LePage vetoes his own nominees, says he has no clue about budget

BDN photo by Gabor Degre

BDN photo by Gabor Degre

This week it continues to appear that Gov. LePage is uninterested in normal governance.

After acknowledging last week that he hasn’t gotten much done in the Maine Legislature, the governor, in effect, vetoed his own nominees by withdrawing them from consideration.

You’d think Gov. LePage would want to fill empty slots of boards and commissions. Yet, after nominating individuals, he’s withdrawn 21 of them.

Evidently the governor took this action because he was unhappy that a particular nominee hadn’t gotten committee approval as quick as he’d like.

This situation is not unlike the scene in the Mel Brooks film Blazing Saddles where the sheriff takes himself hostage.

LePage says he has “no idea” and “no clue” about what’s going on with the budget

Not only is LePage’s budget “dead,” as he acknowledged, but he’s not involved with what’s going on.

Although he says has “no clue” about the state of budget negotiations, the governor is sure he won’t like what they come up with.

As LePage told reporter Mal Leary:

I have no idea what they are doing; I have no clue what they are doing right now. I am not part of it, I am not involved in it. I am trying to let them come to a budget that is workable for the Maine people. And as I have said before, whatever budget they are coming up with is certainly something I won’t want.

Does this sound like a governor who is involved with the basic business of governing?

Amy Fried

About Amy Fried

Amy Fried loves Maine's sense of community and the wonderful mix of culture and outdoor recreation. She loves politics in three ways: as an analytical political scientist, a devoted political junkie and a citizen who believes politics matters for people's lives. Fried is Professor of Political Science at the University of Maine. Her views do not reflect those of her employer or any group to which she belongs.