PORTLAND (AP) — Maine’s departing Republican governor is doubling down on his discredited claim that out-of-state black and Hispanic drug dealers are responsible for an overwhelming percentage of drug trafficking in the state.
Gov. Paul LePage repeated his claim Thursday afternoon on Maine Public. A caller to the show criticized the governor for blaming out-of-state minorities for fueling the state’s drug crisis, and LePage responded that “it’s true.”
LePage proceeded to say “97 percent” of drug dealers in the state were minorities. He first made a similar claim in summer of 2016, saying it was backed up by news clippings he collected. An Associated Press analysis concluded the statement was wrong.
LePage is moving to Florida after he leaves office. His replacement, Democratic Attorney General Janet Mills, will be sworn in next month.
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