John Baldacci

An inmate rallying for change inside the Maine State Prison in Warren took two other inmates hostage today inside the facility.

There’s another political connection in this case as well – this time dating back to what landed Chasse in prison in the first place. The then-24-year-old Michael Chasse had burglarized the home of Robert Cohen, brother of former Senator and Defense Secretary William Cohen. During his trial he escaped, stabbing two officers in the process.

Michael Chasse, now serving 40 years, spoke with PolitickerME.com and other members of the Maine media May 21 during a voter registration drive inside the prison.

Then he said he was leading an effort to register 150 inmates to vote so they can petition for improvements in the Department of Corrections and bring back parole in the state.

At 2:30 p.m. a spokesman for Gov. John Baldacci sent out an e-mail advising the press of a “very serious” hostage situation at the prison. DOC officials, the Maine State Police and hostage negotiators were dispatched.

Qualifications for public financing in gubernatorial races will be put under the microscope Friday by the Maine Ethics Commission.

In 2006, five candidates ran for governor in the general election – a Republican, a Democrat, a Green and two Independents. Three ran under the Maine Clean Elections Act.

Since then, several bills have come before the legislature seeking to tighten restrictions on who can qualify for public financing in gubernatorial races. As a result, the Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee asked the Ethics Commission to look at the issue and come back with recommendations by October of this year.

The commission will hold a public hearing on the issue Friday at 9 a.m. Click here for the hearing materials and the full information on the pending proposal.

Following the suspension of the [presidential campaign of U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), Gov. John Baldacci (D-Bangor) threw his support behind U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), who secured enough delegate support last week to become the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.

Baldacci had previously endorsed Clinton in her race to become the Democratic Party's nominee for president.

Gov. John Baldacci was one of the first Maine superdelegates to declare his position. Even after Maine went for Barack Obama, he stayed with Clinton.

In his speech to the Maine convention, Baldacci said that no matter what, Democrats needed to remain united.

“I’ve known Hillary Clinton for 15 years. I know her ability, she cares, she knows what we can do and what we can’t do.”

Video: Part 1 of Gov. John Baldacci's convention speech.

Video: Part 2 of Gov. John Baldacci's convention speech.

Part 1 video, Part 2 video

Gov. John Baldacci just gave a rousing speech calling for change in the national administration, discussing health care, trade agreements and the country’s dependence on foreign oil.

He used the recent mill closures as an example of how the federal policies are hurting Maine.

“Our country needs new leadership,” Baldacci said.

He criticized the country’s occupation overseas. “They should be paying attention here, today, in this country.”

U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud endorsed John Edwards early in the presidential campaign.

When Edwards dropped out, Michaud entered vast realm of “uncommitted superdelegates”, the subject of virtually every pundit debate and a buzz word in political circles.

Following Edwards’ endorsement of Barack Obama, Michaud has decided to remain uncommitted.

U.S. Rep. Tom Allen endorsed Obama on Monday, helping to put him in the lead with superdelegates.

Attorney General Steven Rowe’s 2010 gubernatorial campaign is slowly coming to life.

Rowe, D-Portland and a former Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, has confirmed that www.rowe2010.com belongs to him, along with another URL. In addition, he’s drumming up support on Facebook – though his profile doesn’t say what he’s running for yet. He has 75 supporters.

Rowe said he definitely running for governor – but wants to wait until the end of the year, when his Attorney General’s term is up, to start campaigning.

Gov. John Baldacci announced his plans to pocket veto another bill Wednesday, this one reducing the number of sex offenders that have to register with the state.

L.D. 446 narrowed the criteria for those who have to register as a sex offender with the state, applicable to those convicted between 1982 and 1992.

Baldacci’s statement: