Buckle up folks, this is a long one!
Monday night we took the opportunity to speak with Susan Collins… err, rather her cardboard surrogate. We tried to get Susan to show up but of course she didn’t. While Susan decided not to show, the people who really matter did – YOU! Thank you to the community members who came and made their voice heard.
Let’s be real though – the cutout was more responsive than the real thing. Our very own Francis, err, I mean KEROK! – showed up and crushed it, though thankfully not with his actual club!
Boofing justice, really? Can’t do any better than that?
~ Kerok
Andrei brought down the house with his hilarious conversation — think Clint Eastwood talking to Obama’s empty chair, except Andrei was actually funny.
All of the funniness aside, there were some heartfelt stories, and serious concerns that deserve serious answers, but we all know Susan isn’t going to deliver. If you have some free time, I highly encourage you to watch the livestream over at the Indivisible Bangor YouTube channel (please excuse the technical difficulties!) and listen to our community share their comments directly. Quote bubbles on this screen will not do them any justice. We truly appreciate everyone coming out and speaking. This is how we win: together!
A huge thank you to all of our partners that worked to put this event together! It was organized by Indivisible Bangor alongside a coalition of over 15 area organizations including Maine People’s Alliance, Food AND Medicine, NAACP Greater Bangor Area Branch, MSNA, Acadia Action, Jewish Voices for Peace, Indivisible Mid Maine, Indivisible Waldo County, National Nurses Organizing, Activate Maine, and more.
The turnout and the energy in that room made one thing very clear: people want to be heard, and Susan Collins doesn’t want to listen. She hasn’t held an open public town hall in over 25 years. Twenty-five years. That’s not representation.
WE DESERVE BETTER!
On Wednesday night, Donald Trump addressed the nation about the war in Iran. If you were hoping for a plan, an exit strategy, or anything resembling leadership, boy howdy do I have some bad news for you. What we got was twenty minutes of unhinged gaslighting, where the President of the United States threatened to bomb Iran “back to the Stone Ages where they belong” – I don’t think Kerok would appreciate that, not one bit.
He told countries that depend on oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz that they should “grab and cherish” it — whatever that means. Meanwhile, oil is over $100 a barrel, gas prices are climbing, and earlier that same day he floated pulling the United States out of NATO. Just casually, on the way to the Supreme Court to argue that children born in this country aren’t citizens -which he promptly left an hour and a half later because quite frankly, the Supreme Court Justices were mopping the floor with the Trump regime’s dollar store attorneys.
This is not leadership. This is a toddler who started a war he can’t finish, tanking the economy in the process, and going on television to tell us it’s going great. It’s not going great.
But not to be outdone by the Collins-Trump wombo-combo, Councilor Wayne Mallar was caught on a hot mic during an ethics committee hearing — where he himself was the subject. Big yikes – and that irony is not lost on me. You can watch for yourself over at WABI.
They can’t speak English, read English, or write English — it’s not a disability… They’re probably all illegals anyway.
He was talking about children. Kids in our schools. That felt gross just writing it here. And when BDN reached out for comment, he didn’t walk it back. He doubled down, saying he doesn’t think our teachers should teach English as a second language and that the city spends too much time on “the homeless and the illegals.” I can only imagine what other beliefs the Councilor holds. Someone who talks that way about children doesn’t have shame in the first place.
Here’s the thing — he was wrong on the facts and wrong on the law. He claimed the school department was requesting a 10 percent budget increase. The actual number is 6.43%. School Committee Chair Timothy Surrette called his comments “false, hateful, and deeply harmful to our multilingual learners and their families here in Bangor.” Vice Chair Katie Brydon put it plainly: “This is not just a matter of values — it is the law.”
Mallar’s only complaint was that the conversation was broadcast at all. He told BDN it “shouldn’t have been.” He’s not sorry for what he said. He’s sorry he got caught. Oh, and that same night? The Board of Ethics found he had violated the city’s ethics code when he tried to influence the commission’s decision on a slate roof replacement.
