Dear Fellow Republicans
Have you seen the latest advertisement from Maine House Speaker Sara Gideon, in regard to the Maine House of Representatives, explaining how she broke the Republican caucus up by seating the members throughout the chamber, verses keeping the members of each party together on each side of the aisle?
Sara states that by breaking the caucus up and spreading members throughout the chamber, it encourages members to work together.
What she does not tell you is that Speaker Gideon controls the agenda, including the daily calendar. And since the agenda is open and controlled solely by the Speaker, she can add or delete items at will.
By scattering the Republican members throughout the chamber, she has removed the ability of the Republican caucus to communicate or advise one another as a group with regard to specific bills or items that are being voted on in the chamber.
The Speaker has the ability to inform her caucus of changes or items added to the agenda prior to the session, and if she so chooses, does not have to inform the leadership of the Republicans of her intentions.
Yet in her political ad, she states she is promoting people working together. Nothing could be further from the truth!
Jonathan Kinney
Chairman, York County Republicans
