PORTLAND, Maine - The fired head of the Maine National Guard says he never misled the public and was candid with Gov. Paul LePage about his support for the idea of swapping an engineering unit for an infantry unit.
LePage fired Brig. Gen. James Campbell on Tuesday after an internal review that focused on whether Campbell had been truthful about the possibility of the swap. Campbell says Thursday that he and the governor spoke "uncounted times over the last two years'' about the idea.
LePage says he and Campbell "had a difference of opinion'' and he felt the firing was "best for the state.'' The governor says there were contradictions between what Campbell told him and emails between National Guard officials. He declined to say Thursday which specific emails or documents alarmed him.