These comments call into question every vote he has ever cast on social issues in this city. Since taking his seat in 2024, Mallar has voted against the ICE cooperation resolve, voted against limiting city cooperation with immigration enforcement, voted against early compliance with the state ICE law, and voted to eliminate the Advisory Committee on Racial Equity, Inclusion and Human Rights. That’s four votes in five months. Hmmm, I wonder why?
Bangor deserves better.
Councilor Mallar has no business being on City Council with such abhorrent beliefs. At a time when this country is more divided than ever, we need to be taking every measure to build a stronger Bangor TOGETHER – not punching down at literal children.
I strongly encourage you to email city council at councilors@bangormaine.gov. Better yet, on Monday, April 13th come to town hall and tell Councilor Mallar exactly how you feel in person. This is our city and we get to decide what we stand for!
This feels like it’s been a particularly heavy week. Between Collins hiding, Trump spiraling, and Mallar saying the quiet part out loud, it’s a lot. But here’s what keeps me going: over 70 people showed up on a Monday night! People are paying attention. People are showing up. We are building community and coming together to resist the onslaught of injustices.
So with that, we have a handful of new events coming up! We also have a series of interviews going up on the Indivisible Bangor YouTube channel this week! I had the opportunity to speak with folks out at No Kings this past weekend and I am working to get all of the interviews up as quickly as possible! Take a minute to listen to why Tristin Friend, candidate for Hermon Town Council, thinks No Kings is so important!
Today is the LAST DAY of Food AND Medicine‘s 2026 membership campaign. If you are interested in helping, please submit a response here. If you would like to join FAM, you can do so on their website!
NOTICE:
Any cars parked in The Penquis parking lot near the federal building without their permit stickers will be ticketed and towed!
Click on links below to jump to that section. You can still scroll down to access all other content. These links may not work in the email version of this newsletter and may require going to the actual post to navigate.
Do you want to become more involved? Would you like to help with the website and communications? Help organize events like rallies and visibility actions? Or do you just want to keep up with what we’re doing? Sign up to volunteer with Indivisible Bangor — your level of involvement is up to you!
Weekly member meetings are on Zoom, with in-person meetings on the first Wednesday of the month. As always, check out our Bluesky and Instagram for the latest info.
NEWS
Pam Bondi, a Trump loyalist who oversaw Justice Department upheaval, is out as his attorney general
President Donald Trump said Thursday that Pam Bondi is out as his attorney general, ending the contentious tenure of a loyalist who upended the Justice Department’s culture of independence from the White House, oversaw large-scale firings of career employees and moved aggressively to investigate the Republican president’s perceived enemies.
Read the entire article here.
Hegseth asks US Army’s top general to step down
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has asked Army Chief of Staff Randy George to step down from his post, according to CBS News, the BBC’s US partner.
Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement on social media that George “will be retiring from his position as the 41st Chief of Staff of the Army effective immediately”.
Read the entire article here.
Maine supplemental budget advances with new tax on millionaires
A key legislative committee advanced a supplemental state budget proposal that includes a tax increase on Maine’s highest earners, direct relief payments for residents and funding that Democrats say will stabilize essential services amid ongoing fiscal pressures.
The Legislature’s Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee voted 8-4 early Thursday to move the proposal forward, sending it to the full Maine Legislature for further debate and votes.
Read’s full article here.
Susan Collins supports “Save America Act”
Despite Mainers voting overwhelmingly to reject the voter suppression measures list in Question 1 last November, Senator Collins has decided that she supports even stricter voter suppression measures.The bill recently passed in the House and will be up for vote in the Senate soon. From Bangor Daily News:
Trump has framed the bill as a national voter ID push, although it is slightly different than that. Democrats have argued it could still bar millions of people from voting, with the liberal Brennan Center for Justice saying 21 million Americans lack ready access to the documents that would be required to prove citizenship. Noncitizens are barred from voting in federal elections.
Read the entire article here.
LEGISLATION
UPDATE: LD 307 – Results on Data Center bill vote in the House
THANK YOU to all of you who contacted your legislators about LD 307 – the data center bill. [The vote in the Senate is still ahead – please contact your state senator if you haven’t already.]
The corporate lobby has been very, very busy on opposing this bill.
