Washington Free Beacon: Troy Jackson’s Son Repped Oil and Gas Company Lobbying Against Bill That Died in Jackson’s Senate

Troy Jackson’s Son Repped Oil and Gas Company Lobbying Against Bill That Died in Jackson’s Senate
Collin Anderson
Washington Free Beacon
August 10, 2026

When the oil and gas company Global Partners LP faced criticism from Maine lawmakers in 2019 over emissions violations at its petroleum storage facilities in South Portland, it turned to a well-connected operative to lobby the state legislature on a pair of bills targeting the company: Chace Jackson, the son of then-Maine Senate president Troy Jackson, now the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate.

Global Partners retained the Maine lobbying giant Preti Flaherty on May 8, 2019, the same day state lawmakers unveiled two bills addressing what the Portland Press Herald dubbed the “South Portland emissions controversy.” The federal government had found that Global Partners violated emissions limits years prior, in 2014, but city officials did not learn of the ordeal until the company agreed to settle the charges five years later. In response, Maine lawmakers unveiled a pair of bills requiring the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to notify local officials of such violations and subjecting Global Partners to independent inspections.

Chace Jackson, who worked for Preti Flaherty as a lobbyist and “legislative liaison” at the time, was one of three lobbyists listed on the contract, state records obtained by the Washington Free Beacon show. Global Partners paid the firm nearly $3,000 to lobby on the two bills. A company vice president, Drew Carlson, said Global Partners “had concerns” with them, arguing that they included provisions that could have “substantially increased the cost of handling and supplying fuels.”

“Global retained Preti Flaherty to help us understand and navigate the proposed legislation and evaluate its potential operational and economic impacts,” Carlson told the Free Beacon. “As part of that effort, we also met with legislators to provide background on Global, our operations and existing environmental protections, and to discuss the potential implications of the legislation for energy supply and costs.”

“Global had concerns about certain provisions of the bills, particularly those that could have substantially increased the cost of handling and supplying fuels necessary for commerce and everyday life in Maine and the broader region,” he continued. “Rather than actively opposing the legislation, Global chose to focus on being part of the solution. We provided policymakers with information about our operations, environmental protections and the potential economic impacts of the proposals, while working collaboratively with the State of Maine and the City of South Portland to address the underlying concerns.”

The notification bill, which required the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to notify affected municipalities when it learns of air quality violations, passed the Maine House and senate and was signed into law. But the inspection bill, which subjected Global Partners to “independent, third party platform” air quality testing of the company’s facilities, died in the Troy Jackson-controlled Maine Senate, which removed it from consideration on May 28, 2019, legislative records show. That bill targeted Global Partners more directly. Troy Jackson does not appear to have criticized the company publicly at the time. Global Partners did not formally submit testimony opposing the bill, though other companies and manufacturing groups did.

Read more here.

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