Per The Bangor Daily News’s Michael Shepherd, Maine’s pugnacious governor released the document earlier this morning. And lo and behold, the contents do not match LePage’s incendiary rhetoric about non-white drug traffickers in the state.
My first count: 93 drug defendants pictured in LePage's binder, with 57 of them apparently white. #mepolitics
— Michael Shepherd (@mikeshepherdME) September 26, 2016
You can read the full document online.
It’s unclear what LePage thought he would gain from releasing this. It obviously debunks his claim that Maine’s drug problem stems from the presence of people of color, so it won’t quiet criticism from the press or his political opponents. Instead, it further reinforces his reputation for racist delusion.
Nevertheless, he might not face any immediate repercussions. Though his approval rating sits at 38 percent, Maine Republicans blocked an attempt to officially sanction him earlier this month.