AUGUSTA, Maine — Republican U.S. Senate candidate William Schneider says he will resign from his post as Maine’s attorney general if he comes out on top in a six-way June 12 Republican primary.
Schneider, one of six Republicans vying to succeed Olympia Snowe in the U.S. Senate, announced Friday that the Republican nominee for the Senate seat will need “a singular focus” on what promises to be a hard-fought general election contest.
The attorney general’s office needs that same level of focus, Schneider said at a Friday afternoon press conference in Portland. Schneider said in the statement that he has “discharged” many of his attorney general duties and used vacation time while campaigning for the Senate.
“I don’t think the demands of both jobs will allow me to do both,” Schneider told the Bangor Daily News.
Schneider said voters should know what to expect from him when they cast their ballots on June 12.
“They should know if they vote for me in the primary and I get the nomination, I should be a hard-charging Senate candidate,” he said.
Schneider is one of three Maine constitutional officers hoping to become the Republican Senate nominee. Secretary of State Charles Summers and State Treasurer Bruce Poliquin are also in the contest.
Schneider didn’t call on Summers and Poliquin to resign their posts if they won the GOP nomination. And Summers spokeswoman Jen Webber said the secretary of state plans to remain in his job if he gets the GOP nod.
“There are several initiatives he wants to see through as secretary of state,” she said.
Poliquin said he would decide what to do after the primary.
“I have a responsibility to the taxpayers of Maine and I’m working my tail off to save them money,” he said.
If Schneider wins the nomination and resigns, the governor would appoint a replacement, who would then have to be confirmed by the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee and the full Senate.
Maine’s attorney general, state treasurer and secretary of state are chosen by the state Legislature. In most states, they are either elected by the public or appointed by the governor.
Politician makes a promise. I won’t hold my breath.
I think you can hold it with this man. A West Point graduate and Army Ranger, who lost the use of his legs in a parachute jump gone-bad, and then decides to attend law school to become a prosecutor, further serving the public? The man’s life has been nothing but service to his fellow citizens. I’ll hold my breath and then some – he has my vote.
From Portland Press Herald candidate profile- “In 1985, while stationed on an Army base in Massachusetts, Schneider’s military career ended abruptly. He was driving a van during Hurricane Gloria when the van hydroplaned and crashed. He suffered smashed vertebrae and lost the use of his legs.”
Sorry, if that’s the case, that’s my mistake. I’d thought it was during a jump. Regardless, he’s lead an impressive adult life as a public servant.
hi…do you actually know anything about his performance as AG? clearly not. this guy signed off on the laughable mortgage settlement agreement that gave the six national banks a free pass on mortgage fraud. then, he worked with GOP legislators to help defeat LD-145 — a simple bill that simply required any bank foreclosing on a Maine property to show proof it actually holds the mortgage and has a right to foreclose. Apparently, Maine remaining wide open for fraud was Aokay with him ….despite other states moving to criminalize this….. and then, there’s the banks and derivatives…..they’ve been moving their junk derivatives into their retail divisions so that customer checking and savings accounts stand as collateral for this sludge……when the derivatives go boom, so will customer accounts…… unless a trillion or two suddenly materializes in the FDIC accounts. Schneider doesn’t even think its worth warning Mainers about………much doing anything about. Might hurt the big banks and we don’t want that.
this guy has consistently repped the big banks and worked against the interests of the people of Maine . If you want to give a big wet sloppy kiss and a slap on the back to the big banks, this is the guy to vote for…….he will never do anything to defend the interests of Mainers against the big banks. He’s a political hack and a coward.
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In other words, he’s saying, “If it looks like a better job is in the bag, I’ll quit my present job.”
Congratulations Mr. Schneider. You have an amazing story and I would hold my breath any day for your campaign. With any luck, Earthling3 will hold their breath just a little too long… after voting for Barack Obama, that is!
I think if you are running for an elected position, you should resign your current position. None of this, well if i get a better job I am gone, but i always have my current position. You can not effectively do your current job and run for an election at the same time.
If he resigned, could Big Paulie re-instate him if (and when) he gets trounced ?
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Can someone stand against corruption in Washington but not stand against
it in their own department? The State’s Bar Counsel has recommended prosecutor
Mary Kellett be disciplined for her crimes. Even some lawyers are calling for a
special prosecutor because state refuses to do their job or even fire her.
Where is Bill?
http://www.fathersandfamilies.org/2012/04/12/me-bar-counsel-recommends-discipline-for-ada-mary-n-kellett/
Typical Republican, wants to hang onto government handout for doing nothing.
Dont forget about Blaine Richardson of Belfast, his wife was the one who told a census worker about how she defrauded the Government when she was in college and worked for the census.
Let’s hope so. Then maybe we can get someone to join the other 24 states supporting Montana’s effort to regulate unlimited corporate financing in state elections. The GOP loves states’ rights, except when it is not in its interest. Yet another reason why very few of them deserve the honorable designation of “conservative.”
The best AG we have ever had.
you betcha. big banks love him. they’ve got one solid defender for everything they do…no matter how outrageous. Geez, this guy wouldn’t even stand up and defend 1000 years of established property law…..and make the banks show they actually hold the mortgage when they do a foreclosure. He’s a total sweetheart……and a real defender of Maine’s people and the rule of law.
People have to sue their Banks. He did not prevent you from doing that.
After the way that he handled ( Poliquins ) blatant disregard to the constituional provisions relating to the office of the Treasurer he should step aside,
PERMANENTLY!
They all should step aside NOW. Stop chasing your political ambitions on my dime