. Not surprisingly, communities of color were disproportionately more likely to be impacted by these fines.

Update: The voter ID bill is defeated, and the Legislature passes a law to continue providing assistance to some immigrants in need!