Investigation into Janet Mills Dismissed as Politically Motivated

Maine’s Democratic governor, Janet Mills, has consistently downplayed investigations regarding alleged cocaine use, claiming they are politically motivated. However, newly uncovered notes contradict her earlier statements. In the early 1990s, the U.S. Attorneys’ Office (USAO), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Maine Intergovernmental Drug Enforcement Agency (BIDE) looked into Mills, then district attorney of Maine.

Although the investigation didn’t lead to charges, Mills has maintained that it lacked merit, asserting that her political affiliation and criticism from BIDE were to blame. Back in 1990, she—along with two other district attorneys—accused BIDE of manipulating arrest statistics by aggressively targeting low-level drug offenders.

Mills described the situation as “scary,” a sentiment she expressed in a November 1991 interview with the Portland Press Herald.

In a related development, a 1995 memorandum from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Professional Responsibility, revealed by recent findings, highlighted some misconduct by federal authorities that seemed to challenge Mills’s claims and the legitimacy of the investigation.

According to WCSH-TV, reports in December 1990 suggested Mills was under investigation for drug use. Following this, she filed a lawsuit against a reporter for defamation, accusing them of leaking information. However, records from the court relating to that case have since been discarded.

Senator Joe Biden intervened in January 1992 amid concerns that the Maine USAO was unethically handling witness testimonies during the investigation. The investigation was mentioned in correspondence suggesting that the allegations against the Maine USAO may have extended beyond local authority.

Ultimately, Mills was not charged with any wrongdoing. The Justice Department concluded that while Mills’s claims of being politically targeted were deemed “basic,” no misconduct was found on the part of the USAO.

Mills has maintained that the investigation was a politically motivated smear campaign, noting that it coincided with her public critiques of BIDE. She emphasized the troubling precedent it sets when prosecutors feel scrutinized for doing their jobs.

Earlier this year, Mills accused former President Donald Trump of instigating politically charged investigations related to Maine’s Department of Education.

As the political landscape shifts, Mills, who faces term limits, might explore opportunities for higher office, even as she insists she has no immediate plans to do so. There’s a competitiveness brewing as she and longstanding Republican Senator Susan Collins face re-elections in 2026.