LePage, Poliquin go out of their way to support discrimination

Give him this, Gov. Paul LePage doesn’t allow pesky little things like the state supreme court or the law — enacted by voters more than a decade ago — stand in the way of his hateful ideology.

Last week, the governor signed his name to a lawsuit challenging new guidance from the Obama administration about how public schools should treat transgender students.

LePage joined a handful of other regressive governors in challenging the guidance letter. But unlike the other governors, LePage’s participation in the lawsuit is in his personal capacity, a fact that was easily obscured in the national reporting on the story, which most often referred to 11 states suing the president.

“Maine law required approval of the attorney general for anyone other than the attorney general to file an entry of appearance or represent the state in any legal matter, and our approval was not obtained in this case,” Tim Feeley, a spokesman for Attorney General Janet Mills, told the Bangor Daily News. “The governor’s position in this particular matter, moreover, appears to be inconsistent with the law of Maine as enunciated by the Maine supreme court.”

Mills seems like the only check on Maine’s unfortunate reality TV show, “Governor Gone Wild.”

The governor, it seems, has little understanding of what it means to be transgender or the struggles that transgender students face as they try to navigate their lives.

Last year, he also signed onto a legal brief in a Virginia lawsuit concerning school bathroom use. Thankfully, a federal judge ruled in favor of the student — and against LePage and his cohorts.

The governor also refused to sign off on rules for schools in Maine to help them administer state law regarding transgender students.

LePage has become the go-to person for two things: His signature on bigoted legal challenges and late-night comedians.

The Obama administration’s guidance says that schools and colleges that accept public funding have to ensure that transgender students are treated according to their gender identity in every aspect of school life.

Put simply: transgender boys are boys, transgender girls are girls and they should be treated that way.

The guidance is clear that all students, regardless of their gender identity, should be treated equally, fairly and with respect in all aspects of their education. And, frankly, they should be able to go to the bathroom just like everyone else.

As Freedom for All Americans, a national group that advocates for non-discrimination laws, explains, the letter comes as the administration increasingly vocalizes its position that Title VII and Title IX protect transgender Americans. A growing number of courts have ruled that discrimination against transgender people is, by definition, sex discrimination and is illegal.

In the same week that LePage decided to pick on vulnerable kids in other states, U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin also got tangled up in discrimination.

“I’ve always been against discrimination against anybody, at any place and any time,” Poliquin says — except when he’s not. His votes have been all over the place.

Last week, he managed to support an amendment to a bill that would prevent federal contractors from discriminating against LGBT people, switch his vote to oppose the amendment after pressure from Republican leaders, then switch back to supporting the amendment, then vote for other amendments that would undercut the original amendment and then … wait for it … the bill that included the amendments failed. (I know. I know. That’s a run-on sentence. But Poliquin has a run-on position, so it seems like a reasonable exception to good grammar.)

Gov. Paul LePage and Rep. Bruce Poliquin in 2014. Gabor Degre | BDN

Gov. Paul LePage and Rep. Bruce Poliquin in 2014. Gabor Degre | BDN

Poliquin has tied himself into political knots on non-discrimination, while LePage is going out of his way to make life tougher for kids both in Maine and in other states.

Both are on the wrong side of history.

Every student should have a chance to be successful in school without fear of bullying or discrimination. And everyone should be able to get a job, take care of their families, rent a house and live a happy life regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Nobody should be fired because of whom they love or who they are.

After decades of struggle, Maine has become a leader on non-discrimination. Here, we follow the Golden Rule and treat others as we would hope to be treated.

Whether for perceived political gain, out of misunderstanding or motivated by intolerance, there are those who would take us backward.

David Farmer

About David Farmer

David Farmer is a political and media consultant in Portland, where he lives with his wife and two children. He was senior adviser to Democrat Mike Michaud’s campaign for governor and a longtime journalist. You can reach him at dfarmer14@hotmail.com.