PORTLAND, Maine — A lawyer says Maine Gov. Paul LePage plans to claim immunity against a lawsuit brought by House Speaker Mark Eves over actions that led to a job offer being rescinded.
The filing by lawyer Patrick Strawbridge indicates the governor will be citing immunity and sufficiency of constitutional claims in an upcoming motion to dismiss the lawsuit.
The filing, first reported by the Portland Press Herald, was made on New Year's Eve. It's included in a request to exceed the normal page limit for the memorandum to accompany the motion to dismiss.
The federal lawsuit accuses LePage of using taxpayer money and his power as governor to convince a charter school operator to rescind a job offer. Eves said the governor "blackmailed" Good Will-Hinckley by threatening to withhold state funds.