Press release from Maine Senate GOP, h/t to AMG:

For Immediate Release
March 25, 2008

Democratic Leaders’ Flip-Flop Baffles Senate Republican Leaders

AUGUSTA – Elizabeth Mitchell, Senate Democratic Leader and Chair of the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability, recently and unexpectedly joined the opposition to the government oversight committee she chairs and has Senate Republican Leaders scratching their heads.

Senate Republican Leader Carol Weston, of Waldo County, and Assistant Senate Republican Leader Richard Rosen, of Hancock County, have been searching, with limited success, for an explanation for the Kennebec County Democrat’s recent flip-flop over OPEGA.

“I must have missed the memo declaring Opposite Day at the Legislature,” Weston said. “Why else would an elected official who paints herself as a crusader for government efficiencies and transparency want to eliminate one of the most successful oversight agencies we have; an agency she chairs nonetheless?”

Weston’s remarks refer to an 11th hour, middle of the night budget amendment submitted by Assistant Senate Democratic Leader John Martin, of Aroostook County, to eliminate OPEGA’s nonpartisan, independent oversight function.

Mitchell and Martin’s OPEGA opposition is all the more confusing in light of the Democrat’s agenda they helped outlined early last year. At that time, they committed to working for greater efficiencies and transparency in government. Today, their explanation for opposing the government oversight agency, to save $1 million, shows how far they are from their own agenda, and how out-of-touch their proposal really is.

Since 2005, OPEGA has found over $167,000 in misused funds and potential fraud, identified over $2 million in government savings, and recommended ways for the State to avoid future costs to the tune of over $20 million.

“If they want to talk about savings, let’s talk about laptops,” Rosen said. “Just a few weeks ago, Senators Mitchell and Martin both voted for a pilot program that will lead to a $600 thousand dollar proposal giving out laptops to Augusta politicians. Today, we’re debating whether to gut the one successful government accountability office in the State. Maybe the leaders across the aisle can use their new laptops to google “misplaced priorities.”

“I’ve seen some pretty ridiculous things coming out of this building, but I’m not sure anything comes close to this,” Weston said. “By working to eliminate OPEGA, the Senate Democrat leaders prove just how necessary our government accountability office really is. If this outrageous proposal ever reaches the Senate floor, you can be sure the chamber will get an earful from me.”