Randy Billings

US Attorney General threatens Gov. Mills with lawsuit over transgender athletes 'Maine should be on notice,' Pam Bondi said in a letter to the Maine governor over compliance with President Donald Trump's executive order on transgender students competing in school sports.

Developing story of the day ...

www.pressherald.com/2025/02/26/u...

Auburn lawmaker emerges as a force in Maine Republican politics Rep. Laurel Libby, R-Auburn, is facing a tough election of her own, but is raising and funneling hundreds of thousands into other key races that could determine which party controls the Maine House.

Last fall, I wrote about Laurel Libby's growing political apparatus and fundraising prowess in Maine.

www.pressherald.com/2024/10/22/a...

Maine lawmaker censured for posting photos of student she identified as transgender The House votes 75-70 along party lines to censure Republican Rep. Laurel Libby for singling out a student who won a track championship to protest Maine's policy allowing transgender athletes to parti...

After being censured in a party-line vote, Libby refused to issue a formal apology, so the Republican lawmaker from Auburn will not be allowed to speak or cast votes on the House floor until she does, @rachelohm.bsky.social reports.

www.pressherald.com/2025/02/25/m...

Q&A: Can Trump withhold federal funds from Maine? Do other states allow transgender athletes to play school sports? Here are a few things to know about Maine's policy on transgender athletes and President Trump's threat to withhold federal funds if the state doesn't make changes.

www.pressherald.com/2025/02/21/q...

Trump administration orders investigation after Gov. Mills publicly defies president over transgender policy 'See you in court,' Gov. Janet Mills told President Donald Trump during a heated exchange at an assembly of governors at the White House.

Here’s our coverage of last week’s kerfuffle.

www.pressherald.com/2025/02/21/t...

Mainers split over Mills’ performance as governor in mid-February poll The poll from the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, found 49% of respondents disapproved of Gov. Janet Mills' handling of her job, while 48% approve and 3% neither approve nor disapprove.

The confrontation, however, comes amid the highest disapproval rating of her six years in office, @rachelohm.bsky.social reports.

Will it lead to a boost or bust? Only time can tell.

www.pressherald.com/2025/02/24/m...

The making of a moment: How Janet Mills became a foil for Donald Trump Janet Mills, who has a long history of facing tough guys in the courtroom and in politics, finds herself in an unprecedented moment with the nation watching.

“I’ve spent the better part of my career listening to loud men talk tough to disguise their weaknesses,” Maine Gov. Janet Mills said in 2022 while running against Paul “Trump before Trump” LePage.

It’s no surprise to Mainers that she stood her ground last week.

www.pressherald.com/2025/02/24/t...

Former Elon Musk worker challenges Susan Collins for US Senate Phillip Rench, a 37-year-old former engineer for SpaceX, has filed paperwork to run as an independent against Maine's senior senator.

A 37-year-old former SpaceX worker is the first person to file papers to challenge U.S. Sen. Susan Collins in 2026 -- and he's running as an independent.

www.pressherald.com/2025/02/14/f...

Federal judge pauses Maine’s new waiting period for gun sales Lawmakers passed the new waiting period as part of a slate of gun safety reforms following the October 2023 mass shooting in Lewiston that killed 18 people.

Chief U.S. District Judge Lance Walker said Thursday that plaintiff's have presented a strong argument that the 72-hour waiting period is unconstitutional.

www.pressherald.com/2025/02/13/f...

Angus King calls RFK Jr. ‘a danger.’ Collins votes yes In a speech on the Senate floor leading up to the vote, King said he was incredulous about the notion that Kennedy has suddenly had a "miraculous conversion" after spending decades calling vaccines un...

Sen. Susan Collins (R) said she believed RFK Jr.'s vow during confirmation not to restrict vaccines, but Sen. Angus King (I) was incredulous about the prominent anti-vaxxer's 'miraculous conversion.'

www.pressherald.com/2025/02/13/a...

Collins' office confirms she will vote for RFK. This story has been updated with her response.

