Governor LePage Before Appropriations Committee Today

by Blaine on May 19, 2013 · 0 comments

in Uncategorized

Today at the conclusion of a hearing on the Committee of Appropriations, Governor LePage demanded to address the committee.  When asked by Senator Hill to allow the committee to adjourn the Governor lost his cool and refused an offer to meet with the committee at a more appropriate time.

Full audio here: 

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LePage Liquor Plan Author’s Tobacco Marketing Past

by Blaine on March 17, 2013 · 0 comments

in Ethics, Gov Paul LePage, Maine Legislature, State Government

Last week we revealed that Gerald Reid, Director of the Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages & Lottery Operations failed to mention his past history marketing various cigarette brands as a marketing executive for Brown & Williamson Tobacco, one of the four companies that partook in the 1998 Tobacco Master Settlement agreement..

The R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Online Litigation Document Archive houses documents used in various tobacco related lawsuits.  A search of the archives returns more than 1,700 documents authored or co-authored by Reid.  A number of them relate to advertising strategies to increase Brown & Williamson market share among certain groups, including youth and minorities.  Another frequent subject relates to dealing with health concerns of cigarette smoking in product advertising.

A sample of some “lowlights” found thus far:

YOUTH

On July 30, 1976, Reid authored a memo, “VICEROY Creative Work Plan,” which sought to improve the brands standing compared to Winston and Marlboro.  Reid wrote that it was mandatory that “advertising must give VICEROY a youthful, high-quality look” and that targets for the advertising included

“-males 16-35 primarily

-Annual income under $15,000

-Not college graduates”

MINORITIES

Several memos authored by Reid targeted increasing market share among black and hispanic individuals for Kool cigarettes.

On October 25, 1978, Reid submitted a memo on the “1979 KOOL Black Magazine/Supplemental Campaign” stating “the respect of the Black community seemed to go to those advertisers that subordinated blatant product sell to concepts which related the product to Black achievements, pride and desire for a pleasurable and gratifying lifestyle” and suggesting developing “a permanent Kool Black magazine campaign which has at its core strategy famous Black musicians and or Black contribution to and enjoyment of music.”

Then in 1979 he criticized an ad agency that had been delinquent in recognizing the importance of ethnic markets to KOOL and providing requisite resources in marketing planning and creative areas:

“Agency has been delinquent in recognizing the importance of ethnic markets to KOOL and providing requisite resources in the marketing planning and creative areas.  Black creative improvements required excessive client pressure and Spanish creative remains a suboptimal modification of generic campaigns.”

HEALTH

Reid also authored a number of letters and memos suggesting approaches to the health issues surrounding cigarette smoking.

A letter from January 4, 1977 instructed ad agency that ”all new Viceroy creative should be based on the ‘full flavor with health reassurance’ strategy that I supplied to you.”

On March 22, 1978, Reid authored a memo addressing health concerns in advertising and expressing a concern that such negative language could lead to individuals quitting smoking.  Reid writes:

“We do not support definition in advertising of the problem of gas in order to specifically communicate its consumer benefit and distinguish it from low ‘tar’.  To supply such a definition would require over references to the alleged ciliatoxic and cardiovascular ill effects of smoking.  The possible ramifications of this in the Legal, Regulatory, and Policy area are appalling.  We also believe it is simply bad selling strategy to use such negative scare tactics to sell cigarettes.  A likely result of such activity on our part would be escalation of quitting rates among smokers.”

Our review of documents will continue, with new information being shared as uncovered.

Tagged as: Gerry Reid, Governor Paul LePage, liquor

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LePage Liquor Lead Has Forgotten History with Big Tobacco

by admin on March 12, 2013 · 0 comments

in Ethics, Gov Paul LePage, Maine Legislature

In February of 2012, Gerald T. Reid was appointed the Director of the Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages & Lottery Operations, a bureau of the Department of Administrative & Financial Services. Reid has become the architect for Governor Paul LePage’s proposal to rebid the state’s wholesale liquor contract and use the proceeds to issue a revenue bond to pay down the state’s hospital debt.

