Reply #400: ME (Maine Gov Paul) "LePage's Koch Brothers connection revealed" (ALEC too) Boston Phoenix Sept 7 [View All]

Guess who is the new corporate chair of ALEC for the state of Maine?

Confidential documents from ALEC's annual meeting last month in New Orleans obtained by the Center for Media and Democracy reveal it is none other than Ann Robinson, a trusted advisor to Governor Paul LePage who simultaneously maintains her day job as a corporate lobbyist at Preti Flaherty Beliveau & Pachios. (Her legislative co-chair is Senator Richard Rosen, Republican of Bucksport.)

Her (Preti Flaherty Beliveau & Pachios lobbyist - Ann Robinson) prominent involvement in ALEC raises new questions about LePage's legislative agenda — both in the past and looking forward. While she became state co-chair sometime this summer, it is not clear how long she has been involved with the organization, as it keeps its membership secret. Progressive activists will be scrutinizing the governor's bills to see if they are modeled on ALEC's, which were secret until earlier this summer, when they were leaked to The Nation and subsequently posted online at ALECexposed.org. That website also identified a number of past and present Maine legislators who have been active in ALEC, including senators Chris Rector (R-Thomaston), Debra Plowman (R-Hampden), Brian Langley (R-Ellsworth), and Michael Thibodeau (R-Winterport). Former senator Carol Weston (R-Waldo) — who now heads the local branch of the Koch-funded Americans for Prosperity — is a former state chair.

Neither Robinson nor the governor's office responded to our requests for comment.

In case you're wondering: Preti Flaherty is not a corporate member of ALEC, according to founding partner (and former Maine Democratic party chair) Harold Pachios. "Partner diversity of opinion and interests negates the prospect of firm memberships," said Pachios. "I am a partner. Can you imagine my wanting my money spent on support for ALEC? Of course not."