LD 307 was debated and voted on in the House yesterday.
First vote was in favor of the bill, 80-62.
It is now tabled in the House for a possible amendment. Governor Mills wants a carveout for a data center project in Jay.
This data center (LD 307) bill has huge cost implications. The PJM region (mid Atlantic to Tennessee and Illinois) saw a tenfold increase last year in the capacity markets due to data centers, and customers were forced to pay $9.3 billion more in a single year due to these data center cost spikes.
This is a list of important bills to keep an eye on. Click on the bill number to get more details. Please take some time and contact your legislators with your opinions!
- Check complete bill listing here: https://legislature.maine.gov/Calendar/#PHWS. Set the date range in the upper left corner. This listing also shows work sessions if you want to weigh in on any of those.
- Find the text of any bill here: https://legislature.maine.gov Or click through on the calendar, on the bill number, which is a link. Then read the pdf or the word version (link in upper left area). Form your own opinions!
- Instructions for testifying are here: https://www.mainelegislature.org/testimony/
If you know of other important legislation, please let us know and we’ll add it to the list!
Maine
Economy
LD 229: An Act to Bring Fairness in Income Taxes to Maine Families by Adjusting the Tax Brackets and Tax Rates
LD 307: An Act Regarding Energy, Utilities and Technology
LD 1879: An Act to Support Maine’s Agricultural Economy by Increasing Revenue from the Corporate Income Tax
Education
LD 1089: An Act to Permanently Fund 55 Percent of the State’s Share of Education by Establishing a Tax on Incomes of More than $1,000,000
LD 1414: An Act to Support and Sustain Maine’s Child Care Workforce
LD 1955: An Act to Increase Child Care Affordability and Early Childhood Educator Stability
LD 2066: An Act to Establish the Child Care Employment Award
LD 2175: Resolve, Regarding Legislative Review of Portions of Chapter 115: The Credentialing of Education Personnel, a Major Substantive Rule of the Department of Education, State Board of Education
LD 2192: An Act to Protect Students by Ensuring Schools Have Complete Information About School Employees and Applicants for Employment
Environment
LD 276: An Act Regarding Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
LD 474: An Act to Improve Maine’s Environment and Protect Natural Resources
LD 1870: An Act to Establish a Climate Superfund Cost Recovery Program to Impose Penalties on Climate Polluters
LD 2174: An Act to Replace the Maine Waterway Development and Conservation Act with the Maine Renewable Energy and Associated Transmission Development and Conservation Act
Healthcare
LD 2206: An Act Expanding Access to Oral Health Care by Creating a New Path for Obtaining a License to Practice Dentistry
LD 2208: An Act to Offset Federal Cuts to Health Insurance for Certain Maine Families and Seniors
LD 2209: Resolve, to Direct the Department of Health and Human Services to Develop Innovative Models for the Delivery of Dental Services to Expand Access to Oral Health Care Throughout the State
Civil & Human Rights
LD 335: An Act to Safeguard Reproductive Rights
LD 1383: An Act to Require State Divestment from Perpetrators of International Human Rights Violations
LD 1666: An Act to Include in the Ranked-choice Election Method for General and Special Elections the Offices of Governor, State Senator and State Representative and to Make Other Related Changes
LD 1822: An Act to Enact the Maine Online Data Privacy Act
LD 2176: An Act to Safeguard Reproductive Rights
Immigration
LD 2106: An Act to Prohibit the Disclosure of Nonpublic Records Without Proper Judicial Review
Tribal Sovereignty
LD 395: An Act to Restore Access to Federal Laws Beneficial to the Wabanaki Nations
LD 785: An Act to Enact the Remaining Recommendations of the Task Force on Changes to the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Implementing Act
Federal
H.R.22: SAVE Act
H.R.7300: Make Elections Great Again Act
H.R.7296: SAVE America Act
ACTIONS
Event: Attend an event!
Events are easy to attend and only require a small amount of time investment – some you can even attend from the comfort of your own couch! Take a look at the upcoming events below and register.
Petition: Sign “Iran War Concerns” Petition
As United States citizens from various political perspectives, we have serious concerns about the current war in Iran and the justification that was used for initiating it.
