SANFORD — On Friday, Gov. Paul LePage’s words advanced across the news wires at warp speed when he said he didn’t have much use for what he called special interest groups.
”Tell ’em they can kiss my butt,” said LePage.
That was the answer a television news reporter got when she asked the governor to respond to those who believe his decision to decline invitations to weekend events marking Martin Luther King Jr. may represent a pattern.
Rachel Talbot Ross, the state director of the NAACP and president of the Portland chapter said the situation didn’t warrant LePage’s “mudslinging” response and could have been handled in a more respectful way.
“This is amazingly disappointing. I believe all Mainers should be disappointed. Every single Mainer should be offended by what the Governor said today,” said Ross, in a telephone interview Friday.
Ross said the Maine NAACP “clearly understands” that the governor has a busy schedule. But she noted that LePage has declined every invitation the NAACP tendered to date. She said the group felt it was being neglected by the new governor, who was elected in November.
“I’m not going to be held hostage by any special interest group,” said LePage to reporters Friday. “If they want, they can look at my family picture. My son happens to be black so they can do whatever they like about it.”
LePage is referring to his son, Devon Raymond, 25, who is originally from Jamaica.
“The fact of the matter is there’s only so many hours in the day, so many hours in the week and only so much you can do,” said LePage, a Republican who took office Jan. 5. “They invited me to go to the state prison to meet black prisoners. I told them I would go, I’d be more than happy to go, to meet all prisoners and that wasn’t acceptable to them. So tough luck ”¦ if they want to play the race card, come to dinner and my son will talk to them.”
As he made the “kiss my butt” remark, LePage smiled, turned to his communications director Dan Demeritt, and said, “Oh, I got Dan all upset.”
Ross said the composition of LePage’s family was raised by LePage, not the NAACP.
“The race of his son never entered our minds, nor the race of his daughter,” said Ross. “He put race into this by referring to his son. This is about trying to have a civil discourse.”
She said the NAACP looks for equal opportunity and justice for everyone.
NAACP national President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous called LePage’s comments inflammatory.
“Gov. LePage’s decision to inflame racial tension on the eve of the King holiday denigrates his office,” Jealous said. “His words are a reminder of the worst aspects of Maine’s history and out of touch with our nation’s deep yearning for increased civility and racial healing.”
LePage has a personal commitment Sunday, the evening of the Martin Luther King Day dinner in Portland, and will attend a funeral for a former Maine State Trooper on Martin Luther King Day, when the Orono breakfast is scheduled, Demeritt, his communications director said. LePage spoke at MLK events in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2008 when he was mayor of Waterville, said Demeritt, and his weekend radio address speaks to the work of Martin Luther King Jr. As well, the governor plans to issue a proclamation marking Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service on Monday.
“This is not about race ”“ Paul has a black son. This is about a few leaders from a special interest group taking issue with the Governor for not making time for them and the governor dismissing their complaints in the direct manner people have come to expect from Paul LePage,” said Demeritt.
LePage made the “kiss my butt” remark to television and print reporters at Sanford’s Town Hall, minutes before a Red Tape Removal session was set to begin. He was invited to the event by Senate Majority Leader Jon Courtney.
LePage’s remark, said Courtney, “shows the Governor has feelings like everybody else in Maine. His mind does not work in a racist way and he takes offense when people try to make it appear that way.”
Courtney said LePage is “dead serious” about people before politics, and said the governor is “not a refined politician, nor did he run as one.”
“It is refreshing to hear someone who doesn’t worry about every word that comes out of his mouth,” said Courtney.
Demeritt said he didn’t know “if or when” LePage would meet with leaders of the Maine NAACP chapters.
Ross and Sallie Chandler, vice president of the Portland chapter of the NAACP, said invitations will continue to be extended.
“The invitation to the governor is still open and we’ll make every effort to handle it with dignity and respect,” said Chandler, of Lebanon.
— Contact Staff Writer Tammy Wells at 324-4444 or at twells@journaltribune.com.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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