LePage invites gun manufacturers to Maine
In an open letter to gun manufacturers published in the Wall Street Journal, Gov. Paul LePage has invited companies including Beretta, Colt and Magpul to relocate to Maine, saying he would support financial incentives and guarantees for them to open operations here.
In his letter, LePage touted his and the Maine Legislature's support of what he called gun rights laws — citing the temporary concealment of gun permit information in response to a media request as an example — and denounced proposed legislation in those three companies' home states (Maryland, Connecticut and Colorado) that he called "hostile" and "hysterical."
The Portland Press Herald reported that the state has been courting gun manufacturers on other fronts as well. The paper reported the Portland-based Maine and Company recently reached out to two gun manufacturers on the state's behalf.
The paper reported that each of the companies LePage mentioned by name in his letter have threatened to leave their home states after the legislatures there passed new gun-control laws. In Colorado and Connecticut, those proposals have been signed into law and the new gun-control measures in Maryland are also expected to become law.
Peter DelGreco, president and CEO of Maine and Company, would not confirm those talks with the paper, but said his organization will regularly start talks with companies in other states who find problems with regulations there.
John Butera, LePage's economic adviser, told the paper the state has contacted two companies that have publicly considered moving but he would not specify which companies.
Maine has at least two commercial gun manufacturers, including Windham Weaponry, which employs many employees who worked for Bushmaster before that company moved production out of state, and a Smith & Wesson plant in Houlton.
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