Maine House to vote on censure of Michael

AUGUSTA – The Maine House of Representatives is expected to cast a historic vote to censure one of its members Thursday with a proposed resolution addressing last month’s X-rated tirade by Auburn Rep. John Michael.

The simple majority vote will be taken on a resolution that received the unanimous approval Tuesday of the House Ethics Committee, which has been reviewing the incident for the last week. An independent, Michael unleashed his obscenity-laden attack, described by the Ethics Committee as “a verbal assault,” against Democratic state Sens. Peggy Pendleton of Scarborough and Neria Douglass of Auburn. The incident took place Jan. 25 in the Senate Democratic offices and was triggered by a disagreement over which committee should have been given jurisdiction of Michael’s bills.

Senate President Michael Michaud responded by banning Michael from the Senate and House Speaker Michael V. Saxl asked Michael to voluntarily step down from the committee on which he serves that is presided over by Pendleton.

If approved, the censure action will be the first one ever taken by the Maine Legislature. The only other disciplinary incident that could be cited by House Clerk Emeritus Joseph Mayo was the expulsion of a member for swindling in the late 19th century.

Under the terms of the resolution, the committee found:

. That Michael’s abusive behavior was part of a pattern of behavior.

. That Michael never accepted full responsibility for his behavior.

. That Michael has conducted himself in a manner incompatible with his duty and responsibilities as a House member.

Members of the panel unanimously rejected a request from Michaud requiring Michael to respect an irrevocable two-year ban that bars him from the Senate. They also declined to include Michaud’s request warning Michael against taking retaliatory action against anyone who testified before the House Ethics Committee.

Committee member Rep. Richard Rosen, R-Bucksport, said the panel had no reason to believe Michael would retaliate against committee witnesses. Fellow panelist Rep. David Tobin, R-Windham, said the House Ethics Committee could only make recommendations concerning the House and was therefore unable to extend its influence to the Senate.

The committee’s resolution requires Michael to make an apology from the floor of the House to Pendleton and Douglass, to his Auburn constituents and to the people of Maine. The resolution further recommended, but did not require, Michael to “take corrective action to rehabilitate, of his own volition, including, but not limited to, anger management training.”

Upon completion of Tuesday’s meeting, Michael said he thought the Ethics Committee had given him a fair hearing, although he questioned whether or not testimony had ever supported the contention that he has an angry “pattern of behavior.”

“But I think the committee did a wonderful job,” he said.