Ken Altshuler of WGAN radio in Maine grilled Gov. Paul LePage spokesperson Dan Demerrit on Wednesday over the governor’s claim that he has an adopted black son.
It turns out that Devon Raymond Jr. is not technically LePage’s adopted son, but he moved in with the LePage family in 2002.
LePage pointed to Raymond, a young man from Jamaica, as a defense over declining an invitation from the NAACP to visit prisoners in jail.
“Tell them to kiss my butt. If they want, they can look at my family picture. My son happens to be black, so they can do whatever they’d like about it,” the governor said.
That’s put the relationship between Raymond and LePage in the spotlight.
“Why add layers of lies and deceit to a very simple story?” Altshuler asked of the governor’s comments.
“First of all, I reject your characterization that Devon is not the son of Paul LePage,” Demeritt said.
“He’s not his adopted son!” said Altshuler, who is a lawyer.
“He’s absolutely his son,” Demeritt said. “Paul LePage and Ann LePage have made Devon a part of their family.” While the adoption paperwork has never been filed, Demeritt said LePage is like a father to Devon Raymond Jr.
“You’re in the business of breaking families up,” Demeritt said of Altshuler — who actually works on adoptions, not divorces. “Who is anyone to question?”
“Everybody can question him, because he’s our governor.”
Listen to the interview here.
