Calling his statements this week inexcusable and unacceptable, Maine House Speaker Sara Gideon has removed Democratic South Portland Rep. Scott Hamann from his legislative committee assignments.
Earlier this week Hamann unleashed an obscenity-laced rant and veiled threat against President Donald Trump on Facebook. Gideon says that, as a result, she let Hamann know last night that he would be removed from service on both the Health and Human Services Committee and the Marijuana Legalization Implementation Committee.
The speaker says Hamann has again apologized and expressed deep remorse. In a written statement Gideon says, "Elected officials, at every level of government, must hold themselves to a higher standard and set an example of civility."
Yesterday, the assistant House Republican leader Ellie Espling, from New Gloucester, sent a letter to Gideon, who's a Democrat, asking that the speaker take swift and decisive action to publicly repudiate Hamann's remarks.
