On Nov. 3, a guest column appeared in the Sun Journal that questioned Speaker Mark Eves’ ethics concerning his job with Sweetser and his support of the Medicaid expansion bill. I am personally disheartened by those allegations.
The Maine Legislature is a part-time Legislature. I want to emphasize “part-time.” Legislators leave their jobs and families to try and make the state a better place to live. We all come to the State House hoping to pass some legislation or help create a state environment that will foster that goal.
Inherent in this “part-time” status is the appearance of a conflict of interest. I know. About seven years ago, I was accused of the same thing by various environmental groups because of my actions around a river quality bill and my job as the environmental manager at a local paper mill. That experience was very difficult as the allegations were not true. In the end, my constituents believed me and overwhelmingly sent me back as their representative.
Speaker Eves is in a similar situation. Like me, Speaker Eves has not breached his ethical requirements by supporting the Medicaid expansion. He is doing what he believes is the right thing to do for Maine and making it a better place for his constituents to live.
In that light, all my fellow legislators should question the merits of the bill and not make personal statements about other legislators.
In the end, Speaker Eves, as I and others, will have to answer to the people of our respective districts. They, the voters, will have the final say on whether we did the right thing or not.
Sen. Tom Saviello, Wilton
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