Maine governor under fire for using homophobic slur on threatening voicemail

Maine governor Paul LePage has hit headlines after leaving an offensive and threatening voicemail message.

Earlier this week, LePage left a voicemail for Democratic lawmaker Drew Gattine and repeatedly called him a “cocksucker” in it.

This comes after Gattine allegedly accused the Donald Trump supporter of making racially insensitive comments about ethnic minorities.

According to the Portland Press Herald, a recording of LePage’s voicemail said:

“Mr. Gattine, this is Governor Paul Richard LePage. I would [like] to talk to you about your comments about my being racist, you cocksucker.”

He continues, “I want to talk to you. You want – I want you to prove that I’m a racist. I’ve spent my life helping black people and you little son of a b*tch, socialist cocksucker. You – I need you to just frigging – I want you to record this and make it public because I am after you. Thank you.”

Gattine has told media that he never specifically called LePage a racist.

“What I said… is that the kind of racially charged comments the governor made are not at all helpful in solving what the real problem is. And that is, we have a crisis in the state of Maine of people overdosing on heroin and prescription drugs and we are not doing enough with respect to treatment and prevention.”

Speaking on the voicemail, Gattine said it was “upsetting, inappropriate and uncalled for.”

“It’s hard to believe it’s from the governor of the state of Maine, but again, we need to stay focused on the drug problem we are facing here in Maine and cannot allow this story to be about the governor’s inappropriate and vulgar behaviours.”

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