Members of the Maine media are again fact-checking Paul LePage and his Republican allies’ latest false campaign claims. In the past 24 hours, LePage and his allies have been caught deliberately misleading Maine voters on Governor Mills’ record:

On gas tax claims:

  • Bangor Daily News: “No, Janet Mills didn’t support raising the gas tax” and “A new ad from the Maine Republican Party stretches to pin high costs on Gov. Janet Mills, making false claims about her record on the gas tax and her link to high fuel prices.”

  • Maine Public: “A new ad from a group calling itself Maine Families First would have voters believe that “Mills’ agenda” supports raising the gas tax by 40 cents and that the hike has already happened or is imminent upon her reelection. Neither is true.”

On home heating oil:

  • Bangor Daily News: “This is a global problem and there are things states can do to help prices on the margins, but it is not Mills’ fault overall.”

On electricity prices:

  • Maine Public: “The plan for these new alternative rates drew some criticism from Maine Republican lawmakers earlier this week. But state officials say these new rates will not result in any additional costs for other ratepayers.”

In the past week, the Bangor Daily News and the Portland Press Herald have characterized lies in Paul LePage and his Republican allies’ TV ads as “egregious”, “off-base”, and “discredited,” even writing at one point, “No matter how much LePage says this about Mills, it is false.”

“If Paul LePage cared about helping Maine people deal with rising prices, then he would be applauding Governor Mills for working with Republicans, Democrats, and Independents to deliver one of the strongest inflation relief packages in the nation. Instead, he opposed it, saying that giving back money to people ‘is the worst thing you can do’,” said Drew Gattine, Chair of the Maine Democratic Party. “Instead, LePage and his Republican allies are working hard to deceive Maine people in a desperate attempt to deflect from LePage’s failed record and weak plans.”

Paul LePage is the only candidate in this race with a record of higher taxes. He failed to prevent an increase in the sales tax, and then later proposed expanding the sales tax even more. His policies drove up property taxes, and he tried to eliminate the Homestead Exemption for people under 65. Just last week, LePage suggested that he would let counties raise taxes on Maine people.