During hearings on two liquor contract proposals yesterday, Sen. Garrett Mason (R-Lisbon Falls) asked Reid to describe his background, which he asserted was “completely relevant to the conversation.” Reid replied that he has “thirty years private sector, roughly half in the food business, half in the beverage business.”

Curiously, Reid failed to mention at least nine years he spent as a brand marketing executive for Brown & Williamson Tobacco, one of the four companies that partook in the 1998 Tobacco Master Settlement agreement. Reid’s public Linkedin profile also makes no mention of his Big Tobacco past. He indicates that he received his M.B.A in 1972, yet his work history starts in 1989, after he left Brown & Williamson Tobacco.

According to www.tobaccodocuments.org, “Gerald Reid joined Brown & Williamson in 1976 in the M Department as Brand Manager for Viceroy, Plug, Tube Rose from 1976-77, Standing Committee for Non-Menthol Cigarette Brands in 1976, and Senior Brand Manager for Fact in 1977.”  Thus far, our research has found documents authored by Reid as late as February 14, 1984 targeting marketing toward young adults.

Reid marketed Kool cigarettes to African Americans for Brown & Williamson while at the same time expressing concern over that community’s preference for the brand. In a 1978 memo, he recommended addressing the cigarette’s “downscale, unattractive user image” and the perception of “Kool as a low status and/or Black cigarette,” suggesting that “Kool’s Black advertising must be upgraded to improve the social status it communicates.”

This story is in progress. More information will be released as it becomes available.

Tagged as: Gerry Reid, Governor Paul LePage, liquor, maine legislature

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National Election Analyst Puts LePage Re-Election on “Red Alert”

by Blaine on February 21, 2013 · 0 comments

in Election, Election 2014, Gov Paul LePage

Larry Sabato, a national recognized election analyst and Director of the the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics has put Governor LePage’s re-election on “red alert…in which the incumbent party is, at best, a tiny favorite to hold the seat.”

Sabato lists a number of potential challengers that have been rumored to be Democratic candidates including both sitting Congressmen Mike Michaud and Chellie Pingree, former Governor John Baldacci, departing SBA Head Karen Mills, former Maine Speaker Hannah Pingree and current Speaker Mark Eves.

The 2014 race is officially listed as a toss-up and Sabato writes:

Maine: Gov. Paul LePage (R) is running for reelection, and independent Eliot Cutler is taking another crack at the governor’s office after falling just short in a three-way race in 2010. So what do the Democrats do? Should one of their top contenders, such as Reps. Chellie Pingree or Mike Michaud or ex-Gov. John Baldacci, jump in the race? Or should they essentially just step aside for Cutler and nominate a token challenger, much like they did in the 2012 Senate race, when independent, now-Sen. Angus King was the de facto Democratic nominee? For what it’s worth, Cutler did cut his teeth in politics as an aide to former Sen. Ed Muskie (D). A jumbled field is nothing new in a Maine gubernatorial race: Remarkably, a third-party candidate has won at least 9.3% of the vote in every gubernatorial election dating back to 1986.

The full analysis of all gubernatorial races up in 2014 can be found here.


Tagged as: Election 2014, Governor Paul LePage

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Governor Rick Scott of Florida Ignores Commissioner Mayhew’s Advice, Supports Obamacare Medicaid Expansion

by Blaine on February 20, 2013 · 0 comments

in Gov Paul LePage, Health Insurance

Governor Rick Scott of Florida has announced this afternoon that he supports accepting federal funding to expand Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  In this afternoon’s press conference Scott stated in a news release:

While the federal government is committed to paying 100 percent of the cost of new people in Medicaid, I cannot, in good conscience, deny the uninsured access to care. We will support a three-year expansion of our Medicaid program under the new healthcare law, as long as the federal government meets their commitment to pay 100 percent of the cost during this time.

