Mal Leary
Maine Public Political CorrespondentJournalist Mal Leary spearheads Maine Public's news coverage of politics and government and is based at the State House.
A lifelong journalist and Maine native, Mal has worked as both a reporter and editor in broadcast and in print, in both Washington, D.C. and in Maine. He has won numerous awards for his reporting on state government issues and politics.
For several years he owned and operated Capitol News Service, which was located in the State House complex providing news coverage to radio stations as well as newspapers.
Mal is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and Investigative Reporters & Editors and has long been an advocate for open government. He is the SPJ Sunshine Chair in Maine and is currently the president of the National Freedom of Information Coalition based at the University of Missouri Journalism School and is a Vice President of the Maine Freedom of Information Coalition.
Mal is married with three grown children, several grandchildren and lives in Augusta, within sight of the Capitol dome.
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Over 50 people testified before the Legislature's Appropriation Committee Wednesday on Gov. Janet Mills’ plan for allocating over $1 billion in federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act.
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The Maine state Senate is backing a measure aimed at restoring restrictions on vulgar and obscene plates.
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It would direct the state to pay for school-based meals during the period in which the federal government continues to pick up the cost of meals provided to students receiving free or reduced lunch.
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For the first time this session, the Maine Legislature will meet every day this week, at it has only two weeks to handle hundreds of bills, including a supplemental budget and allocation of nearly $1 billion dollars from the Federal Recovery Act.
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Lawmakers have long been critical of the way DHHS provides services to families and children. In recent years the legislature has approved increases in staff, including child protective workers.
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The measure would immediately block any further investments in the fossil fuel industry by the State Retirement System or the state Treasurer.
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Augusta Republican Senator Matt Pouliot says Maine facilities for seniors are facing a crisis and that even though legislation is pending to increase payments starting next January, it will be too late.
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Paris Rep. John Andrews, the only Libertarian in the Maine House, was reprimanded for his refusal to wear a face covering on the House floor. Andrews told the House Ethics Committee that his was an act of civil disobedience.
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The Legislature’s Judiciary committee Tuesday gave its unanimous recommendation for Superior Court Justice Valerie Stanfill to serve as Chief Justice of the Maine Supreme Court.
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The Legislature’s committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology voted 9-2 on Tuesday in support of legislation to create a consumer owned utility, Pine Tree Power, that would replace investor-owned Central Maine Power and Versant.