Roger Katz

Roger Katz
Member of the Maine Senate
from the 15th district
In office
December 3, 2014 – December 5, 2018
Preceded byJohn J. Cleveland
Succeeded byMatthew Pouliot
Member of the Maine Senate
from the 24th district
In office
December 8, 2010 – December 3, 2014
Preceded byLibby Mitchell
Succeeded byStanley Gerzofsky
Personal details
BornAugusta, Maine
Political partyRepublican
SpouseEricka Katz
ProfessionAttorney at law

Roger J. Katz (born c. 1950s) is an American politician and lawyer. He graduated from Cony High School in Augusta, Maine, where he played on the boys' basketball team which won the 1973 state championship. He then went on to Harvard College and Boston University Law School.

Katz is a Republican State Senator from Maine's 15th District, representing Augusta, China, Oakland, Sidney and Vassalboro. He was first elected to the Maine State Senate in 2010 after serving from 2006 to 2010 as mayor of state capital Augusta.[1] He is chair of the Government Oversight committee in the State Senate.[2] A practicing lawyer, he is a partner in the law firm Lipman & Katz in Augusta.[1] In 2010, Katz defeated State Representative Patsy Crockett.[3] Following re-election in November 2012, Katz was elected as Republican Senate assistant minority leader after his party lost majority status to the Democrats.[4]

When the Republicans regained the majority in the Senate after the 2014 election, Katz decided not to seek a leadership position in the following legislative session.[5]

Governor Paul LePage has called for Katz to resign his chairmanship of the Government Oversight Committee, which is investigating LePage for using state funds to force a nonprofit to reverse its hiring of Democratic Speaker of the House Mark Eves. LePage said that Katz has a clear conflict of interest due to past public statements against LePage and having already arrived at some conclusions in the investigation. Katz responded by noting that the committee vote to begin the investigation was unanimous. LePage also said Katz was conducting a "witch hunt" against him.[6] Senate President Michael Thibodeau and Majority Leader Garrett Mason each issued statements of support for Katz.[7]

His father, Bennett Katz, served as state senator in the 1960s and 1970s, including a stint as Senate Majority Leader.[1]

The American Legion's Maine Department awarded Katz its Legislator of the Year award on January 17, 2016, citing what they termed his tireless work for veterans.[8]

Katz opposed Donald Trump in the 2016 election, calling him "not fit to be president".[9]

Katz is Jewish.[10]

  1. ^ a b c Edwards, Keith (February 24, 2010). "Mayor has Senate ambition". Kennebec Journal. Archived from the original on 22 April 2012. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  2. ^ "Senator Roger J. Katz". Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  3. ^ Edwards, Keith (November 3, 2010). "Katz downs Crockett in Senate contest". Kennebec Journal. Archived from the original on 22 April 2012. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  4. ^ "Maine Senators-Elect Pick Floor Leaders". Maine Public Broadcasting Network. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
  5. ^ "Maine Democrats, Republicans prepare to choose new legislative leaders". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 10 November 2014.
  6. ^ "LePage: Good Will-Hinckley probe is merely a 'witch hunt' by GOP senator". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
  7. ^ "Lawmakers defend GOP senator against LePage's call for him to step down". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
  8. ^ Eisenhart, Patrick (January 17, 2016). "Senator Katz named Maine American Legion Legislator of the Year". Kennebec Journal. Retrieved February 1, 2016.
  9. ^ Russell, Eric (August 5, 2016). "Roger Katz, Republican state senator from Augusta, calls Trump 'not fit to be president'". Kennebec Journal. Retrieved August 5, 2016.
  10. ^ "LePage says he didn't mean to offend with Gestapo comment; Republican leaders say it is 'a non-issue'". Bangor Daily News. July 9, 2012. Retrieved July 9, 2012.