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Lawmakers Urge LePage To Apologize For Calling State Senator 'Repugnant' During Hearing

Robert F. Bukaty
/
Associated Press
Gov. Paul LePage delivers the State of the State address to the Legislature, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2018, at the State House in Augusta, Maine.

The Legislature's Government Oversight Committee has written a letter urging Republican Gov. Paul LePage to apologize for ridiculing a GOP state senator during a hearing held last week. The Oversight Committee's letter to LePage tells the governor that his actions last week were unworthy of his office.

The missive also also expresses bafflement over what fuels the governor's anger.

During last week's Oversight Committee meeting, LePage told Republican state Sen. Tom Saviello that he's the "most repugnant human being" the governor has ever seen.

LePage was gaveled out of order before he stormed out of the hearing.

Saviello, who has clashed with LePage on several occasions, was targeted for his role in initiating an investigation into the LePage administration's decision last winter to divert shipments of timber harvested on public lands from sawmill owners who have criticized the governor's stance on Canadian lumber tariffs.

The probe is ongoing, but the Legislature's watchdog agency could not find evidence that the governor retaliated against the mill owners because there's no documentation of such timber transactions.

Journalist Steve Mistler is Maine Public’s chief politics and government correspondent. He is based at the State House.