DECD's Congdon refutes allegations
Philip Congdon, who resigned this week as commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development, is refuting allegations that he made racially charged and inappropriate comments while attending events in northern Maine.
Gov. Paul LePage announced Wednesday Congdon had resigned but did not specify a reason, calling it a personnel matter. However, lawmakers and other officials in northern Maine said Congdon made insensitive remarks while speaking at a Caribou Chamber of Commerce event and while attending a Northern Maine Community College function. Congdon, however, told the Sun Journal and the Bangor Daily News that reports on his comments were inaccurate. He told the Sun Journal that a comment about affirmative action leading to a decline in higher education was taken out of context, but declined to clarify what he said. He also denied saying that people in Aroostook County should "get off the reservation" to promote economic development. Congdon also denied referring to poor parenting in The County, saying it was a misrepresentation of a conversation he had about the need for parents and teachers to take responsibility for preparing children for college, according to the Bangor Daily News. Congdon told the papers he stepped down from the post to protect his family from accusations and to avoid any distraction from the work of the LePage administration.
LePage yesterday declined to respond to the allegations in detail, instead telling reporters that "My actions should speak for themselves." However, the Maine branch of the NAACP and the Penobscot Indian Nation disagreed, asking LePage to release documents related to Congdon's alleged comments, including a letter Rep. John Martin, D-Eagle Lake, sent to LePage detailing Congdon's behavior. The groups also called on LePage to apologize for Congdon's statements, according to a press release.
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