For Maine Gov. Paul LePage, the maxim “be careful what you wish for” seems pertinent.

In a WGAN radio interview last July, LePage was asked if he was worried about state legislators’ effort to impeach him amid the Republican governor’s near-ceaseless embroilment in controversy and allegations of abuse of power.

LePage responded that he wasn’t worried about impeachment—and that if constituents wanted him to leave, they could simply ask him directly.

He noted that he had only received four such requests.

“If the people of Maine want me, I’ll do the job. If they don’t want me, just ask me to leave. You don’t have to impeach me. … There’s 1.3 million people. So far, I’ve only got four people write me that wanted me to resign.”

(That same month, LePage famously responded to one of those four people with a hand-written note.)


Following up on LePage’s comments, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow said on her show at the time that her staff had reached out to ask the governor’s office if he was serious and how many Mainers had taken him up on the “offer.”

“When we hear back, we’ll let you know,” Maddow said.

Fast forward 11 months, and we have an answer.

On her show Wednesday night, Maddow said LePage’s office had responded to their Freedom of Information Act request.

“A couple people did write to him,” Maddow said, revealing a formidable stack of papers behind her desk. “So now we know why it took so long.”

In just the first month after LePage’s comments, according to Maddow, his office received more than 1,800 requests asking him to resign.

“This is just what came in in that first month,” the MSNBC anchor reiterated, going on to describe the contents of the letters.

“It’s interesting, you know, going through them. They are heartfelt letters, polite letters. There are a few rude letters,” Maddow said. She later added, “Thank you Freedom of Information Act. Thank you people of Maine for being polite, and mostly not obscene, in your epic tide of instant disapproval.”


LePage’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the pile of letters.

Watch the full Maddow show segment below: