Roger Katz

{{short description|American politician}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| image =

|name=Roger Katz

|state_senate=Maine

|state=Maine

|district=15th

|term_start=December 3, 2014

|term_end= December 5, 2018

|preceded= John J. Cleveland

|succeeded= Matthew Pouliot

|state_senate1=Maine

|state1=Maine

|district1=24th

|term_start1=December 8, 2010

|term_end1= December 3, 2014

|preceded1= Libby Mitchell

|succeeded1= Stanley Gerzofsky

|birth_date=

|birth_place=Augusta, Maine

|death_date=

|death_place=

|spouse= Ericka Katz

|profession= Attorney at law

|party=Republican

|website=

}}

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. He is chair of the Government Oversight committee in the State Senate.{{cite web|url=http://www.maine.gov/legis/senate_gop/_senators/senator.php?senator=katz|title=Senator Roger J. Katz|accessdate=20 October 2011}} A practicing lawyer, he is a partner in the law firm Lipman & Katz in Augusta. In 2010, Katz defeated State Representative Patsy Crockett.{{cite news|url=http://www.kjonline.com/news/katz-downs-crockett-in-senate-contest_2010-11-02.html|title=Katz downs Crockett in Senate contest|last=Edwards|first=Keith|date=November 3, 2010|work=Kennebec Journal|accessdate=20 October 2011|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120422172307/http://www.kjonline.com/news/katz-downs-crockett-in-senate-contest_2010-11-02.html|archivedate=22 April 2012}} Following re-election in November 2012, Katz was elected as Republican Senate assistant minority leader after his party lost majority status to the Democrats.{{cite news|url=http://www.mpbn.net/News/MPBNNews/tabid/1159/ctl/ViewItem/mid/3799/ItemId/24623/Default.aspx|title=Maine Senators-Elect Pick Floor Leaders|publisher=Maine Public Broadcasting Network|accessdate=11 November 2012}}

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.{{cite news|url=http://bangordailynews.com/2014/11/06/politics/maine-democrats-republicans-prepare-to-choose-new-house-leaders/?ref=search|title=Maine Democrats, Republicans prepare to choose new legislative leaders|publisher=Bangor Daily News|accessdate=10 November 2014}}

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 non-profit 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.{{cite news|url=http://stateandcapitol.bangordailynews.com/2015/10/06/lepage-good-will-hinckley-probe-is-merely-a-witch-hunt-by-gop-senator/?ref=inline|title=LePage: Good Will-Hinckley probe is merely a 'witch hunt' by GOP senator|publisher=Bangor Daily News|accessdate=7 October 2014}} Senate President Michael Thibodeau and Majority Leader Garrett Mason each issued statements of support for Katz.{{cite news|url=http://stateandcapitol.bangordailynews.com/2015/10/07/lawmakers-defend-gop-senator-against-lepages-call-for-him-to-step-down/|title=Lawmakers defend GOP senator against LePage's call for him to step down|publisher=Bangor Daily News|accessdate=7 October 2014}}

His father, Bennett Katz, served as state senator in the 1960s and 1970s, including a stint as Senate Majority Leader.{{cite news|url=http://www.kjonline.com/news/mayor-has-senate-ambition_2010-02-23.html|title=Mayor has Senate ambition|last=Edwards|first=Keith|date=February 24, 2010|work=Kennebec Journal|accessdate=20 October 2011|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120422172301/http://www.kjonline.com/news/mayor-has-senate-ambition_2010-02-23.html|archivedate=22 April 2012}}

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.{{cite news|url=http://bangordailynews.com/community/senator-katz-awarded-maine-american-legion-legislator-of-the-year/|title=Senator Katz named Maine American Legion Legislator of the Year|last=Eisenhart|first=Patrick|date=January 17, 2016|work=Kennebec Journal|accessdate=February 1, 2016}}

Katz opposed Donald Trump in the 2016 election, calling him "not fit to be president".{{cite news|url=http://www.centralmaine.com/2016/08/05/roger-katz-republican-state-sentator-from-augusta-calls-trump-not-fit-to-be-president/|title=Roger Katz, Republican state senator from Augusta, calls Trump 'not fit to be president'|last=Russell|first=Eric|date=August 5, 2016|work=Kennebec Journal|accessdate=August 5, 2016}}

Katz is Jewish.{{cite web|url=http://bangordailynews.com/2012/07/09/politics/republican-leaders-say-lepages-gestapo-comment-a-non-issue-accuse-dems-of-making-much-ado-about-nothing/|title=LePage says he didn't mean to offend with Gestapo comment; Republican leaders say it is 'a non-issue'|publisher=Bangor Daily News |date=July 9, 2012 |accessdate=July 9, 2012}}