A Maine newspaper has published audio of an obscenity-laced voicemail that Maine Republican Gov. Paul LePage left for a Democratic state lawmaker, telling his political opponent, "I am after you."
Gov. Paul LePage (R) delivers his State of the State address to a joint session of the Legislature. (AP)
LePage on Wednesday faced widespread criticism after saying that "90-plus percent" of people arrested for drug trafficking in Maine are Hispanic or black. Asked about the governor's statement, Democratic state Rep. Drew Gattine said that it wasn't helpful.
LePage was apparently led to believe that Gattine said the governor was a racist, which the lawmaker denied.
But LePage didn't buy it, so he called Gattine and left the voicemail, which the Portland Press Herald published Friday.
Mr. Gattine, this is Gov. Paul Richard LePage. I would like to talk to you about your comments about my being a racist, you c***sucker. I want to talk to you. I want you to prove that I’m a racist. I’ve spent my life helping black people and you little son-of-a-b****, socialist c***sucker. You … I need you to, just friggin. I want you to record this and make it public because I am after you. Thank you.
Maine Gov. Paul LePage leaves profanity-laced voicemail for state lawmaker https://t.co/95VimG2MUO https://t.co/xu5kUswtgY
— CNN (@CNN) August 26, 2016
During an interview with WMTW-TV just hours after leaving the stunning message, LePage defended his comments, saying that he wished he could have a duel with the state lawmaker.
“When a snot-nosed little guy from Westbrook calls me a racist, now I’d like him to come up here because, tell you right now, I wish it were 1825,” LePage said, according to the local station.
“We would have a duel, that’s how angry I am, and I would not put my gun in the air, I guarantee you, I would not be [Alexander] Hamilton. I would point it right between his eyes, because he is a snot-nosed little runt, and he has not done a damn thing since he’s been in this legislature to help move the state forward," LePage added.
Gattine called the voicemail "inappropriate" and "uncalled for," adding that it's "hard to believe" the message came from the governor.
—
Follow the author of this story on Twitter and Facebook:
