Allegation that LePage pressured school shocks lawmakers

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Even Maine lawmakers accustomed to Gov. Paul LePage's aggressive style of politics said Thursday they were troubled by accusations that the Republican had the top Democrat in the House of Representatives removed from his new job at a school for at-risk youth by threatening to cut off funds to the institution.

[...] the governor said in a statement that he stands by his opposition to Eves holding the post because the Democrat frequently opposed charter schools in the Legislature.

"To provide half-a-million dollars in taxpayer funding to a charter school that would be headed by Maine's most vehement anti-charter-school politician is not only the height of hypocrisy, it is absolutely unacceptable," the governor said.

Good Will-Hinckley has not said specifically why Eves will not be taking up the school's top position July 1, but says it is seeking a new president because it doesn't want to get involved in a "political controversy."

"In this case, the protected right would be Eves' political activities and votes cast," Dmitry Bam, a professor at the University of Maine School of Law, said in an email.