(Spoiler: She doesn't address questions about RFK's experience or his anti-vaccine past.)

Sen. Susan Collins will support RFK Jr. as US health secretary The Republican senator from Maine said she will vote to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be the next secretary of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

CNN's Manu Raju reported on X that Susan Collins is a 'yes' on RFK Jr as U.S. health secretary.

Collins' office hasn't confirmed this with me, or answered my questions about his anti-vaccine track record and why she thinks he's qualified.

www.pressherald.com/2025/02/11/s...

Maine joins 21 states suing Trump over medical research funding cuts U.S. Sen. Susan Collins said she also opposes "the poorly conceived directive" from the National Institutes for Health.

Maine and 21 other states sue Trump over NIH funding cuts, marking the 4th lawsuit in three weeks.

Sen. Susan Collins also opposes the "poorly conceived" cuts. She said RFK Jr. told her that he'd re-examine the initiative "as soon as he's confirmed."

www.pressherald.com/2025/02/10/m...

Susan Collins heads to Mar-a-Lago with Republican senators to meet with Trump Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, has been more critical of the Trump Administration than most of her Republican colleagues, but also will play a key role in any budget deals.

The trip comes after a week of Elon Musk-induced chaos and Senate votes on controversial Trump nominees, including Russ Vought, an architect of Project 2025 who Collins supported, despite his views that a president can defund congressionally approved programs.

www.pressherald.com/2025/02/07/s...

Angus King urges Senate to protect the Constitution, reject Trump budget nominee While the Maine independent is joining Democrats in opposing Russell Vought's nomination to lead of the White House budget office, U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said she plans to vote to confirm h...

Maine Sen. Angus King called Russ Vought “one of the ringleaders of this assault on our Constitution" and "the last person who should be put in the job at the heart of the operation of our government.”

Sen. Susan Collins plans to support Vought.

www.pressherald.com/2025/02/06/a...

Susan Collins meets with other lawmakers critical of Elon Musk’s moves to cut agencies, workforce U.S. Sen. Susan Collins said during an interview Wednesday that Musk has exceeded his legal authority, and she criticized the administration's moves to withhold congressionally approved funds.

Here's the rest of my interview with Sen. Susan Collins.

We talked about Elon Musk, her support of Trump's budget director despite his views on the president's power to upend spending, and efforts to root out FBI agents who worked on J6 cases.

www.pressherald.com/2025/02/05/s...

Maine delegation rejects Trump’s plan to take over Gaza as dangerous, unserious Sen. Susan Collins suggested the plan might be a negotiating tactic, while Sen. Angus King and Rep. Jared Golden bristled at the possibility of sending American troops overseas.

I spoke with Sen. Susan Collins today. Here's what she and other members of Maine's congressional delegation said about Trump's plan to turn war-torn Gaza into "the Riviera of the Middle East."

www.pressherald.com/2025/02/05/m...

Chellie Pingree blasts ‘illegal’ actions of Trump, Elon Musk amid outcry from constituents The Democrat says Musk's access to sensitive personal information and aggressive efforts to cut federal spending have caused fear among many Mainers.

Democrat U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree says there's little the minority party can do to stop Trump and Musk without Republican support, other than call out "the bluster and the chaos and this blatantly unconstitutional and illegal activity."

www.pressherald.com/2025/02/04/c...

Susan Collins will support Tulsi Gabbard as Trump’s national intelligence director Gabbard faces confirmation votes this week and still must win over some other Republican senators.

“Ms. Gabbard addressed my concerns regarding her views on Edward Snowden,” Sen. Susan Collins said. “I look forward to working with Ms. Gabbard to strengthen our national security.”

www.pressherald.com/2025/02/03/s...

Susan Collins questions Tulsi Gabbard, RFK Jr. at separate confirmation hearings Sen. Angus King also pressed Tulsi Gabbard, who has been nominated by Trump to oversee national intelligence, on her past support for Edward Snowden, who leaked classified details of U.S. surveillance...

