Maine: Carol Weston

AUGUSTA -- One week prior to the election, a photo of state Senate candidate Troy Jackson (D-Fort Kent) sleeping in the House chamber appeared in the Caribou weekly newspaper as an advertisement.

A newspaper ad showing a picture of Rep. Troy Jackson (D-Fort Kent) asleep in the House chamber is causing a stir in Maine’s northernmost district.

It also may become an issue in Jackson’s current bid for the Senate – not for the content itself but for the initial explanation he gave.

Legislative Democrats were quick to point out that history appeared to be repeating itself after the Republicans proposed a special session without pay for legislators last week.

In 2004, the Democrats had approved retroactive legislation to waive pay for lawmakers in a special session that dovetailed the regular session. Republicans sued, won, and back pay was awarded.

The circumstances, however, were vastly different.

Maine Republican leaders are calling for a special legislative session in hopes of increasing funding to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

Senate Minority Leader Carol Weston, R-Montville, and House Minority Leader Josh Tardy, R-Newport, hope to add $10 million to the fund. The money would have otherwise gone to Maine’s Budget Stabilization Fund which currently has $160 million.