Governor Calls on Democratic Leadership to Convene Legislature and Pass Drug Bill

Statement

Governor Paul R. LePage issued the following statement today about the failure of Democratic leadership to call the Legislature back into session to pass his bill to fight drug crime:

"Drug trafficking by ruthless, out-of-state street gangs is on the rise, but Democrats are still pretending Maine does not have a problem with violent drug crime. Organized drug gangs are flooding the state with cheap heroin, but Democrats remain obstinate. They refuse to provide the manpower law enforcement agencies need to prevent these criminals from addicting Mainers with this killer drug."

"We even identified funding to add MDEA agents, judges and prosecutors to help combat the drug epidemic that is ravaging our state. That money is still sitting there. I could call the legislature back to take up my bill, but Democratic leaders could simply recess immediately and go home."

"Democratic leadership stated they won't call the legislature back unless there is an "extraordinary occasion.' They don't think that deaths from drug overdoses, babies born addicted to drugs and violent street gangs peddling poison on our street corners amount to an "extraordinary occasion.' But Maine people do."

Source