AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) _ Gubernatorial candidate Mike Michaud says Maine needs an oversight agency to combat waste and fraud in its welfare programs and mismanagement in the health department.
The Democrat trying to unseat Gov. Paul LePage said Thursday that he will create an Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services if he's elected in November.
The Republican governor has made fighting welfare fraud a top priority of his administration. But Michaud says he has merely demonized the poor and has failed to take real action.
LePage's campaign said Thursday that LePage has taken several steps to overhaul Maine's welfare programs, including enacting drug testing for welfare recipients with past felony convictions and a placed a five-year limit on some welfare benefits.