All eyes were on U.S. Sen. Susan Collins today, but it was Sen. Angus King who posed tougher questions at Tulsi Gabbard's confirmation hearing.

And Collins allowed RFK Jr. to blame a drop in vaccine uptake on distrust, without challenging his anti-vax past.

www.pressherald.com/2025/01/30/s...

Susan Collins in spotlight for Tulsi Gabbard, RFK Jr. confirmation hearings Maine's Republican senator plans to question both during separate hearings scheduled for Thursday morning, and she is seen as a possible swing vote.

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins told reporters in D.C. on Friday that there are "a lot of obvious issues" with Gabbard.

www.pressherald.com/2025/01/29/s...

Maine's governor took on critics of her budget proposal from both parties and used her primetime address to come out against a citizen referendum to adopt at red flag law.

She also had strong words for a commission that appoints attorneys for indigent clients.

www.pressherald.com/2025/01/28/w...

Which taxes would increase under Gov. Mills’ budget proposal? Some of the proposals would increase taxes on individuals. Others would be used to leverage federal Medicaid funds and would not be felt by Maine taxpayers, according to state officials.

And finally, a rundown of other tax increases in the budget proposal.

www.pressherald.com/2025/01/27/w...

Bipartisan tax break for retirees on the chopping block A tax deduction on pension income won bipartisan support three years ago, but is now at the center of a partisan battle over tax increases in the proposed two year-budget.

Here's a closer look at Mills' proposal to roll back expanded tax breaks for retirees.

Under the proposal, more than 22,000 retirees will pay more taxes, generating over $21.3 million in revenue.

www.pressherald.com/2025/01/27/b...

Gov. Mills set to deliver annual address to Legislature. Here’s what to look for. Mills' 2-year budget proposal includes service cuts and tax increases to meet the state's constitutional mandate to submit a balanced budget.

Maine Gov. Janet Mills released her budget, which includes tax increases and service cuts, two weeks ago.

How will she respond to criticisms from both the left and the right? Will she touch on Trump's early executive actions?

www.pressherald.com/2025/01/28/g...

Gov. Mills proposes 3-month limit on emergency housing assistance The proposal in the governor's update to the current budget is intended to rein in ballooning costs in the state's General Assistance program.

The Mills administration wants to return General Assistance to its original mission as a short term safety net. But advocates worry the proposed limits will force people into homelessness.

www.pressherald.com/2025/01/18/g...

The waiting period was one of several gun safety bills enacted last session following the mass shooting in Lewiston that killed 18 and wounded 13.

The law is being challenged in court by gun rights groups.

Republican proposal would repeal 72-hour wait on firearms purchases House Minority Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham is sponsoring a bill that would repeal the waiting period approved by lawmakers last year.

Maine Republicans are looking to exploit a smaller Democratic majority to repeal a 3 day waiting period for gun sales that just barely cleared the Legislature and went into effect without the Democratic governor's signature, @rachelohm.bsky.social reports.

www.pressherald.com/2025/01/16/r...

Maine lawmakers want state to stop issuing Real ID cards State Rep. Laurel Libby said her bill to end the Real ID program in Maine is one of several being submitted nationwide in hopes of convincing President-elect Trump and Congress to end the controversia...

A Republican bill to end the issuance of Real IDs in Maine has four Democratic co-sponsors and support from the ACLU of Maine.

It's part of a multistate effort to force Congress to end the program ahead of the May enforcement date for commercial flights.

www.pressherald.com/2025/01/14/m...

How the pandemic ‘sugar high’ led to Maine’s budget crunch The days of eye-popping revenue growth are over, and lawmakers face a gap of $450 million in the next budget cycle.

“Those (revenue) increases were really unprecedented,” said Mike Allen, the Maine’s associate commissioner on tax policy. “The other crazy thing about the growth rate was we were cutting taxes during that period.”

www.pressherald.com/2025/01/12/h...