by James Cyr | Sep 29, 2015 | Uncategorized
The Bangor Daily News recently interviewed the Senate President at his business, Mt. Waldo Plastics. In addition to speaking about his rapidly growing shovel business, he also reflected on the previous legislative session. Read the full article here....
by James Cyr | Aug 7, 2015 | Uncategorized
August 7, 2015 Paul R. LePage, Governor State of Maine 1 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333 Dear Governor LePage: Thank you for your letter outlining your concerns about Maine’s drug crisis and the explosion in overdoses from heroin and other opiates. We cannot simply sit back and watch this tragedy unfold. Lives are being lost and families are suffering. This is not an issue we can leave up to individual towns and cities to tackle. Tragedy is striking in municipalities all over the state, regardless of population, location, or affluence. Maine needs a comprehensive, statewide effort that includes law enforcement efforts and effective treatment. It is not acceptable to ignore this growing epidemic and it must be addressed. Convening a summit to further study this issue is an excellent step forward, and I appreciate your work to bring people together for this purpose. Assembling experts and advocates from all sectors of society is key to understanding the scope of the problem and the most effective solutions for combatting it. It would certainly be beneficial for the Maine Senate to be involved in the summit and to hear directly from the experts about what policy initiatives may be best suited for battling the drug epidemic. As details of the summit come together I would encourage you to invite participation from Senate members, especially those who serve on committees that are dealing with the effects of these drugs. I have always been and remain committed to advocating for additional state resources to be directed toward fighting the drug scourge. In standing with you and Commissioner...
by James Cyr | Aug 6, 2015 | Uncategorized
“Today, Maine’s highest court confirmed that the Governor’s inaction on these 65 bills resulted in them becoming law. While I am disappointed that some of these measures are now law, I am pleased that we have a court opinion which reaffirms the longstanding, 195-year old practice of dealing with vetoes that is outlined in the Constitution. We should now move past this dispute and use this as an o…pportunity to change the tone in Augusta. The executive and legislative branches must work together. I encourage the Administration to reset their relationship with the Legislature to foster an environment of engagement and collaboration. Effective leadership requires instilling confidence both in our colleagues in Augusta and constituents back home. When that confidence is shaken we should not be surprised when we are unable to accomplish our goals. By working together we can all accomplish great things for the people of...
by James Cyr | Jul 24, 2015 | Uncategorized
Fellow Republican Legislators, As you are most likely aware by now, the Maine Legislature has secured legal counsel in the upcoming court case between the Governor and the Legislature over the fate of 65 disputed bills that were passed by the Legislature at the end of June. Next week, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court will hear oral arguments in the case, and I thought I would take this opportunity to share with you the reasoning for hiring Timothy Woodcock to represent the Legislature in this matter. First and foremost, as Senate President, I am responsible for defending the actions and maintaining the integrity of the Maine Senate. Following our sine die adjournment of the First Regular Session, the administration submitted to the court a request for a solemn occasion to have the court weigh in on the status of the bills in question. The court has agreed to take up the matter expeditiously and requested the Legislature select counsel to submit written briefs and appear before the court for oral arguments. Following that request I contacted Attorney Timothy Woodcock to represent the Maine Senate in the matter. Many of you may know Tim Woodcock; he has been active in our party for years. Tim is an accomplished attorney who has worked for Senator Bill Cohen, served as Mayor of Bangor, and represented Maine Republicans numerous times in his private practice. In 2002 Tim ran for US Congress and lost the Republican nomination in a close primary. After Tim was hired to represent the Senate, I was approached by House Speaker Mark Eves who inquired about sharing legal counsel. Instead...
by James Cyr | Jul 21, 2015 | Uncategorized
AUGUSTA – Senate President Michael Thibodeau (R-Waldo) announced today that attorney Timothy Woodcock will represent the Maine Legislature as the state’s Supreme Court takes up the case of 65 bills that are the subject of a dispute between the Governor’s office and the Legislature. Yesterday, the Supreme Court announced it will expedite the case and hear oral arguments on July 31, 2015 and accept legal briefs that are due on Friday of this week. It will be up to the court to decide whether 65 bills that were not acted on by the governor within 10 days of their passage are now law or, as the governor maintains, are active bills that have been vetoed and now must be addressed by the Maine Legislature. According to Senate President Thibodeau, House Speaker Mark Eves approached him about joining the legal counsel that had already been secured by the Senate to represent both chambers in order to save taxpayer money. “On advice of legal counsel I moved forward with this cost-saving approach. Timothy Woodcock has a long, distinguished record as an attorney and public servant.” The Senate’s decision not to take up the after deadline vetoes submitted by the governor is consistent with the Maine Constitution and historical precedent. “As Senate President, it is my responsibility to defend the actions and protect the integrity of the Maine Senate. “Unfortunately many senators were looking forward to the opportunity to sustain some of the governor’s anticipated vetoes.” # #...
