Tea Party Governor Embarrasses His Party
by digby
Eight Republican state senators have issued a rare public rebuke of Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R), writing an op-ed expressing “discomfort and dismay” with some of his recent comments directed at labor backers.
The controversy centers around LePage’s recent decision to order a mural depicting the state’s workers’ history removed http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.giffrom the Department of Labor, arguing that it was biased against businesses and employers. When asked how he would react if protesters carried out their plan to form a human chain around the mural, LePage replied, “I’d laugh at them, the idiots. That’s what I would do. Come on! Get over yourselves!”…
Chris Hall, a lobbyist for the Portland Regional Chamber, told The Portland Press Herald that in his 21-year career, he has never seen a group of legislators write such an openly critical opinion piece of a governor who is a member of their own party. “This is extraordinary,” Hall said.
It is extraordinary.These are the bravest Republicans in the country. And the most unusual. After all, that sentiment is pretty universal among their ilk:
GROTHMAN: Well, we’re trying to keep some people out of the building because right now the building is becoming a pig sty. People are staying overnight, the building smells. We used to have nice little groups of fourth grade children walking through the building. There was something called the Senate Scholar programs that would track us around. All of that is being shut down by a bunch of slobs taking up the building. We can no longer continue to have all of these slobs in the building.
O’DONNELL: Well Senator some of these slobs in the building are elementary school students who may be learning something more interesting or valuable or real about government that’s going on there, don’t you think?
GROTHMAN: No. It would be embarrassing to me to take my child to that building today.
O’DONNELL: Cory Mason, you get the last word with us.
MASON: I’ve had my kids here the last couple weeks. I am proud to see them witness this great moment in democracy. And these slobs that you’re referring to are police officers and nurses and firefighters and people who care for the state.
GROTHMAN: No they’re not.
It’s just their way.