Maine Senator Seeks Investigation Into LePage's Actions

A Republican state senator wants the Legislature's oversight committee to launch an investigation into whether Gov. Paul LePage "crossed legal or ethical lines" by meddling in a charter school's personnel matters.

Sen. Tom Saviello asked the Government Oversight Committee on Monday to look into Democratic House Speaker Mark Eves' claims that LePage threatened to withhold funds from Good Will-Hinckley unless they remove him as president there. Good Will-Hinckley operates Maine's first charter school.

Saviello said a letter to the committee that the claims, if accurate, "offer a chilling example of potential overstep of executive authority" by LePage.

The governor has said that Eves was a longtime foe of charter schools and unqualified for the job. His staff has declined to discuss the specific claim, citing a pending lawsuit from Eves.