Judge rules in favor of LePage, says mural can stay in closet

[Maine-ah]

Source: BDN

BANGOR, Maine — A federal judge refused Friday to order Gov. Paul LePage to return a mural depicting the history of labor to a state-owned building in Augusta.

U.S. District Court Judge John Woodcock agreed with LePage that the removal of the mural was “a constitutionally permissible exercise of gubernatorial authority.”

Attorneys for the artists and labor union representatives who filed the lawsuit earlier this month argued Tuesday in a hearing before Woodcock in federal court in Bangor that the mural’s removal violated the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and violated it free speech clause.

“Though his action provoked a storm of constitutionally-protected speech with a stark division between those who applauded his decision as rebalancing the state of Maine’s message to the business community and those who condemned his action as muzzling opposing viewpoints, the resolution of this vigorous debate must not rest with judicial authority of a federal court,” Woodcock wrote in his 45-page ruling. “It must rest instead with the ultimate authority of the people of the state of Maine to choose their leaders.”


Read more: http://new.bangordailynews.com/2011/04/22/politics/judge-rules-in-favor-of-lepage-says-mural-can-stay-in-closet/

[Old and In the Way]

1. Next up, a little reworking of the State flag.

Lepage can get busy fixing that flag - get rid of the fisherman and farmer - replace with a businessman handing a politician a wad of cash. Replace "Dirigo" with "patefacio pro res"

[crim son]

2. I'm pissed, but

we need to put this behind us so we can get on LePage's ass about doing nothing substantive since becoming Governor. The mural can go up after he is run out of office.

[Old and In the Way]

3. I agree, it's just a distraction.

I don't expect anything substantial...at least not what would be good for this State in the long term. I just see more petty BS actions, like this one, to enrage and deflect from the problems that Maine faces today.

[ladywnch]

4. nah, he'll put it out for bid and sell the rights for the flag graphics. n/t

[iwishiwas]

5. damm.

[RBInMaine]

6. No worries. The Maine ReSCUMlickins are TOAST in 2012. Just you wait.

[dazzlerazzle]

7. Decision

Then according to the judge, the only recourse for those opposing the Governor's play is to vote him out next election. The way the Judge explains his decision, it would mean that the Governor could order the state house painted red, white and blue and the citizen's could do nothing except vote him out next election?

[No Elephants]

8. What of the federal suit for the $60K in federal funds Maine requested & received for the mural?