Wake-Up Call: Wednesday, July 30, 2008

With the PolitickerME.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Maine's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.

With the PolitickerME.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Maine's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.

Collins to give away money from Stevens

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins will take a $10,000 donation from the Northern Lights Political Action Committee and give it to charity. The PAC is affiliated with Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, who was indicted today on seven counts of failing to disclose thousands of dollars in services from an oil services company that helped renovate his home. (PolitickerME.com, Jessica Alaimo)

Link: http://www.politickerme.com/jessicaalaimo/2081/collins-give-away-money-s...

Ousted Maine Senate hopeful weighs move

AUGUSTA—A day after being removed from Maine's ballot by a state supreme court ruling, independent U.S. Senate Candidate Herbert Hoffman says he's considering taking his ballot access case to the federal level.

Hoffman, of Ogunquit, says his case would focus on due process and other constitutional concerns. (Boston Globe, AP)

Link: http://www.boston.com/news/local/maine/articles/2008/07/29/ousted_maine_...

Tourism sales tax revenue encouraging

Maine tourism officials are encouraged by sales tax revenue figures from May, which includes the Memorial Day weekend.

According to Maine Revenue Services, sales tax revenue from Maine restaurants was up 4 percent and revenue from lodging was up 9 percent. (Maine Today, AP)

Link: http://news.mainetoday.com/updates/030883.html

Sen. Peter Bowman has perfect attendance record at Maine Statehouse

AUGUSTA — District 1 Democratic state Sen. Peter Bowman achieved a perfect voting attendance during the second regular session of the 123rd Legislature. In total, the Senate recorded 111 roll call votes during the three-month session, which started in January. (Seacoast Online, Staff)

Link: http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080730/NEWS/8...

Final lineup for ballot is announced

LEWISTON - He's in, he's out ... he's back in again?

State Senate candidate Republican Corey Troup, 34, of Lewiston replaced himself on the fall ballot, having withdrawn on July 14, only to file to get back on July 28, according to state records. The deadline for replacement candidates was July 28. (Sun Journal, Rebekah Metzler)

Link: http://www.sunjournal.com/story/276441-3/MaineNews/Final_lineup_for_ball...

For Senate hopeful, that's all she wrote

It's hard not to feel sorry for Herbert Hoffman. The poor guy spent months busting his behind to get on the ballot as an independent candidate for U.S. Senate, only to get bounced Monday by the Maine Supreme Judicial Court.

But before we work ourselves into a tizzy at the sheer injustice of it all, let's be clear on who's ultimately responsible for Hoffman's dilemma. (Portland Press Herald, Bill Nemitz)

Link: http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=202103&ac=PHnws

Natural gas users get break

Natural gas customers got some good news this week: Their bills are not going up as much as expected.

The Public Utilities Commission on Monday approved a 3.36 percent rate increase for Northern Utilities customers, considerably below what the company originally requested. (Morning Sentinel, Beth Quimby)

Link: http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/news/local/5274694.html

Allen campaign hits Collins for filibuster support

Tom Allen’s campaign hit Sen. Susan Collins today for not supporting a cloture motion that would have ended a filibuster on the U.S. Senate floor yesterday. The filibuster, initiated by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., blocked a package of 35 bills from moving forward. (PolitickerME.com, Jessica Alaimo)

Link: http://www.politickerme.com/jessicaalaimo/2080/allen-campaign-hits-colli...

With the PolitickerME.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Maine's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.