Chellie Pingree condemns government actions

By Kathreen Harrison

“This situation is very serious. We are seeing the government dismantled before our eyes.” – Rep. Chellie Pingree

A cheering crowd greeted Maine’s First District U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree at the Strom Auditorium in Camden on April 13 for a town hall that drew close to 800 people. The event was the first town hall held by a member of Maine’s congressional delegation in years.

Pingree’s opening remarks and tone were serious as she addressed the crowd. “We are all so angry, so frightened, so consumed by the illegal actions of this president,” she began.

She went on to talk about lawsuits against President Donald Trump’s illegal actions. “There are over 160 lawsuits filed against the administration, including a number filed from Maine. Attorney General Frey of Maine has filed a number of suits on behalf of Maine … and he has already won one of them!” she said to raucous applause.

Audience members engaged with the congresswoman in a question-and-answer session that lasted well over an hour. Several questions centered on the government’s attack on immigrants.

Having submitted numerous bills in Congress on behalf of immigrants, Pingree articulated concern about immigrants who are living in fear because of the government’s actions. “Over the years, we have seen a steady stream of asylum seekers at my office in Portland, and we have an incredible team who help people with things like work authorizations. … But now they are afraid to come into our office … people are being picked up off the street.”

Pingree spoke about the SAVE Act, which would require people to show proof of citizenship in order to register to vote. She said that in order to register, the SAVE Act would either require people to have a document such as a passport, which takes months to get and is expensive, or a birth certificate and driver’s license that match – which is a problem for women who have changed their names. The SAVE Act is “dedicated to making it harder to vote and depress voter turnout,” Pingree said, adding “Immigrants are not sneaking into voting stations to vote. They’re barely going to the grocery store.”

About the genocide against Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip, she said: “I am very distressed by what is going on in Gaza … it’s a terrifying situation, and while many of us were very upset by what happened in Israel … it doesn’t make any of this right. I am deeply worried that with this president we are going in the wrong direction. He and [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu have a lot in common. They are both trying to stay out of jail.”

She urged citizens to let their voices be heard and to contact their representatives in Congress, saying that phone calls and emails make a difference. “We keep count of public contact – it’s a way to know what is on the mind of the public,” she said.

The town hall ended with a call to action.