Governor Janet Mills and other state delegates release statements ahead of President Trump's visit

Governor Janet Mills is speaking out one day before President Trump visits in Guilford.

This comes after comments she made days ago saying she was concerned about the President's visit.

Congressman Jared Golden and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree are also commenting.

Mills hopes the President will hear the concerns of Mainers during his roundtable, especially when it comes to the commercial fishing industry.

Golden says he hopes for the same.

Mills urges Mainers whether they support or disagree with what's happening throughout the nation right now to exercise their rights with respect and also remember to be safe.

In a video message posted on social media today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) said President Trump’s planned visit to Maine is “just one more way to divide us" as the nation grapples with a deadly pandemic, record unemployment, and widespread peaceful protests of police brutality and systemic racism.

As for President Trump?

"I again ask the President to check his inflammatory rhetoric at the door and abandon the divisive language that sows seeds of distrust among our people. I hope he will heed this call and appeal to the best in all people and lead us with courage and compassion through this difficult time," said Mills.

Golden says, “The men and women of Puritan Medical Products deserve to be recognized for their hard work and the contributions they are making to the national effort to overcome the coronavirus. With his visit tomorrow, the president has an opportunity to step back from the divisive leadership he has offered the nation and focus on something positive that every American can be proud of: the dedication of these workers in service to our country."

“We do not need the President visiting the state of Maine. I'm pleased he's coming to recognize the wonderful people who are working hard to make the swabs that make our tests so much more available—that's critical work that they're doing here—but he's not coming here to do this,” said Pingree in the video. “He's coming here to have a political rally in the 2nd Congressional District. It's just one more way to divide us. If there was ever a time we needed a president who could bring us together, that could talk about these difficult issues and reassure us that we can move forward together, it's now. That's not what we have.”

Mills also thanked Puritan Medical Products for adapting to meet the needs of people during this time.

Governor Janet Mills full statement:

“I am proud of the extraordinary Maine companies, like Puritan Medical Products, who have adapted to meet the unprecedented challenges of this pandemic and whose work is saving lives. They are worthy of our praise and to them I am grateful."

“As the individual responsible for the health and safety of Maine people, including those who support and do not support the President, I again ask the President to check his inflammatory rhetoric at the door and abandon the divisive language that sows seeds of distrust among our people. I hope he will heed this call and appeal to the best in all people and lead us with courage and compassion through this difficult time.

“I also urge all Maine people who are gathering tomorrow [Friday] – whether to rally to support or to protest opposition – to exercise that fundamental right with respect and do so safely amid this deadly pandemic. Let us all remember during this time of high tension that, regardless of our various and differing political beliefs, we are all members of this Maine family. We all love our country, we all love our state, and we all want the best for both.

“I am also hopeful that the President during his roundtable will hear the concerns of our commercial fishing industry, a vital part of our economy that is hurting right now. I am especially hopeful that he will address the impact that harmful Federal trade policies have had on them over the course of the past several years and pledge support for greater Federal financial assistance to aid them. That would be welcomed and helpful.

“While the President is in Guilford tomorrow [Friday], I will be doing my job, as I do every day, striving to protect the health and wellbeing of Maine people amid this pandemic, examining how we can chart a course to economic recovery, and doing all I can to guide Maine through this difficult time.”

Rep. Jared Golden Full Statement:

“The men and women of Puritan Medical Products deserve to be recognized for their hard work and the contributions they are making to the national effort to overcome the coronavirus. With his visit tomorrow, the president has an opportunity to step back from the divisive leadership he has offered the nation and focus on something positive that every American can be proud of: the dedication of these workers in service to our country.

“I have previously joined my colleagues to call on the president to use the Defense Production Act to aid the nation in its response to the pandemic. Now that he has done so, the increased production of swabs here in Maine stands as evidence of what America’s skilled workforce is capable of when we focus on bringing manufacturing home to the United States.

“While I’m glad to hear that the president will also hold a roundtable with representatives of Maine’s fishing industry while he’s in our state, I have to ask: where has he been for the past four years? Lobstermen have been raising the alarm with the White House for some time, and I have been asking for help from the Trump Administration since I came to Congress. Last July, I led the Maine delegation to formally request that the president intervene to block his own administration’s proposed regulations on the lobster fishery. Nearly a year later, we still haven’t received a response or seen any action against these harmful regulations. I genuinely hope the president commits the full power of the presidency to protecting Maine’s lobster industry, and I am ready to work with him — as I have been for some time now — if he will commit to taking action. This debate has been going on throughout his presidency. We are long past the time for roundtables — Maine lobstermen need action.” – Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02)

To view Chellie Pingree's full statement visit this link:

https://www.facebook.com/ChelliePingree/videos/3126287757414528/