One Maine resident who's hell-bent on living in the Dark Ages is now pushing an effort to attack gay and transgender people at the ballot box this November. David Farmer reports:
Zealot Michael Heath is on the verge of launching a ballot initiative attacking gay and transgender people in the state — again.
Secretary of State Matt Dunlap confirmed Tuesday that Heath has completed all but the final step in starting a petition drive. The proposed ballot initiative would remove “sexual orientation” from the law and legalize discrimination against gay and transgender people.
Heath, a longtime opponent of gay and transgender rights, has submitted language, which has been approved by the secretary of state, and completed other necessary steps. All that needs to happen now is for Heath to pick up the approved petition and start collecting signatures.
Maine's gone down this path before in 2005, when lawmakers added "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" to the state's Human Rights Act, and Heath helped lead a ballot drive to remove them that ultimately failed.
The Bangor Daily News is already editorializing against the prospect of a renewed fight, but as the piece noted:
It’s dangerous, especially with [Paul] LePage as governor, to think that move settled the debate here in the Pine Tree State.