Gov. Paul LePage met with three people who came to Augusta Saturday to protest comments he made about those who are unemployed in Maine.

“We have got to convince those who can work that we need to get them back to work,” LePage said about a month ago. “Quite frankly, I think that might be a sign that we’re paying them a bit too much when they’re at home not working.”

 About 50 people organized by the Maine People’s Alliance marched outside the Blaine House then aired their concerns to three top LePage officials. LePage economic adviser John Butera then invited the group to send three people to the State House to meet with the governor. Rep. Andy O’Brien, D-Lincolnville, who has asked for weeks to meet with LePage, also attended  the meeting.

 LePage spent about an hour with the three behind closed doors in the Cabinet Room. Ed Lachowicz of Waterville, who is looking for a job as a social worker, said after the meeting that it was a “polite conversation.”

 “What I asked the governor to do is use his office as a pulpit and say no, in fact, unemployed people aren’t lazy,” he said.

 LePage spokeswoman Adrienne Bennett said the governor understands that a majority of the 51,000 unemployed people in Maine are working hard to find new jobs, but he remains concerned about “a small percentage” who are taking advantage of the system.

 “He’s not going to overlook that,” she said.

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