Paul LePage GOVERNOR Hand Delivery Beth Ashcroft, Director Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability 82 State House Station Augusta, Maine 04333?0082 Dear Beth: STATE OF MAINE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR 1 STATE HOUSE STATION AUGUSTA. MAINE 04333?0001 October 5, 2015 The Governor?s Office received the Government Oversight Committee?s invitation for Aaron Chadbourne and me to appear before the GOC on October 15,2015. As you know, the situation about which the GOC members wish to question us is the Subject matter of a federal lawsuit against the Governor. Consequently, we must respectfully decline the invitation. have reviewed the OPEGA report several times, however, and it seems clear from the information you?ve gathered, that Good-Will Hinckley (GWH) ultimately decided to terminate the Speaker?s employment because of the concerns expressed by the Harold Alfond Foundation (HAF) Board Chair, not because of the Governor?s objections. According to your report, the Governor learned on June 5, 2015 that GWH was "leaning towards selecting? the Speaker as its president.1 The report also indicates the Governor called the GWH interim President and expressed his displeasure with the choice.2 According to the report, while the GWH President indicated there was no threat regarding state funding for GWH, the GWH lobbyist thought there was.3 In either case, your report indicates GWH hired the Speaker anyway.4 The report further says that the Governor sent his June 8th letter to GWH expressing his objections to the Speaker as President of GWH.5 The next day, after GWH had received the Governor?s letter, it announced publically that it had hired the Speaker.5 The report also indicates that decision to hire the Speaker despite the Governor?s objections is consistent with the GWH Director of Finance?s opinion that, should there be a loss of the discretionary state funding, it would have no significant impact on GWH.7 page 12, 111 page 12, last bullet page 12, last bullet page 13, 4'h bullet page 15, 112 page 15, and 3"1 bullets page 17, bullet Vmu?wMD-d i'il?iNizu {207) 167 353i lVoirel if PRINTED Oh RECYCLED TTY USERS CALL 711 by CamScanner FAX: (207i 1034 Beth Ashcroft, Director October 5, 2015 Page 2 Finally, the report shows that it was not until June 18 when the HAF Board Chair expressed concern in a letter to GWH over the loss of the discretionary funding that GWH began to seriously reconsider its choice.8 The report further makes clear that no one in the Governor?s office, including the Governor himself, had anything to do with decision-making in this regard.9 highlight these facts to show that Mr. Chadbourne?s and my absence from the October 15th GOC meeting will likely have a minimal impact on the ability to wrap up its inquiry. In the spirit of cooperation, however, if the GOC has specific questions it will present to us in writing, as is a common practice of this Administration, we are willing with the assistance of counsel to attempt to answer them. Thank you for your time and attention. Sincerely, cc: Aaron Chadbourne Patrick Strawbridge, Esq. I page: 17 19 pagr- 1.1, last builet,? pagn 15, 1M, and pages 17?19 Scanned by CamScanner