ASSOCIATED PRESS • February 27, 2021
A bill that would grant state recognition for a second band of Maliseet Indians is running into opposition from leaders of other tribes, who say a lack of a formal standard for tribal recognition is a recipe for trouble. Former Houlton Band of Maliseets tribal Rep. David Slagger is seeking state recognition for the Kineo Band of Maliseet, which derives its name from 1,788-foot mountain on a peninsula in Moosehead Lake. A letter signed by all five tribal chiefs, including Chief Clarissa Sabattis of the Houlton Band of Maliseets, argues that the state lacks a process for state recognition.