Petition: Sign “A Winning Democratic Strategy” Petition
This petition lists a number of items that Democrats should pledge to do.
Contact: Oppose the SAVE Act, MEGA Act, and Save America Act
Take action on the SAVE Act, the MEGA Act, and the Save America Act. These anti-democratic bills could be fast-tracked through Congress, with the Save America Act passed in the U.S. House last week (SAVE Act passed in the House last year). These laws would require voters to prove their citizenship by showing a passport or birth certificate in order to register to vote — a requirement that would disenfranchise millions of voters. According to the Brennan Center, “21 million American citizens don’t have these documents readily available.”
This bill would especially burden military voters, tribal voters, rural voters, and survivors of natural disasters. Plus, are you someone who’s married and changed your name? Or just someone who’s changed your name? You, too, could be affected. This could also affect Mainers living near the border who might have been born at a Canadian hospital to U.S. parents.
The MEGA Act would prohibit the use of mail-in voting (like absentee voting) and Ranked Choice Voting. The bill promotes voter roll purges and criminalizes clerical errors by election workers. It’s a package of terrible ideas built upon false, debunked theories that our elections are not secure. Maine has the right to conduct our elections, which are already fair, transparent, and accessible. Let’s reject this federal intervention.
Letter: Tell Senate Democrats: Not a penny more for ICE and Border Patrol terror
Across the country, millions of us have held the line for months demanding an end to the violence and terror of ICE and Border Patrol. As reports are circulating that Democrats are open to considering a deal being floated by the White House, it’s time to remind them that our demands have not changed: The only way ICE and Border Patrol get so much as a single penny more is if Democrats fail to lead.
If reports about the proposal are true, this “offer” would constitute a blank check to Border Patrol and add to ICE’s already bloated budget, merely separating out “deportation operations” to be funded later. And this funding could very well come without any guardrails to curb ICE brutality and terror operations. Your Democratic Senators need to hear from you today: Any vote for this proposal is a vote to support ICE and Border Patrol’s terror, violence, and the authoritarian Trump agenda.
Letter: Support childcare funding
Next week, our legislators will be considering a number of bills that will make Maine’s childcare system stronger.
This includes LD 1955, which will provide $15 million in ongoing funding for the Child Care Affordability Program. This will provide immediate relief to children and families who are currently on waitlists, while also ensuring future families can access affordable childcare without delays as they work, pursue education, or engage in job training.
LD 2066 will make the Child Care Affordability Program Educator Employment Award permanent. This will ensure that current employees at licensed childcare programs receive tuition support and will help to both recruit and retain qualified staff. And lastly, LD 1414 will increase infant and toddler payment rates through the Child Care Affordability Program for eligible families—making it easier for providers to offer affordable care for the youngest kids.
This action is sponsored by our friends over at Maine People’s Alliance.
Letter: Tell Congress: Stop President Trump’s illegal boat strikes
The Trump administration is murdering civilians in international waters. We need answers so we can stop the killing.
Since September, the Trump administration has ordered dozens of lethal strikes on civilian boats near Venezuela, killing over 150 people in clear violation of domestic and international law. For weeks, the Trump administration has promoted unsubstantiated, fear-mongering claims about the people being targeted, even though investigations show that the strikes killed fishermen who were simply trying to make a living for their families. The administration is reportedly relying on a secret legal memo that wrongly claims these killings are lawful and that anyone involved in the strikes would somehow be immune from prosecution for murder or other crimes, yet they refuse to make the memo public.
Letter: Reject the Deportation & Detention Agenda
The Big Ugly Bill funneled enough money for ICE and Border Patrol to fund their terror for years to come. We have already seen how dangerous this is in communities across the country. Now the administration is trying to use this money to do a massive expansion in detention facilities across the country. They have been buying up properties, and sometimes actually converting warehouses into camps that will hold human beings, often in dangerous and horrifying conditions.
We have a chance to stop this expansion in its tracks, in partnership with experts across the country, by speaking up and demanding our elected officials speak up too. This is already working – and even some Republicans are criticizing the warehouses – from Pennsylvania, to Tennessee, and beyond. So let’s keep up the pressure.