Scott’s decision comes nine days after Maine Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Mary Mayhew testified before the Florida Select Committee on Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, discouraging an expansion and providing information about Maine’s past Medicaid expansions.  During her testimony she said that the expectation of expansion was the state would see a reduction in charity care and the number of  uninsured; but that neither goal was achieved.  

Mayhew stated that “the cost for Maine would be significant.  At this point this administration is not in a position to move toward expansion.”  Mayhew expressed concerns over the commitment of the federal government to fund the expansion saying that “it is difficult for this state to look out and believe that in 10 months time, 11 months time, this Medicaid money will flow from the federal government.”

 

Tagged as: Mary Mahew, Medicaid

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Legislature to Vote on Shielding Concealed Weapons Permit Information

by Blaine on February 18, 2013 · 0 comments

in Ethics, Gov Paul LePage, Guns, Maine Legislature

The Maine House Republicans just announced via Facebook that tomorrow, February 19, 2013, the House will hold a roll call vote on LD 576, Governor LePage’s emergency legislation.  The resolve would place a moratorium on public access to concealed weapons permit information for four months.

From the announcement it appears that no public hearing will be held on the measure, a rare but not unprecedented occurrence.

The Maine Republican Party has urged individuals to contact their elected officials in support of passing LD 576.

 

Tagged as: concealed weapons, FOAA, transparency

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Republican Lawmakers Seek Special Treatment for Concealed Weapons Permit Holders

by Blaine on February 15, 2013 · 0 comments

in Ethics, Guns, Maine Legislature

Yesterday, Maine Republican legislative leaders hastily called a press conference to voice their opposition to a Freedom of Access Act (FOAA) request by the Bangor Daily News seeking information on concealed weapon permit holders from all police departments in the state.  The paper indicated that they were not intending to use this information for publication, rather for data research in ongoing reporting.

Representative Corey Wilson (R-Augusta) has introduced a bill, L.D. 345, An Act To Ensure the Confidentiality of Concealed Weapons Permit Holder Information,” which has more than 60 cosponsors.  In a media interview earlier in the week, before the FOAA request was known, Representative Wilson indicated that he introduced the legislation at the request of the Sportsman Alliance of Maine (SAM).

The press conference got testy when Senate Minority Leader Michael Thibodeau (R – District 23) and House Minority Leader Kenneth Fredette (R – Newport) were asked if their intent was to further shield public information on other documents such as voter registration, burn permits and drivers licenses.  Thibodeau replied that “gun owners have not broken any laws and they deserve to have privacy.”  No responses were given to whether other matters of public record should be protected.

Thibodeau further stated his feeling that Mainers don’t like their information being available:

The Sportsman Alliance of Maine is one organization that has repeatedly used the FOAA laws to obtain personal information from state agencies is against the release of concealed weapons data.  David Trahan, the Executive Director of SAM voiced opposition to making the data available and sent an action alert to members urging them to contact the Bangor Daily to express their thoughts on the FOAA request and to contact their legislator to support Wilson’s bill making concealed weapons data confidential.

The Sportman Alliance of Maine has regularly requested from the State Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife (IFW) personal information on purchasers of hunting and fishing licenses.  This information has been used by SAM to send email and paper mailings to a group of individuals who in theory would be allies to their organization in order to recruit members.

Former Exective Director George Smith stated:

For many years I have been purchasing DIF&W’s entire list of licensees including names and mailing addresses. The list served as a principle means of prospecting for new SAM members and allowed us to send our messages to the entire constituency of sportsmen.

The Republican leaders used the press conference to urge the democratic leadership who set the legislative calendar to fast-track Representative Wilson’s bill as it is emergency legislation.  With dozens of gun related bills introduced this session, including additional pieces dealing with concealed weapons, the timing of legislative action on the proposal is unclear at this time.  Currently the bill has been referred by the House to the Judiciary Committee and is pending Senate reference.

