Politics
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Attorney General Aaron Frey is facing a challenge from a central Maine district attorney in his bid to continue serving as the state’s chief law enforcement officer.
The matchup between Frey, a former state representative who succeeded Gov. Janet Mills as attorney general, and Maeghan Maloney, the district attorney for Kennebec and Somerset counties, will result in interesting decisions for Democratic lawmakers who control the Legislature to make when they return to Augusta next month to pick constitutional officers.
Both Frey and Maloney are former Democratic lawmakers. He left his seat to assume the top legal job in 2019, while his challenger has been in her current role since 2013 after serving one term in the Maine House of Representatives and as a former assistant attorney general.
Both are signaling support for pushing back hard against President-elect Donald Trump. They also each carry baggage in the form of recent controversies. Frey’s romantic relationship with an employee he supervised came to light last year, with the attorney general apologizing for an “error in judgment” in not having someone oversee his subordinate sooner.
Maloney is trying to move up in Maine’s legal community despite potentially facing a disciplinary hearing after a woman filed complaints last year claiming the district attorney violated bar rules by attempting to contact her without going through her attorney. Maloney noted Thursday several of the woman’s complaints were dismissed, while one is pending.
Democrats, who have controlled the Legislature and governor’s office since 2018, maintained their majorities in this month’s election but lost seats. Constitutional officers are selected by one vote of both chambers of the Legislature. While Republicans could put up their own nominees for attorney general, secretary of state and treasurer, Democrats hold the power.
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Frey declined comment on Thursday, instead deferring to a Nov. 13 letter to Democratic lawmakers in which he highlighted his work as attorney general to oppose Trump’s efforts to build a border wall and to sue opioid manufacturers, the makers of harmful PFAS chemicals and Big Tech companies.
He also hinted at litigation he will file soon against “big oil companies” for allegedly hiding research on how their products were contributing to climate change.
Frey noted his efforts to work with lawmakers on various bills and to defend against out-of-state Republican attorneys general who threatened to sue Maine over a “shield” law that Mills signed earlier this year to protect transgender and abortion patients who travel to Maine for treatment.
“Maine needs an Attorney General who will hold the line in safeguarding democracy and protecting individual rights from the Trump Administration,” Frey wrote. “I have that experience.”
Maloney highlighted in an interview Thursday her efforts to support drug treatment and veterans’ courts in Kennebec and Somerset counties while noting she is also sending a letter pitching herself to lawmakers this weekend.
While Frey nodded to “increasing recognition of Tribal sovereignty” in his letter to lawmakers, Maloney alluded to how the Mills administration has opposed more sweeping sovereignty proposals favored by the Wabanaki Nations. She said tribes need someone to work with them long term, and Frey will be termed out in two years.
“Growing up in Lewiston, I was taught to stand up and fight for what is right,” Maloney said. “Now more than ever, we need to work as a team to hold the Trump administration accountable and to uphold the protections of the Maine people.”
Both Frey and Maloney have support from different sets of Democratic lawmakers. Several who declined to be identified to speak candidly about a sensitive vote said they were not happy with how Frey handled the romantic relationship with the partner who now has a child protection oversight role or with Maloney over her misconduct complaints.
Frey’s supporters, including Rep. Joe Perry, D-Bangor, said morale remains high in the attorney general’s office and pointed to his experience dealing with the last Trump administration.
“I think now is not a good time to change course,” Perry said.
