Maine Governor Janet Mills (D) found herself at the center of revived controversy during a recent trip to Washington, D.C., as she was confronted with questions about past cocaine allegations. The incident, which led to Mills uttering an expletive before departing abruptly, has cast a spotlight on a drug investigation dating back to the early 1990s.
In 1990, Mills, who at the time served as a Maine district attorney, was implicated in a drug case when a suspect accused her of using cocaine. The investigation, which involved the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maine, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Maine’s Bureau of Intergovernmental Drug Enforcement (BIDE), concluded without charges being filed against Mills. However, Mills has consistently maintained that the investigation was politically motivated, attributing it to her Democratic affiliation and her critiques of BIDE.
The controversy resurfaced when a Department of Justice (DOJ) memorandum recently obtained by media outlets revealed findings that contradicted Mills' claims of political bias. The memorandum, dated March 1995 and addressed to then-Deputy Attorney General Merrick Garland, stated that the U.S. Attorney's Office "conducted a proper investigation of serious allegations" and concluded that "no misconduct of any kind can fairly be attributed to any member of that office."
The investigation first garnered public attention following a WCSH-TV report in December 1990, which cited anonymous law enforcement sources claiming that Mills was under federal grand jury investigation for drug use. The subsequent fallout led Mills to file a lawsuit against the reporter for libel and slander, a case that lingered until the court records were disposed of in 2015.
In response to the revived scrutiny, Fox News Digital reached out to Mills' office for comment on the DOJ memo, but did not receive a reply.
The incident adds to a series of tensions between Governor Mills and prominent political figures, including President Donald Trump. Mills has accused the Trump administration of initiating a "politically directed investigation" into Maine's Department of Education and has clashed with the President over his policy on trans-identifying athletes in women's sports. In a public exchange, Trump cautioned that Maine could face a withdrawal of federal funding if Mills failed to adhere to his executive order on the matter, to which Mills responded with a challenge, "We'll see you in court."
This renewed focus on Governor Mills' past serves as a reminder of the often complex and tumultuous relationship between public officials and the scrutiny of their personal histories. As the political climate continues to be charged with accusations and counter-accusations, the public's demand for transparency and accountability from their elected representatives remains a pivotal aspect of democratic governance.
