Press release from House GOP:
House Republicans Blast Democrats' Plan to Abolish OPEGA
Say politics, not budget savings, is the real agenda

AUGUSTA - As the budget debate moves to center stage in the Legislature, House Republican leaders today urged the Democrats to strip out a provision that would abolish the independent agency that investigates and exposes government waste, fraud, abuse and mismanagement. The watchdog group - the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability (OPEGA) - has been targeted for shutdown as part of the majority party's plan to reduce the state budget by $190 million.

"It seems clear that the Democrats trying to kill OPEGA don't like independent investigators exposing wasteful spending and shoddy management," said Rep. Bob Crosthwaite (R-Ellsworth), the assistant leader of House Republicans. "If I were a liberal Democrat, I'd like to get rid of OPEGA, too."

Maine Democrats celebrated 'Sunshine Week' in Maine by trying ax the one program in state government that actually saves taxpayers money. Here's a press release from GOP Senator Kevin Raye. Discussions on this at AsMaineGoes (link) and PolitickerME (link)

AUGUSTA – State Senator Kevin Raye (R-Perry), the ranking Republican Senator on the Government Oversight Committee, today assailed the attempt by legislative Democrats to kill the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability (OPEGA). The proposal was inserted in the majority budget shortly before midnight Thursday night.