In Private Sector, Lepage’s Tirade Might Be A Career-killer

Gov. Paul LePage is facing political fallout and calls for his resignation over a profanity-laced voice mail and threatening comments directed at a state lawmaker. But what would happen if a private citizen did something like that? On Thursday, LePage left a voice mail punctuated with obscenities for Rep. Drew Gattine, a Westbrook Democrat, after a reporter told the governor that Gattine had questioned his racially charged statements. “I want you to record this and make it public because I am after you,” LePage said in the phone message. Later, the governor told reporters he wished it was 1825 so he could challenge Gattine to a duel and point his gun “right between his eyes.” Democratic leaders quickly called for the governor’s resignation and some Republicans also criticized the comments. Experts say if LePage were a private citizen, these statements might get him fired from a job, but it’s unlikely the comments would lead to criminal prosecution. Rebecca Webber, an attorney with Skelton, Taintor and Abbott in Auburn who specializes in employment law, said comments like LePage’s that reference violence would “justify immediate termination” in most workplaces. “Most workplaces have zero-tolerance violence policies,” she said.