After a federal judge in Maryland cited Maine Gov. Paul LePage’s stay at President Donald Trump’s hotel in Washington, D.C. in a ruling allowing a lawsuit against the president to proceed, the Republican governor lashed out at the judge on Wednesday.
“I didn’t realize that I could buy the President so cheap, a night in his hotel and he’s in my back pocket,” LePage told Portland television station WGME.
“The judge that did that is an imbecile. He’s a complete imbecile. That’s all I can tell you,” he continued. “Any district court judge, whether it’s state or federal, puts that in the paper because I stayed in the hotel is an absolute imbecile. And I hope that goes national. And I hope he hears it because he’s an absolute imbecile.”
A federal judge ruled on Wednesday that Maryland and Washington, D.C. have standing to sue Trump in their case arguing that he violated the Constitution’s Emoluments clause by failing to cut financial ties with his hotel in Washington, D.C.
In the ruling, the judge noted a visit to Trump’s hotel by LePage, as well as reported visits from foreign officials.