By Sen. Eric Brakey

Bombshell text message revelations reported by the Bangor Daily News tell us all we need to know about what the ruling Democrat Party thinks of Maine’s residents. It is a candid snapshot into not only the inner workings of Democrat rule in state government but also the lengths they will go to maintain power and control.

Hello, this is Senator Eric Brakey of Androscoggin County joining you for this week’s Republican Radio Address.

With an authentic act of journalism, the BDN exposed text messages between Democrat leaders during the critical House vote on the Governor’s abortion bill, LD 1619, which legalized post-viability abortion for any reason up to the moment of birth.

After thousands of Maine people voiced their opposition in the longest public hearing in state history, it became clear that Democrats were on the wrong side of popular opinion. So, they used their raw power in the State House to manipulate the rules and strong-arm their members, tilting the balance in their favor and disregarding the will of Maine’s people.

During the 2022 elections, Democrat leaders promised to keep Maine’s abortion law the way it was. Since 1993, the legal standards of Roe v. Wade have been codified in statute.

Regardless of the nearly $1,000,000 Planned Parenthood spent in Maine trying to convince you otherwise in the last election, Maine Republicans have focused on getting Maine back to work and restoring our economy after the devastating Mills lockdowns, not changing abortion laws that have stood for 30 years. In fact, we unanimously passed Republican legislation expanding access to birth control, making it available over the counter by pharmacist prescription.

Almost as soon as we were sworn in, however, we learned the campaign promise that carried Mills and Democrats into power – protecting the Roe v. Wade standard – was a complete and total lie. LD 1619 represents a radical expansion of abortion, legalizing the killing of an unborn baby in the third trimester at any time, for any reason, until the moment of birth.

As a senator on the Judiciary Committee, I personally sat through 19 hours of heart-wrenching testimony in May that heavily opposed any expansion of abortion by a ratio of 60 to one. With about 3,000 people inside the State House that day, it was clear few Mainers wanted such a radical change.

When the time came, the texts uncovered by the BDN show just how difficult it was for Democrat leadership to get the votes they needed. Too many legislators were hearing overwhelming opposition from constituents, religious leaders and even family members. And when one pro-life Democrat from Lewiston showed up unexpectedly after weeks away due to a medical injury, they privately derided him as an “old white man,” complained they were losing by one vote and postponed the vote for five hours while they twisted arms and dragged absent members in from far-flung parts of the state.

They even opposed a reasonable amendment from one of their own members, which would have limited the expansion to fatal fetal anomalies directly without legalizing post-viability abortion for any reason under the sun. Even worse, they told Democratic lawmakers who were opposed to just walk away – silencing the voices of the thousands they represent.

Look, during my three terms in the Maine Senate, there have been many tough votes. Never once have I “taken a walk.”

But these Democrats walked away from their responsibility. They silenced the people of their districts to avoid angering party leaders and special interests. Is this not the height of political cowardice? Is this not a betrayal of their constituents?  And if a lawmaker can’t stand up for themselves, how can we expect them to stand up for you?

And finally, these text messages revealed that one of my Democrat Senate colleagues derided the opposition for so-called “fake tears,” even including a web link on how to make them. Having watched this whole process from start to finish – from the 19 hours of testimony to the final votes in the House and Senate – I witnessed a lot of tears.

Not a single one was fake. And when those final bells rang as House members were called in for the final vote – after hours of arm twisting and process manipulation – I couldn’t help but think to myself how much they sounded like funeral bells.

For whom did the bells toll? For the unborn – viable, healthy babies with heartbeats, brain function, capacity to feel pain and the ability to live outside the womb – whose lives can now be snuffed out for any reason with no protection of the law.

The bells toll for them.

Again, this has been Senator Eric Brakey of Androscoggin County. Thank you for listening.

Sen. Eric Brakey represents the communities of District 20. He is the Senate Republican Lead for the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee and State and Local Government Committee.