Lawsuit filed to force LePage to pay benefits to poor Mainers in a shutdown
Source: Bangor Daily News
A lawsuit filed Thursday in U.S. District Court is asking a federal judge to order Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s administration to continue paying benefits to poor Mainers if state government shuts down over the budget stalemate.
The lawsuit brought against LePage and Acting DHHS Commissioner Ricker Hamilton asks the federal court to order that the DHHS continue to receive applications, process applications and maintain the issuance of benefits and services during any state shutdown.
“The next step in this fight is for either the governor to order that these programs continue or the court to order it,” attorneys Valerie Wicks and Jack Comart, both of Augusta, said in news release announcing the lawsuit had been filed. “The parties hope to have an answer by Friday, one way or another.”
“The governor has repeatedly stated that he will do ‘no harm’ to Maine’s elderly and disabled,” Comart said in the release. “If the governor can protect state parks from vandalism during a state shutdown, we hope that he will also protect Maine’s most vulnerable.”
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Read more: http://bangordailynews.com/2017/06/29/politics/lawsuit-filed-to-force-lepage-to-pay-benefits-to-poor-mainers-in-a-shutdown/
