Governor of Maine in Racially Charged Dialogue Over Drug Epidemic

Paul LePage the Governor of Maine used language that was racially charged to accuse people that are from outside his state of fueling an epidemic of substance abuse, then fleeing to their home after they have impregnated a young girl who is white.

Asked during a town hall meeting about what his current administration was doing to battle the drug issues in the state, LePage cited new legislation that is aimed at the traffickers, and then delivered what a large number described as an explanation that was racially charged.

LePage said that these were not the people taking drugs, but they are the guys with names like Smoothie, D-Money, and Shifty. Those types, he added.

They are from New York and Connecticut and come to Maine to sell heroin and return home. He added that half the time the guys get a young, white girl pregnant prior to leaving, which is sad because then there is another issues to deal with in the future.

A LePage spokesperson, Peter Steele, said the governor had not been discussing race.

He is not talking about race, as the spokesperson said that race was irrelevant. What he said was relevant was the cost to Maine taxpayers for welfare and the costs emotionally for the kids who were born out of a relationship with a drug trafficker.

The spokesperson said LePage’s heart went out to those kids due to him having a childhood that was difficult as well. He added that the state must prevent the drug traffickers from coming to Maine.

The Republican Governor has been quite controversial during his tenure and before. However, it is not just partisan opponents that are taking dead aim at the governor.

A GOP operative on Thursday posted on a blog that the comments were one of the most offensive to date from the governor.

The Clinton presidential campaign called the dialogue by LePage racist rants.

LePage has already endorsed Chris Christie the Governor of New Jersey for the presidential nomination for the GOP.