Letter: Write a letter to the editor
Letters to the editor are published regularly in the local newspapers from Mainers who support the brutal tactics of the authoritarian Trump regime. Write a letter to set the record straight. Click the button to go to the Bangor Daily News “Submit a letter or column” page, the Portland Press Herald “Letters to the editor” page, and the “Letter to the Editor” page at the Ellsworth American.
Contact: Call or email your legislators
If you want an easy way to actually do something, check out 5calls.org. You enter your location, pick an issue you care about, and it gives you your representatives’ phone numbers and a script. That’s it. Calling your elected officials is one of the most effective forms of civic engagement there is!
If you are more comfortable with sending emails to our Maine congressional delegation in Washington, click the links/buttons. This is a good option if you have lengthy comments or questions.
Boycott: Pressure companies to stop working with ICE
Vote with your wallet and boycott companies and services that work with ICE! Check out the full list here.
Donate: Give to a food bank
Please DONATE to a local food pantry- food, personal items, and even cash. Faith Linking in Action maintains a database of all food pantries and free meals– organized by both location and day of the week– in the Bangor area. Check it out here.
ActivateMaine has created a site, SNAP Into Action: “a statewide effort to help those who are affected by the freezing of benefits due to the Government shut down.” If you know of any food drives that are happening, please visit this site to add it to the database!
EVENTS
Weekly Events
Indivisible Bangor Meeting
5:00 pm Every Wednesday @ Zoom
Vigils in the Bangor Area
Tuesdays
11:00 am @ the Federal Building
Wednesdays
12:00-1:00 pm @ Orono town center – Details
Bangor Visibility Brigade
Fridays
4:00 pm @ Essex Street Overpass
Tuesdays & Bi-Weekly on Saturdays
2:30 pm @ Hammond Street Overpass
Virtual Events
Thursdays
7:30 pm – League of Women Voters Youth Advocacy Team – Details
Monthly Events
The Preservation of Democracy/Republic After the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election
April 13, 2026 – Monday – 6:15 pm
Belfast, Maine Free Library: 106 High Street
3rd Floor Conference Room
A free monthly discussion/support/action group for anyone
concerned about the threat to democracy/republic in the
United States after the 2024 presidential election, inclusive of
sharing one’s strategic non-cooperation activities and
concerns about Trump’s war with Iran.
Facilitated by Elliot Benjamin, Ph.D.
For more information send an e-mail inquiry to ben496@prexar.com or leave a phone message at 207-223-0052.
Trainings
ICE Watch Verifier Training
First Tuesday of the month
By signing up as an ICE Watch verifier, you’ll help verify reports of ICE operations in Maine and help create a safer environment for our neighbors.
Future Events
Food AND Medicine Membership Campaign
March 3, 2026 – April 3, 2026
Food AND Medicine is having their 2026 membership campaign from March 3rd to April 3rd. If you are interested in helping, please submit a response here. If you would like to join FAM, you can do so on their website!
Postcard Writing Party
April 7 & 14, 2026 – Tuesday – 5:30 pm
20 Ivers St, Brewer, ME 04412
Join Indivisble Bangor and Food AND Medicine to write postcards to legislators!
We’ll have snacks and lively conversation while we write news boosting postcards to help combat disinformation and make sure voters in the highly competitive Senate election in Maine learn how harmful the Trump/GOP agenda is for them. Postcards courtesy of Progressive Turnout Project.
Maine People’s Alliance: Penobscot Valley Community Meeting
April 7, 2026 – Tuesday – 5:30 pm
Join Maine People’s Alliance members from Penobscot and neighboring counties as we come together to move our work forward and take action locally. This gathering is a chance to connect with neighbors, build relationships, and be part of a growing community committed to positive change.
We’ll check in with one another, share updates since our last meeting, reflect on recent actions, and discuss opportunities to get involved in the weeks ahead. All are welcome, whether you’re new to MPA or have been involved for years.
Dinner will be provided. Please RSVP.
Come for food and conversation starting at 5:30 pm. The meeting will begin at 6:00 pm.
Penobscot County Democratic Committee Meeting
April 11, 2026 – Sunday – 10:30 am
The Together Place – 2 2nd St, Bangor, ME 04401
The Penobscot County Democratic Committee is holding their monthly meeting. Come out and participate in some good, old fashioned democracy!
Madame Defarge Knitters: Raise Our Voices
April 12, 2026 – Sunday – 4:00 pm
82 Main St, Orono, ME 04473
The Church of Universal Fellowship is hosting. This free event will include a chance to sing with Singing Resistance and Women With Wings, and a silent auction to benefit ILAP, the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project. Great chance to gather with similar spirits, learn new songs, and support a great cause. Cool things at auction: artwork, handmade crafts, gift baskets, gift certificates.
Newport School Board Meeting
April 14, 2026 – Tuesday – 6:30 pm
291 Williams Rd Suite 2, Newport, ME 04953
Come to the school board meeting at Nokomis Regional Middle/High School in support of transgender students. There was literally a fist fight that occurred last time because a grown-ass man was shouting over a student.
Let’s all turn up and fill up the front row seats so they can’t intimidate students or parents – they deserve to be heard too. Don’t let the beligerent bigots win!
Collaborative Community Art Project
Deadline for project: April 18, 2026
In celebration of the United States’ Semiquincentennial in 2026, Bangor Public Library is creating a large-scale American flag* mural compiled from 312 individual squares that together form a vibrant version of the American flag, a symbol of unity, shared purpose, hope, and love for our country.
Be part of this project and take home a square. Then paint, sew, collage, and colorize according to the color code on the back. See some examples above! The squares are now available on the second floor in the Reference Lobby.
Note that we need the completed squares back by April 18th.
The squares will then be arranged into the American flag and sewn onto a large piece of canvas. The flag will be displayed in the Cyr Gallery during the library’s 250th celebration, June through July. We will bring it back out for the exhibit of the Dunlap Broadside of the Declaration of Independence in September.
Artist Stephanie Krimmel and Mrs. Maynard’s Art Room blog inspired our project, and we look forward to sharing our version with the community this summer.
Socialist and Marxist Studies Series
April 2026 – Thursdays – 12:30 pm
A Zoom link will be provided for those who cannot attend in person
Check out details on the upcoming series in this PDF below!
RESOURCES
Friends of Indivisible Bangor
ICE In Maine
Maine’s Attorney General Aaron Frey has started an ICE tip-line Citizens are urged to report intimidating and excessive federal enforcement behavior to CitizenReporting.OAG@maine.gov.
“Emailers should be advised that any content sent may be subject to public dissemination under Maine’s Freedom of Access Laws.”
The ICE resources that have been listed in previous newsletters can be found here.
Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition has published a resource hub here.
ACLU Maine – Know Your Rights
If you see what you identify as an ICE vehicle in your town call the ICE Watch hotline in Maine: (207) 544-9989. You can also text them a photo of what you believe to be an ICE vehicle, or any ICE actions in your area.
Legislator Contact Info
The names of our senators and representatives listed below are links that go right to their official congressional contact form pages. The telephone numbers are links that should open your phone app to call that number. It’s that easy!
Senator Angus King
DC: (202) 224-5344
Augusta: (207) 622-8292
Senator Susan Collins
DC: (202) 224-2523
Augusta: (207) 622-8414
Bangor: (207) 945-0417
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree
DC: (202) 225-6116
Portland: (207) 774-5019
Waterville: (207) 873-5713
Congressman Jared Golden
DC: (202) 225-6306
Bangor: (207) 249-7400
Caribou: (207) 492-6009
Lewiston: (207) 241-6767
Find your State Representative:
By name: Here
By district: Here
Find your State Senator:
By name: Here
By district: Here
Our government in Augusta:
Governor Janet Mills
Email Governor Mills
Call (207) 287-3531
Secretary of State Shenna Bellows
Contact Secretary Bellows
Call (207)626-8400
Attorney General Aaron M. Frey
Contact Mr. Frey
Call (207) 626-8800
Questions or comments? Contact George!
