A former candidate for governor is disbarred over possessing images of child sexual abuse

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — A wealthy attorney who came close to being elected governor of Maine has been disbarred following the completion of his sentence for possessing thousands of images of child sexual abuse. A judge on Monday signed off on the Maine Board of Overseers of the Bar recommendation against 77-year-old Eliot Cutler. Cutler did not oppose the board’s decision. The criminal case marked a dramatic fall for Cutler. Cutler launched a powerful environmental law firm in Washington after serving as an aide to Sen. Edmund Muskie. He also served as the top energy and environmental adviser to President Jimmy Carter. Cutler returned to Maine to run for governor twice as an independent. He narrowly lost — by less than 2 percentage points — to Republican Paul LePage in 2010.