Paul LePage and Maine GOP Remain Silent as Republican Lawmakers Level Dangerous Attacks Against Gov. Mills in Maine Conspiracy-Laden Rallies

Maine Republicans, including several state legislators, are standing alongside Holocaust deniers and hurling conspiracy theories and threats against Gov.  Janet Mills at anti-vaccine rallies across the state over the past few weeks. 

At a late July rally, two of the 12 most influential spreaders of vaccine misinformation on social media hosted Republican State Rep. Heidi Sampson, where she encouraged attendees to participate in anti-mask and anti-vaccine rallies across Maine. Several other Republican state legislators were in attendance as well as an infamous Holocaust denier.

This week, at a rally at the state capitol,  Heidi Sampson compared Gov. Mills’ efforts to save lives and end the pandemic to actions taken by Nazi doctor Josef Mengele, and in a veiled threat, reminded the crowd that Mengele was put to death for his crimes.

The group of radical GOPers is attacking Gov. Mills for her decision requiring health care workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 — a decision that not only safeguards the health and lives of Maine people but is widely supported by health care providers across the state.

The Maine Republican Party and GOP candidate for governor Paul LePage have refused to speak out while elected officials in their own party level threats against Gov. Mills and spout off lies. By allowing these threats to stand, the Maine GOP and LePage are actively threatening the health and safety of the people of Maine, and are contributing to the dangerous anti-government sentiment fueling these conspiracies.

DGA Senior Communications Advisor Christina Amestoy said, “The Maine Republican Party and Paul LePage must answer whether or not they condone these abhorrent attacks on Gov. Mills coming from elected members of their own party. While their caucus spreads dangerous lies, their continued silence speaks volumes. In refusing to denounce these reprehensible actions by GOP legislators, Paul LePage is proving once again that he is absolutely unfit to be governor of Maine.”