(Maine) House restructuring ; Twomey re-enrolls as Democrat

[Maine-ah]

AUGUSTA (Jan 4): House Speaker John Richardson was preparing Wednesday evening to address the House and explain he would be offering chairmanship of eight legislative committees to Republicans, because of a 73-73 partisan split in the House.

However, in a dramatic, last-minute turn of events, the balance shifted back in favor of Democrats when a member re-enrolled in the Democratic Party and preserved the Democratic majority.

Tuesday, Rep. Barbara Merrill threw the House balance into an even split after she announced her unenrollment from the Democratic Party. Republicans then called for the restructuring of committee chairmanship to reflect the even split.

After a day of discussion, Richardson was preparing to offer Republicans a number of House chairs. As the Speaker called the House to order to make the announcement, Rep. Joanne Twomey, of Biddeford, who had unenrolled from the Democratic Party last month, called the Speaker at his podium in the House Chamber. Rep. Twomey said she was not in favor of removing Democrats from the chairs of committees and would re-enroll in the Democratic Party so Democrats would retain majority party status and control of committee chairs.


http://knox.villagesoup.com/Government/story.cfm?storyID=65977

[okieinpain]

1. what do they find so repulsive about being a dem, that they

are un-enrolling for.

[ticapnews]

2. Barb wants to sell more books

She just wrote a book about politics and her defection was timed for maximum public exposure: The day before the new session began. And now she is the darling of the local radio gab fests and her book is mentioned in every media outlet in the state. Not hard to tell what her motives were.

[BurtWorm]

3. Interesting. Did these reps become Reps after leaving?

I take it Twomey didn't, but what about Merrill?