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A4 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 9 March 2019

House OKs election, ethics overhaul; Senate to slam door

By MATTHEW DALY to legislation Republicans
Associated Press promoted when they con-
WASHINGTON (AP) — New- trolled the chamber in the
ly empowered House Dem- last Congress, McCarthy
ocrats approved a center- said, citing a massive tax
piece of their agenda Fri- cut they pushed through
day, a sweeping plan to re- that was intended to jump-
duce the role of big money start the economy. “Our bill
in politics, ensure fair elec- returned taxpayer money
tions and strengthen ethics to the people. Theirs takes
standards. But the leader of tax money and gives it to
Republican-run Senate has campaigns.”
pledged it will not come up Democrats have criticized
for a vote and the White the GOP tax cut as a boon
House issued a veto threat. to the rich and to corpora-
The measure would make it tions. The nonpartisan Tax
easier for people to register Policy Center said most
and vote, tighten election middle-income taxpay-
security and require presi- ers should see a reduction
dential candidates to dis- this year although the tax
close their tax returns. law benefits higher earn-
Election Day would be- ers more. Democrats on
come a holiday for fed- Friday said McCarthy was
eral workers and a pub- House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., speaks with reporters during a news conference mischaracterizing the elec-
lic financing system for at the Capitol in Washington, Friday, March 8, 2019. tion-overhaul bill.
congressional campaigns Associated Press Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif.,
would be established. The that amounts to a federal programs to finance politi- said, “Yes it is a power grab said it “grabs power away
bill would bar voter roll takeover of elections and cal campaigns” and force — a power grab on behalf from the elites and the
purges such as those seen could cost billions of dol- taxpayers to fund federal of the people.” power brokers and gives it
in Georgia, Ohio and else- lars. Senate Majority Lead- candidates they may not House GOP leader Kevin to the people.”
where, and restore voting er Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., support. McCarthy of California She and other Democrats
rights for ex-prisoners. said the proposal was dead But House Speaker Nancy said the legislation would disputed the claim that
The legislation was ap- on arrival in that chamber. Pelosi, D-Calif., said the bill undermine the integrity of taxpayers will pay for cam-
proved 234-193 on a The White House said in a “restores the people’s faith elections by allowing con- paigns, noting that money
straight party-line vote, with statement that the Demo- that government works for victed felons to vote, and for political campaigns
all Democrats voting “yes” crats’ plan would “micro- the public interest — the would apply a one-size-fits- would come from a sur-
and all Republicans voting manage” elections that people’s interest — not the all standard to elections charge on federal settle-
“no.” now are run largely by special interests.” now run by states and local ments made with banks
Republicans called the bill states and would establish Trying to turn Republicans’ governments. and corporations that run
a Democratic power grab “costly and unnecessary words against them, Pelosi The bill stands in contrast afoul of the law.q

Maine mayor resigns after his racist text message is leaked

LEWISTON, Maine (AP) — Everly has now made pub- division of the Office of the
The mayor of Maine’s sec- lic more than 150 text ex- Attorney General is work-
ond-largest city resigned changes with Bouchard. In ing with the Lewiston Police
Friday in the wake of a con- one, Bouchard describes Department on an inves-
troversy over his leaked text elderly black people as tigation of the allegations
messages, one of which in- “antique farm equipment.” against the now-former
cluded a racist remark, and Bouchard apologized af- mayor, said Marc Malon,
authorities confirmed he’s ter the texts became pub- a spokesman for the of-
being investigated by the lic. He said he says “stupid fice. He declined to com-
state attorney general’s of- things and stupid jokes oc- ment further. City Council
fice and the city police. casionally.” He then held a President Kristen Cloutier
Republican Shane Boucha- brief press conference on will take over as mayor until
rd stepped down as Lew- Friday in which he said he’s the election in November.
iston’s mayor effective im- “not a perfect person” and She also said she doesn’t
mediately. Text messages blamed the news media in plan to run for the office.
made public by a woman part for his troubles. Cloutier said she’d heard
who said she had an affair “It has become clear to some of the rumors con-
with Bouchard when he Shane Bouchard announces his resignation as mayor of me that the media does cerning Bouchard’s cam-
was a mayoral candidate Lewiston, Maine during a press conference at Lewiston City Hall not acknowledge person- paign. “The campaign was
revealed a racist remark he Friday, March 8, 2019, in Lewiston, Maine. al space and reports on fraught with those rumors.
sent her while the two were Associated Press nothing more than rumor in A lot of people had heard
working to undermine a attack Democratic oppo- cluding one in which Chin many cases. In this political some of them,” she said.
political opponent. nent Ben Chin. A website said he’s run into “a bunch climate where the media Bouchard has described
The woman, Heather Ber- created by Maine Repub- of racists.” Bouchard went does not discriminate be- the allegations of his af-
ube Everly, has said that she lican Party leader Jason on to defeat Chin in the tween fact and rumors, it is fair with Everly as a rumor
was the source of emails Savage published emails December 2017 runoff. hard to be a public figure,” that was dealt with months
the Maine GOP used to from Chin’s campaign, in- The Sun Journal reported he said. The investigation ago.q