Matthew Dunlap

Ryan Low, the deputy chief of staff to Gov. John Baldacci, earned the recommendation of the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee to be the top money man in the state Wednesday.

Ryan Low: Low testifies at his confirmation hearing. Politicker photo.

Independent U.S. Senate candidate Herb Hoffman just passed his current hurdle in his challenges to get on the November ballot.

Today Superior Court Justice Donald Marden issued a decision siding with the Secretary of State’s office in their case versus John Knutson, chairman of the Maine Democratic Party, the Associated Press is reporting.

Knutson had challenged Hoffman’s qualifying petition, arguing that a number of signatures were invalid. The Secretary of State’s office invalidated a number of Hoffman’s signatures, but in the end he still had enough to remain on the ballot.

Knutson appealed the decision to the Maine Superior Court. Last Thursday, attorney Daniel Walker argued that because the party proved that Hoffman didn’t personally witness three of the signatures, three full petition sheets should be invalidated.

Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap fishtailed on his way to work this morning, causing about $3,000 to the state vehicle after crashing into a guardrail in Sidney.

He was not hurt.

As the chief transportation official in the state, he cursed the number of trucks going to Canada, mucking up Maine’s roads.

“I wish we had trains,” he said.

State Rep. Scott Lansley, R-Sabattus, said the state won’t back down in their refusal to participate in the REAL ID Act.

Lansley sponsored the resolution barring Maine from participating in the REAL ID Act. It passed under the gavel in June. Sixteen other states passed similar resolutions.  read more »

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Despite the announced delayed implementation, Maine politicians are speaking out against the REAL ID Act of 2005.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued regulations for the act last week, including giving states until 2017 to comply. Under the original language, states would have had to be in compliance by May.