AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) Democratic Gov. Janet Mills’ administration has met secretly with lawmakers and others in recent weeks, violating Maine’s open meetings and public records laws.

The Portland Press Herald reports that Mills and members of her cabinet held multiple online or telephone briefings with large groups of state lawmakers during the pandemic.

A spokeswoman for Mills said that the coronavirus has “temporarily shifted the way that government business is conducted” but said the administration remains committed to transparency. She says additional meetings are canceled until the administration addresses the issue of public access.