In an editorial Friday, the Portland Press Herald offered an apology to America for its Gov. Paul LePage.
“Dear America: Maine here. Please forgive us – we made a terrible mistake. We managed to elect and re-elect a governor who is unfit for high office,” the editorial began.
LePage has made comments blaming minorities for bringing a drug crisis to Maine, something that the Portland Press Herald wrote had taken a toll on the state’s reputation for being open to new business and growth.
“LePage knows that his words are widely understood to mean that he thinks that the color of their skin makes some people more likely to commit crimes. Rather than clarify or withdraw those statements, he repeats them,” the newspaper’s editorial board wrote.
However, there is some silver lining.
“On the bright side, America, Le- Page isn’t going to be governor forever, and when his successor takes office in 2019, Mainers of all political parties will have to work together to fix the damage he has done to our reputation. We hope that this person will be a leader who will welcome people of all races to live in Maine, and invest in our wonderful state,” the editorial board wrote. “Until then, please accept our apology. We’ll try not to do it again.”
LePage made headlines again Friday for a bombaastic, explicit and threatening message he left on state Rep. Drew Gattine’s phone
In the message, LePage told Gattine, who he accused of calling him a racist, that “I want you to prove that I’m a racist.”
““You … I need you to, just friggin. I want you to record this and make it public because I am after you. Thank you,” LePage said.
Gattine told CNN that he never accused LePage of being a racist.
