Maine Charter School Operator: Yes, We Fired Dem After La Page Threatened Us

[Stuart G]

Source: Talking Points Memo

October 15, 2015, 1:30 PM EDT


Maine Gov. Paul LePage's (R) threats to withhold state funding did force a charter school operator to remove the Democratic speaker of the state House as its president, a top administrator for the operator testified Thursday.

The testimony that Jack Moore, the chairman of the Good Will-Hinckley board of directors, gave before the state House Government Oversight Committee gave credence to a federal civil lawsuit Rep. Mark Eves filed in July against LePage, according to the Bangor Daily News. Eves had accused LePage of blackmailing Good Will-Hinckley to get him fired, costing Eves his livelihood in retaliation for the House speaker opposing the governor's policies.

Moore testified that communications between LePage and the board's interim president about Eves raised a "red flag" in terms of fundraising, according to the newspaper.

"The red flag came from our interim president, Richard Abramson, who did get a call or a direct communication from the governor,” Moore said, as quoted by The Bangor Daily News. “We felt if we didn’t have the funding, that could very potentially trigger a series of events that could conceivably result in the school closing down. That is why as fiduciaries we as a board took the steps that we did.”

The board chairman added that LePage sent a handwritten note calling Eves a "hack," which he's since thrown away, according to the report.



Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/good-will-hinckley-confirms-lepage-threat

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Here is another link from the Bangor Daily News:

https://bangordailynews.com/2015/10/15/politics/good-will-hinckley-leader-confirms-lepages-funding-threat-forced-eves-out/?ref=topStories0Thumb

[forest444]

1. It's just impossible to read anything about Paul LePage without this image coming to mind:

Any resemblance is purely coincidental.

[Kelvin Mace]

3. Actually, that is a candid shot of Cheney's soul

[forest444]

5. Definitely.

I'd say a cross between the Baron and the Machiavellian Piter deVries: the Baron's body, and deVries' mind. A scary thought.

[mr goodbeer]

7. Or this one:

[BillZBubb]

2. He should have kept the note.

It is strange that someone put into the situation of being intimidated didn't keep all the correspondence.

[turbinetree]

4. So who is going to jail...................................

Lepage or Lepage after they impeach him
Because this right wing jerk, is now going to have to testify, there is no immunity in blackmail
I really hope the citizens of this state come to the realization, of how much this governor has cost them in tax dollars


Honk---------------for a political revolution Bernie 2016

[dembotoz]

6. welcome to life in wisconsin...If you signed recall papers retribution can be expected

rather a lot like mc Carthy black list during the 50s but hey....he was from wisconsin too