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AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Maine Gov Paul LePage has taken steps to keep the Education Department running without a commissioner.
The governor followed through on his threat to circumvent the legislative process by signing an order that'll allow acting deputy commissioner Bill Beardsley to perform many duties of commissioner.
LePage pulled back Beardsley's nomination as commissioner after some lawmakers on the education committee signaled that they might block the former Husson University president. The financial order signed by LePage, a Husson graduate, creates a temporary position for Beardsley.
The Portland Press Herald reported that Sen. Rebecca Millett of South Portland called the governor's actions "yet another end-run around transparency and due process by Gov. LePage."
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