Westbrook Official Says Comment About LePage Assassination ‘Was A Joke’

A Westbrook Town Councilor is in hot water after making controversial comments about Governor Paul Lepage.

According to the Portland Press Herald, at a public event in Scarborough Tuesday night, Westbrook Town Councilor Paul Emery said “if [LePage] goes to meet his maker it wouldn’t hurt my feelings a bit.”

The paper reports Emery went on to say “in some countries, assassination is a political strategy, but unfortunately not here.”

The Press Herald says after the meeting, Emery denied making the comments until he was told a reporter had recorded them. He then said “it was a joke.”

In a group statement sent to the Press Herald, Mayor Colleen Hilton, council President Brendan Rielly and council Vice President Michael Foley said the remarks "are entirely inappropriate and do not, in any way, represent the city of Westbrook.”