Paul LePage’s campaign has been caught lying again. In an audio clip released by Maine Democrats today, LePage Campaign Manager Joe Turcotte falsely said this past weekend at the Lake Region Republican Coalition: “When Janet Mills became governor, Paul LePage left a pretty big rainy day fund. And she spent it. I mean, she absolutely spent it away.”
This is downright false. When Paul LePage left office, the Rainy Day Fund stood at less than $300 million. Since then, Governor Mills and the Legislature have increased the Rainy Day Fund to a record high $896 million. In fact, Governor Mills has put more money into the Rainy Day Fund in her first term than Paul LePage added to it in his full eight years.
The comments come as LePage himself is under fire for repeatedly lying over the last month of his campaign. In just the last week, he was called out by the Bangor Daily News, Maine Public, and Maine’s Secretary of State for lying about vote-counting in Maine’s large towns and cities. He also recently was caught lying about taxes, fentanyl, Maine’s economic recovery, and more.
“Because of Governor Mills’ excellent stewardship of our economy, Maine’s Rainy Day Fund is at a record high—that’s just a fact,” said Misha Linnehan, spokesperson for the Maine Democratic Party. “Paul LePage and his campaign are lying about it because they know the reality of his failed record pales in comparison to Governor Mills. We will hold LePage accountable for not telling Maine people the truth.”