Maine Rep. Lockman calls colleague “Ayatollah of Eagle Lake” in online rant

Lockman with Gov. LePage- from Lockman's Facebook page.

Lockman with Gov. LePage- from Lockman’s Facebook page.

On Thursday, Maine State Rep. Lawrence Lockman, a Republican from Amherst, posted a lengthy diatribe on his official Facebook page.

In the post Lockman derogatorily refers to fellow State Rep. John Martin, a Democrat from Eagle Lake, as “the Ayatollah of Eagle Lake,” blames former Maine Gov. John Baldacci and other Democrats for under-funding Maine’s nursing homes, and calls people on food stamps “layabouts” who “can afford cigarettes and tattoos,” but “use their EBT at strip joints and Disney World.”

He also calls for Martin’s retirement from politics.

Lockman, who is known for radical behavior and offensive statements in the past, initially responded to my question asking if he understands what an Ayatollah is with, “Ayuh.”

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I’ll admit, I had to search online for the exact definition of Ayatollah, but once I found its meaning it became pretty clear why Lockman chose the word.

Or, as a friend so eloquently commented on my Facebook page:

“It wasn’t an accident or a slip of the tongue. It was an intentional slur that plays to one of the most emotionally charged and despicable parts of our culture of hatred.”

After some prying on the comment thread underneath his rant, I was able to get Lockman to (sort of) explain his use of “Ayatollah”- which is the title for an Islamic Shiite religious leader.

Answered Lockman, “I tagged Martin with the “Ayatollah” label many, many years ago. Figure it out.”

State Rep. John Martin. Photo- Troy R. Bennett, BDN.

State Rep. John Martin. Photo- Troy R. Bennett, BDN.

Martin has been known to some over the years as the “Earl of Eagle Lake” due to his extraordinarily long (and sometimes controversial) tenure in the legislature, but Lockman’s insensitive use of a respected member of the Muslim faith as an insult to his colleague is inexcusable- particularly in the wake of the controversy surrounding Maine Sen. Michael Willette, a Republican from Aroostook County.

What’s lost in Lockman’s belligerence is what might actually be a good point made about Martin’s behavior on the State House floor.

Here’s Lockman’s post in full:

“Rep. John Martin, D-Eagle Lake, once again showed his contempt for the rules of the House this morning. During a floor debate on a bill to allow residents of long-term care facilities to keep a larger share of their Social Security checks, the Ayatollah of Eagle Lake angrily accused Republican opponents of this unfunded mandate of wanting to “starve” senior citizens.

It is against the rules to impugne the motives of other members. I sent a note to the Speaker (as did several other members) objecting to Martin’s misconduct. After the roll call, Speaker Eves finally instructed members not to speculate on the motives of other members.

The sick and twisted irony of the spectacle in the House this morning is clear to anyone familiar with Democrat policy-making over the past decade. Gov. John Baldacci and Democrat majorities (including Martin) chronically under-funded Maine’s nursing homes to the point that several rural facilities shut down, imposing enormous financial and emotional hardships on many families.

Meanwhile, liberal Democrats turned the safety net into a hammock for legions of able-bodied young adults who can afford cigarettes and tattoos, and use their EBT at strip joints and Disney World.

This is the legacy of 40+ years of left-wing progressive Democrat governance in Maine. John Martin and his colleagues have shoved the elderly and disabled to the back of the bus to make way for the new underclass of layabouts.

And now he has the nerve to accuse us of starving seniors after we cleaned up his mess and restored funding to the nursing homes.

The sooner he retires from public life, the better off Maine will be.”

Chris Shorr

About Chris Shorr

Chris is a sixth generation Portlander who loves all things Maine. He has worked with mentally ill and marginalized adults at a Portland non-profit, on a lobster boat in Casco Bay, at several high-end Portland restaurants, and at a local meat packing plant. He also ran for Portland City Council in 2013, wrote a weekly column in the now defunct Portland Daily Sun, and currently writes a weekly column in The Portland Phoenix.