It was a busy week at the ACLU of Maine as we welcomed new staff, responded to Trump’s threats against Maine, testified on multiple bills at the legislature, and more. Catch up on some of this week’s highlights below.   

Campaign to Thank Gov. Mills for Defending the Rule of Law

In case you missed it, last week, President Trump threatened to withhold federal funding to Maine at a bipartisan meeting of governors unless the state adopted his personal policy preferences.

He went on to say, "I am the law." Governor Mills responded with one of our favorite phrases: We'll see you in court. 

Following that confrontation, we shared a form for Maine residents to thank her for defending the rule of law. In just a few days, nearly 1,500 people emailed Gov. Mills to express their appreciation. You can send your own message here.

Read more about this from our executive director, Molly Curren Rowles, here.

Legislative Testimony in Augusta 

As the new legislative session in Maine gains speed, our policy team has been hard at work testifying before lawmakers in Augusta. This week, we testified on nine different bills, both in person and in writing. Our testimony included our opposition to two resolutions calling for a constitutional convention (SP 10 and SP 173).

A constitutional convention is one way to amend the U.S. Constitution. It has never been done before and poses grave risks to our civil liberties. There are no standards to govern how a constitutional convention would be convened and conducted, so there is no way to ensure it represents the people or is conducted fairly. There is also no way to ensure that the convention would limit itself to the issues the convention was created to address. Instead, delegates could veer off into dangerous areas and upend some of the most fundamental protections and freedoms guaranteed by our nation’s foundational document. 

You can learn more about our legislative priorities this session here 

Welcome to Our New Education and Engagement Coordinator! 

This week, we welcomed our new education and engagement coordinator, Aaron, to the ACLU of Maine! With Aaron on the team, we’re excited to breathe new life into our engagement, education, and volunteer programs. Aaron will help us strengthen our relationships with communities throughout Maine and harness the power of Maine's people. Aaron will lead trainings and other educational opportunities for volunteers and community members, engage supporters on various actions, strengthen our partnerships with businesses and other organizations, and more.

If you’re already signed up to volunteer with the ACLU of Maine, expect to hear from us soon. If you haven’t signed up for our volunteer network yet, you can do so here. To see other ways you can get involved or take action, visit the Take Action page of our website.

New Know Your Rights Resources 

Our immigrants' rights page has streamlined information, videos in several languages, and printable materials so you can know your rights on the go and spread the word. We've also added new information so you can know your rights when talking to others about their legal rights.

In the near future, we'll have immigrants' rights information for people who work in health care settings, schools, and places of worship. We'll also have social media graphics you can use so you can spread the word on your own pages.

Thank Gov. Mills

As you may have seen, Gov. Mills made it clear to the president that Maine won’t be bullied. Join us and many others from across the political spectrum in thanking Gov. Mills for her moral courage and ethical leadership.

At a bipartisan meeting of governors last Friday, President Trump threatened to withhold federal funding to Maine unless the state adopted his personal policy preferences. He went on to say, "I am the law." These chilling words suggest he has a limited understanding of – and no respect for – the actual structure of power sharing and rule of law established by the U.S. Constitution.

Gov. Mills responded with one of our favorite phrases: We’ll see you in court.

By standing up for the rule of law and the Bill of Rights, Gov. Mills called to mind the "Declaration of Conscience" made nearly 75 years ago by U.S. Senator Margaret Chase Smith of Maine. The commitments inherent in "Americanism" outlined by Sen. Chase Smith are just as true today as they were then. The basic principles of our democracy include "the right to criticize; the right to hold unpopular beliefs; the right to protest; and the right of independent thought."

Dissent and disagreement are critical features of our system, not bugs. Rather than threatening or coercing states into compliance with his personal views like a dictator, the role of the president is to celebrate any opportunity to engage in and debate important political issues.

The foundation of this country has always been that we do not and will not have a king. In our system, the people have the power, through Congress, to determine how funds are allocated and under what conditions. Moreover, the states have the ability – within the bounds of our constitutional commitments – to make law that reflects local priorities, needs, and perspectives.

President Trump’s behavior should bring condemnation from all people of conscience who believe in American democracy and the rule of law. We applaud Governor Mills for taking a courageous stand. Join us in thanking Gov. Mills.

In solidarity,