LePage letter at center of Eves lawsuit

[jpak]

Source: Portland Press Herald

AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage likes to fire off handwritten notes to lawmakers and constituents, thanking them for their support or chiding them for opposing his policies.

Now, one of them is at the center of a federal lawsuit accusing the Republican of abusing his power by pressuring a school for at-risk youth into firing a state lawmaker.

But the location of that missive remains mystery.

In the civil rights lawsuit, House Speaker Mark Eves said LePage “knowingly broke federal law” by threatening the chairman of the board of Good Will-Hinckley — “in a secret, handwritten note” — that he would withhold $500,000 from the school unless Eves was removed as president.

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Read more: http://www.pressherald.com/2015/08/10/lepage-letter-center-eves-lawsuit/

[Scalded Nun]

1. LePage is a thug

Just like so many other GOPers.

It is how they think, it is how they operate, it is what they are.

[magical thyme]

2. please dawg let us be rid of this pond scum (apologies to pond scum everywhere)

While there’s plenty of intrigue about the governor’s handwritten note, the physical presence of the note is likely not essential for Eves’ case because LePage has publicly acknowledged that he threatened to withhold the funds, said Dmitry Bam, an associate professor at the University of Maine School of Law.

“The governor doesn’t seem to deny that there was some kind of threat to take away the government funding,” he said. “The note is just an additional piece of evidence, a new wrinkle. Whether it’s present or absent, I don’t think that’s what is going to make or break the case.”