This statement was issued from Governor LePage’s office today: “It appears that some Maine news media are not providing the context of the Governor’s recent action requesting clarification from the courts.

The Governor recently joined an amicus brief that challenges the ability of an activist judge to re-define a federal law enacted in 1964, which is in direct violation of separation of powers. If the federal government wants to revise its own discrimination laws, that is up to the Congress, not activist judges.

The Sixth Circuit has not only ignored the will of Congress, but also supplanted itself as an unelected legislature of three with the power to rewrite congressional enactments in violation of separation of powers. The role of the courts is to interpret the law, not to rewrite the law by adding new, unintended meaning.

Please note that Maine already expanded the scope of its anti-discrimination protections by adopting the Maine Human Rights Act.

This change was made by the Legislature, which is how changes to law should be made.”