tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255499258004527912.post2429248681661930827..comments2024-02-07T08:45:19.794-05:00Comments on World Wide Woodard: Orwellian moment: Maine Gov's office claims Ann Robinson not an advisorColin Woodardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12452265910045355035noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255499258004527912.post-71257412550856506492011-09-16T19:01:23.879-04:002011-09-16T19:01:23.879-04:00Speaking of ALEC, did you see that we Maine taxpay...Speaking of ALEC, did you see that we Maine taxpayers footed the bill for Majority Whip Andre Cushing III to attend their annual meeting?<br />wkWalter khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12154340700219647765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255499258004527912.post-69790641195317750592011-09-15T10:03:52.929-04:002011-09-15T10:03:52.929-04:00Alex:
Bragdon withdrew his ethics complaint regar...Alex:<br /><br />Bragdon withdrew his ethics complaint regarding Erick Bennett in early June. I'll update my post in that regard.Gerald Weinandnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255499258004527912.post-45344097459016209042011-09-14T09:55:59.543-04:002011-09-14T09:55:59.543-04:00Eric -
Fair enough. I suspect all of this will b...Eric - <br /><br />Fair enough. I suspect all of this will be worthy of your follow-up.<br /><br />Best,<br />ColinColin Woodardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12452265910045355035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255499258004527912.post-85351366623077216122011-09-14T09:35:58.115-04:002011-09-14T09:35:58.115-04:00Colin,
Noted. This story ALEC was not the entire b...Colin,<br />Noted. This story ALEC was not the entire bite of the apple. I don't think I glossed over Robinson's relationship with the governor, but you're right, if that role has changed recently, it begs the question: Why? The ALEC connection may have something to do with it.<br />Thanks for reading our paper and for referring to us as the best daily in the state. But we can and should be better and that's always my goal. So keep the comments coming!<br /><br />-EricAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255499258004527912.post-15695277646029638202011-09-14T08:36:51.700-04:002011-09-14T08:36:51.700-04:00Eric - Thanks for commenting; your paper is the be...Eric - Thanks for commenting; your paper is the best daily in the state, so the quality of your reporting is especially important to civics here.<br /><br />You've left readers with a false impression on a central point: the possible relationship between the governor's legislative agenda and ALEC's corporate membership. Your story makes it sound like she was never an advisor, and fails to make clear that it is indisputable that she was one during the period in which much of the governor's agenda for the past session was created. With due respect, that is shameful.<br /><br />I'm at a loss as to what "claim" I've made needs further evidence. If your point is that the governor's office no longer considers Robinson an advisor, that's a brand new development that needs follow-up. Obvious questions: when and why did she cease her advisory role? How long has she been affiliated with ALEC? Does the governor's office consider this affiliation to represent a conflict of interest? Is the revelation that she's the new state co-chair of ALEC the reason for her change of status?<br /><br />These are not minor points in a story about the influence of ALEC in Augusta, but rather central ones. (I would have asked them, but the governor's office wouldn't speak to me about this issue.)<br /><br />ColinColin Woodardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12452265910045355035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255499258004527912.post-64395354556695762462011-09-14T07:58:17.109-04:002011-09-14T07:58:17.109-04:00Colin,
We acknowledged that she served on the tran...Colin,<br />We acknowledged that she served on the transition team and that she assisted with LD 1. We asked the question about her current role in his administration and reported the answer. I'm not sure that merits shame. We need to prove otherwise to make the claim your making. I'm not saying you're wrong, but we couldn't make the claim without backing it up. I've yet to prove that Ann Robinson is a current and trusted adviser to the governor. But, the administration is now on record on this issue as of Sept. 14. If new details emerge, we can come back to that comment and challenge them for there. Thanks for reading! I enjoy your work.<br />-Eric RussellAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255499258004527912.post-12750091833715070382011-09-13T22:04:23.886-04:002011-09-13T22:04:23.886-04:00Sounds like Monty Python's dead parrot routine...Sounds like Monty Python's dead parrot routine.David Larssonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10239205365456050213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255499258004527912.post-12669214004316831572011-09-13T22:02:49.509-04:002011-09-13T22:02:49.509-04:00In super classic form, Blogspot is having trouble ...In super classic form, Blogspot is having trouble saving my comments.<br /><br />Thanks so much for covering this. I was curious: In the spirit of the question, 'who-the-hell-actually-works-for-the-governor?', what's the deal with Erick Bennett and his supposed employment with the LePage campaign, anyway? What's the status of Bragdon's ethics complain against the guy? <br /><br />http://www.dirigoblue.com/diary/3022/bragdon-to-file-ethics-complaint-on-erick-bennett-and-the-lepage-campaign<br /><br />I am just curious to know if anything came of that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com