Tagged as: concealed weapons, Guns, Representative Ken Fredette, Senator Michael Thibodeau

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Amid Revenue Collapse, Republican Lawmaker Calls for Capital Gains Tax Cut

by Blaine on February 12, 2013 · 0 comments

in Budget, Maine Legislature, Taxation

Yesterday, the Maine Legislature Joint Committee on Taxation held a hearing on L.D. 65, “An Act to Reduce the Income Tax on Capital Gains” sponsored by Rep. Richard Malaby (R-Hancock).  Malaby has enlisted 9 Republican cosponsors of the measure.  The fiscal impact of the proposal has yet to be calculated by the legislature’s Office of Fiscal and Program Review.

Malaby’s explained that his bill would tax income from asset sales at 3%, rather than as regular income. But he believes this would ultimately result in an increase of revenue to the state by spurring economic activity. It’s the same argument some in the Legislature have used to justify tax cuts on upper-income earners.

Following his presentation, Malaby took questions from committee members.  Senator Doug Thomas (R-Ripley), who owns a firewood business, made an analogy of the capital gains rate being similar to him lowering his price of firewood to sell a greater volume. Thomas stated, and Malaby concurred, that Maine would “end up with more revenue because you reduce the price, then there will be more activity and the total volume will pick up enough to more than make up for the loss on rates.” It’s a classic tickle-down argument.

Senator Anne Haskell (D-Portland) and Representative Joseph Brooks (I-Winterport) expressed concerns about the ability to quantify the long-term impact of the measure. Malaby continued to cite historical evidence of capital gains reductions at various times on the federal level, which he stated resulted in on average three years of increased activity. When questioned about the impact beyond three years Malaby said “I’m not sure, then maybe someone will be up here with another bill raising it.”

After the questioning, no members of the public testified in support or opposition to the legislation.  A committee work session will be scheduled for a later date.

Tagged as: Budget, Capital Gains, Malaby

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LePage Advisor Littlefield Sighted at State House in Advance of State of the State Speech

by Blaine on February 5, 2013 · 0 comments

in Gov Paul LePage

Seen at the State House today was Lepage Senior Political Advisor Brent Littlefield lunching with the Governor’s Chief of Staff John McGough.

No word if Littlefield was brought in to manage spin for tonight’s State of the State address, continue the LePage takeover of the Maine GOP or some other task.

Littlefield, owner of Littlefield & Associates (a DC-based consulting firm), was an instrumental figure in LePage’s 2010 victory, continues to serve as the Governor’s Senior Political Advisor and a strategic advisor to Maine People Before Politics.

 

 

Tagged as: Brent Littlefield, Governor Paul LePage, Maine Republican Party

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The Ongoing LePage Takeover of the Maine GOP

by Blaine on February 4, 2013 · 0 comments

in Election 2014, Gov Paul LePage

Over the weekend, Chair Rich Cebra announced that Jason Savage had accepted the position of Executive Director of the Maine Republican Party.  Savage worked on LePage’s gubernatorial campaign and was most recently the head of Maine People Before Politics,  ”a non-profit, membership based organization focused on improving Maine’s future by stepping out and away from the special interests,” that essentially served as the political operation of Governor Paul LePage and his policies.  LePage operatives, Savage and Brent Littlefield launched the organization shortly after the Governor’s inauguration.

Former GOP Chair Charlie Webster had predicted LePage’s desire to run the organization, telling MPBN in November of 2012:

“The governor has wanted to, his folks have, particularly Brent Littlefield have really been aggressive since the governor was elected in wanting to run the party,” Webster said. “So I assume that they’ll find somebody. Who the committee chooses will be up to them but I think the governor is going to have a big play here and we’ll see how much success Mr. Littlefield has in running the party.”

Although Littlefield expressed no interest in heading up the party, the state committee did unanimously select Rich Cebra for the post, who Governor LePage endorsed.

DirigoBlue, the liberal blog that chronicles Maine Politics, is indicating that rumors are circulating of another LePage confidant joining the ranks of the Maine GOP.  They hear that the Governor’s daughter and Governor’s Office employee, Lauren LePage will become the new communications director for the party.

 

 

 

Tagged as: Governor Paul LePage, Jason Savage, Maine Republican Party

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