Another day, another scandal for Maine's Governor

Maine's new governor, Paul LePage, has been in office for less than a month, but he's generating controversies at a bewildering rate. A piece I wrote a week ago for Newsweek.com summarizing them already feels out of date, as he's added the appointment of a Corrections Corporation of America warden to head the Corrections Department, a provocative list of environmental and product safety regulations to be done away with, and, now, this...

Gerald Weinand at Dirigo Blue has published a troubling leaked e-mail from LePage's press secretary, Dan Demeritt, to unnamed insiders that contradicts campaign promises to "put people before politics." In fact, the memo promises that "once we take office, Paul will put 11,000 bureaucrats" -- the civil service of the state -- "to work getting Republicans re-elected," a plan that is, in fact, illegal. Sen. Snowe is said to be "geared up" to help, and will get her "state offices involved in increasing the profile of our people."

The Maine Dems are already making political hay from the leak, and Sen. Snowe's office has distanced itself from the situation.

Have a read of the original e-mail over at the end of the Dirigo Blue post, though I can't say you'll be glad you did.