Maine Governor Janet Mills was recently thrust into yet another political controversy after her alleged cocaine use became a topic of public discourse. During a visit to Washington, D.C., Mills reportedly reacted with a profane response to a question about the topic, sparking renewed media attention. The incident, captured in a video shared by Fox News Digital, has reignited questions about her legal history and past claims of political persecution.
According to a recent development, a newly surfaced Department of Justice (DOJ) memo contradicts Mills’ longstanding claim that a 1990s investigation into her alleged cocaine use was politically motivated. The memo, which was uncovered by Fox News, reveals that federal and state authorities found no misconduct during the investigation. Despite Mills’ assertions that she was the victim of a smear campaign and political targeting, the DOJ’s findings show her claims were unsubstantiated. The memo includes the DOJ Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR)’s conclusion that the Maine USAO conducted a proper investigation and found no misconduct by its members.
Details of the 1990s investigation revealed that the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) in Maine, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Maine’s Bureau of Intergovernmental Drug Enforcement (BIDE) conducted an inquiry after a drug suspect alleged Mills used cocaine. However, the investigation was dropped without charges being filed. Throughout the years, Mills maintained that the probe was politically motivated, citing her Democratic affiliation and criticism of BIDE for inflating arrest numbers through excessive enforcement of low-level drug offenses.
Mills’ claims were initially supported by then-Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., who requested the DOJ/OPR investigate allegations of misconduct by the Maine USAO. The memo, which was unearthed by Fox News Digital, shows that the DOJ found no evidence of the claims made by Mills, including allegations of political targeting, witness coercion, and BIDE agents leaking information to the press. Additionally, Mills had sued a reporter who had cited the investigation, but the case records were disposed of in 2015.
In a more recent political event, Mills clashed with President Donald Trump at a National Governors Association (NGA) meeting at the White House. During the meeting, Trump accused Mills of defying his executive order regarding transgender athletes in women’s sports, to which she responded with a vow to take the issue to court. These recent events have once again placed Mills in the spotlight, highlighting the ongoing tensions around her governance and legal history.