Alfond says LePage ‘on wrong side of history’ by joining pro-discrimination lawsuit

AUGUSTA — Senate Democratic Leader Justin Alfond, D-Portland, released the following statement in response to news reports that Gov. Paul LePage had joined a lawsuit against President Barack Obama over the US Department of Education’s guidance on preserving the rights of transgender students:

Senate Democratic Leader Justin Alfond.

“The governor and I have worked together on a lot of issues, and I’m proud of our record of finding common ground where we could. But let me be the first to say that in joining this lawsuit, the governor does not represent me, nor does he represent the people of Maine who so overwhelmingly support equality and freedom from discrimination,” said Sen. Alfond. “When it comes to the slow, steady march toward equality, you can count on Gov. Paul LePage to be on the wrong side of history.”

“Gov. Paul LePage’s backward position on civil rights is not only doing a disservice to transgender students in Maine, he’s also playing reckless games with Maine’s economy,” added Alfond.  “In states like Indiana and North Carolina, politicians like Paul LePage have invited boycotts and damaged their state’s reputations with their pro-discrimination policies.”

Maine has always been a leader in equal rights for its LGBT residents. The U.S. DoE’s guidelines mirror those released by the Maine Human Rights Commission after Maine overwhelmingly voted to guarantee nondiscrimination of LGBT Mainers in 2005.

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