I could not disagree more with columnist Jim Fossel on his suggestion (June 7) that our governor needs legislative oversight in handling the COVID pandemic. The last thing we need right now is to interject partisan bickering into our response to the virus. We elected a governor to lead our state. In this pandemic, we need one leader, who is qualified to make the myriad decisions that come about daily. And make them quickly.

Our governor is given the emergency powers to lead (upheld by the state constitution), and Janet Mills is doing one heck of a job. She is listening to the experts in epidemiology, public health and economics. She plans a course of action. If it is not working, she reassesses and starts again. No one, least of all a bickering Legislature, more worried about partisan politics, could do better.

This is not business as usual. This has nothing to do with the separation of powers of the branches of government. It is about a singular, educated, intelligent and consistent response to this huge emergency. I know of no one in our state who could do better right now than Gov. Mills, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention director Dr. Nirav Shah and those advising them.

Mr. Fossel should recuse himself from the discussion, due to his profound ignorance of epidemiology. We gave Janet Mills the wheel to steer us through anything that happens in Maine. Let’s let her do so, thank her and praise her for her wise and steady leadership.

Gillyin Gatto
Machias

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