Governor may threaten grant to kill opponent’s job

The First Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that flamboyant and controversial Maine Republican Governor Paul LePage had qualified immunity when he threatened a nonprofit charter school with losing a $1 million grant if it hired a political opponent as its new president.  A divided panel of the Court has affirmed a trial court decision dismissing a claim by the Democratic Speaker of the House who claimed the action violated his Constitutional rights under Section 1983.