The findings of the Legislature’s investigation into the Gov. Paul LePage/Good Will-Hinckley scandal are crystal clear.

The investigation confirmed that LePage used taxpayer dollars to threaten the organization because it hired Speaker Mark Eves as its president and that state funds were pulled back and restored only after Eves was fired.

I, along with the other five Democrats and the six Republicans on the Government Oversight Committee, endorsed the report’s findings on LePage’s actions toward the independent organization for at-risk youth.

And still, the governor’s supporters try to muddy the waters and detract from the truth — that what took place was abuse of public office and taxpayer dollars, all to punish an independent organization that dared to choose a political opponent of the governor’s as its leader.

It is no secret that LePage and Eves do not always agree. But it is not just politics as usual for the governor to use his position to strong-arm a private organization and interfere in the private life of an elected official, in this case a member of our citizen legislature.

Shouldn’t lawmakers be able to vote their consciences, making decisions based on what is best for their constituents and their communities, without the fear of retribution from the chief executive? Do private citizens and independent organizations need to worry about crossing the wrong politician in power?

No elected official should be able to wield the power of their office or taxpayer dollars to punish or bribe an individual or a private organization. Although the attorney general determined there was not enough evidence to support a criminal charge against the governor, it’s clear that what the governor did was wrong. The Legislature must do everything in our power to ensure the law is crystal clear so nothing like this can ever happen again.

Rep. Anne-Marie Mastraccio

D-Sanford