The Maine Supreme Judicial Court has dismissed a lawsuit brought by Augusta resident William Clardy, his organization Respect Maine, and two Republican lawmakers, arguing that Democratic leaders violated the state constitution when they passed a state budget without Republican support. The court ruled that the plaintiffs lacked standing to bring the case, as they did not demonstrate a concrete and particularized injury.
The lawsuit stemmed from the Democrats’ approval of a state budget in a party-line vote during the 2023 legislative session. The temporary adjournment allowed the budget to take effect before the start of the fiscal year, without the necessary two-thirds bipartisan support. Governor Janet Mills called a special session to finish legislative work, prompting the lawsuit claiming the special session was unconstitutional.
The court found that the plaintiffs did not have a direct or personal interest different from the general public in the special session or the legislation passed during it. Additionally, the court ruled that the lawmakers involved did not have separate standing as they failed to assert a concrete injury arising from the defendants’ conduct.
While the plaintiffs expressed disappointment with the ruling, the Office of the Maine Attorney General, representing Mills and Democratic leaders, had no comment. The decision upholds a previous ruling by the Kennebec County Superior Court. The lawsuit alleged that the bills passed during the special session increased taxes and costs to Mainers and sought to have the session declared unconstitutional.
In the end, the court determined that the plaintiffs did not meet the requirements for standing and dismissed the case, maintaining the legality of the state budget and the special session.
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