Maine

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“A child died because mental health issues were not being addressed.”

Maine Republican Gov. Paul LePage is backing Mississippi’s appeal to reinstate a law letting merchants and government employees cite religious beliefs to deny services to same-sex couples.

In an obscenity-laced tirade last week, LePage called a state representative a vulgar name that can also be used as a gay slur.

Republican Gov. Paul Richard LePage called a liberal opponent “cocksucker” among other things in a heated phone call.

“The signal, to me, is that these sorts of tactics are OK and that this type of hate-filled rhetoric will continue.”

In 2012, Justin Chenette became the nation’s youngest openly gay legislator, and his bid for re-election has Republicans scared.

“Very simply, it moves a behavior that belongs in the closet back in the closet.”

Eleven states are suing the administration over the directive to schools about transgender students. Mississippi won’t be one of them.

The challenge asks a judge to declare the administration’s directive is unlawful.

Rep. Matthea Daughtry (pictured) says the rules are required by the 2013 Maine Supreme Judicial Court’s decision in favor of Nicole Maines, a transgender student.