AUGUSTA, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- Governor Paul LePage has fired the commanding general of the Maine National Guard, saying he has "lost faith" in him as a leader. Brigadier General James Campbell has served as Maine's Adjutant General since 2012.
The general and seemingly everyone else around the State House appear to have been surprised by the move. The firing came Tuesday morning, and the top leaders of the Legislature were told about it only an hour before General Campbell was scheduled to deliver his annual speech to a joint session of the House and Senate, discussing the condition of the Maine National Guard. The President of the Senate and Speaker of the House were summoned to a meeting with the Governor to inform them that Campbell was being relieved of command. The Governor's office would not give any details, other than a written statement that read, in part,"Based on an internal review of General Campbell, I have lost faith in his ability to lead Maine's soldiers and airmen who serve so proudly in the National Guard."
Gov. LePage and Gen. Campbell a conflict in May, 2014, after it was revealed in newspaper reports that the General was working on plans to eliminate some of Maine's long-standing engineer units and replace them with infantry. The Governor said initially that he didn't know anything about the plan, and appeared angry. The two eventually appeared together and made joint statements about the issue.
Political leaders in both parties told NEWS CENTER they didn't know any details about the firing, or the reason for the timing of it, on the same day as Campbell's speech.
The Adjutant General is also Commissioner of the state Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management., which makes that person a member of the Governor's cabinet.
The Governor has already sworn in a replacement. Brigadier General Gerard Bolduc, who has already been serving as one of the top officers of the Maine National Guard and Air National Guard, was sworn in Tuesday morning by the Governor. He will be acting adjutant General until the Governor nominates a permanent replacement for Campbell.
