Gov. Paul LePage may have won his day in court when federal Judge John Woodcock declared that the surreptitious removal of the History of Maine Labor mural from the Department of Labor walls was not illegal, but simply an expression of LePage’s views as governor. (Interestingly, if the people of Maine express a different view — in the form of public protests — they are taken for “idiots.”)

If legal, LePage’s behavior was surely not ethical, nor a smart thing to do. By his action, the governor showed an I-don’t-care attitude toward the people whom he was elected to serve.

The removal was an insult to the history of the dedicated working people of Maine.

The governor, by such action, has put himself in a corner. It could be seen as a sign of weakness to give in to the demands of those who had the courage to bring him to court. I don’t believe he has the humility or the courage to admit that he made a mistake.

LePage’s legacy will be a reminder to the people of Maine not to elect a person to the governorship whose only goal is looking for his personal interests or the interests of the people who provided money for his campaign.

It may also be a warning to the voters of Maine that if no adjustment is made to the election process, there could be a similar situation in the future when a governor is elected by a minority of the people.

Donald LaBranche, Lewiston