Governor LePage removed a mural from the Maine Department of Labor that depicts events from Maine’s labor history.

When asked why, his spokespeople said that they had received an anonymous fax that apparently comes from someone who sat in the Labor Department lobby, signed “A Secret Admirer.”

This is a ridiculous, vindictive move on the part of Governor LePage, who is currently in the midst of negotiations with the state’s labor unions.

Tell Governor LePage that at a time of record unemployment, he should be focused on putting Mainers back to work – after all, there’s a jobs crisis, not a mural crisis!

—
Working America
http://iamworkingamerica.com
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Read more about LePage’s actions on our blog: http://bit.ly/h91mOX

UPDATE 3/25, 11:00am:

Gov. LePage’s immature actions have received national attention, notably from Jon Stewart and Rachel Madow. Watch and share!

The Daily Show: http://bit.ly/gl87Ge
Rachel Maddow: http://on.msnbc.com/gUSMhF

UPDATE 3/25, 12:45pm

Via @ThinkProgress:

Fax That Compelled LePage To Take Down Labor Mural Conspicuously Missing Date/Time Stamp

LePage’s administration said they had received complaints from business owners who objected to the mural’s allegedly pro-labor undertones. But LePage has so far produced just a single complaint — an anonymous fax, a copy of which was released today. But as Maine progressive blog Dirigo Blue points out, the fax is missing the date/time and phone number stamp that fax machines automatically place on faxes…

After dozens of news reports from local newspapers all the way to the New York Times reported the mural complaint was a fax, LePage is now claiming that it was in fact a letter, not a fax. Is unclear why LePage didn’t dispute these myriad reports until now.

Read more: http://bit.ly/fCj3SE

UPDATE 3/28 10:30am

Via @WCSH6:

The artists and labor leaders said the governor is trying to censor history by moving the mural. Artist Robert Shetterly, who helped lead the group, said, “It’s a very un-democratic message. It’s a very anti-labor message, and it does no good for business in the long run…”

Another artist at the rally suggested that people form a human chain to block the mural’s removal. When asked what he would do if that happened, Governor LePage said, “I’d laugh at them, the idiots. That’s what I would do. Come on! Get over yourselves!”

Read on: http://bit.ly/fKmBUo

UPDATE 3/28 11:20am

From @NYTimes Editorial Board:

To be fair, Mr. LePage does retain a sense of workplace opportunity. After his election last November, he named Lauren, his 22-year-old, fresh-from-college daughter, to what was termed an entry-level job as assistant to the governor’s chief of staff.

At $41,000 a year, the post offers $10,000 more than the pay for workers who pass the teacher and police tests. That’s on top of Ms. LePage’s free room and board at the governor’s mansion.

Read more: http://nyti.ms/hkxGSS