LCRC Chair, Patty Minerich opened the well-attended March 27 LCRC meeting in Boothbay with the introduction of our guest speaker, Steve Robinson, the editor in chief of the Maine Wire. Steve described himself as a native Mainer who grew up in Dexter and a Bowdoin College graduate whose previous work experience included working at the Howie Carr show prior to taking the helm at The Maine Wire, Maine’s premier conservative news source.

Steve then spent the next hour addressing a very serious Chinese criminal organization known as the Chinese Triad. A leaked Department of Homeland Security memo stated that federal officials estimated that there are more than 270 Chinese owned and operated marijuana sites in Maine with hundreds more in other states. It is a billion-dollar industry with links to mainland China. Steve has visited many of the sites in Maine. These properties are in several counties including Lincoln County. The proceeds of the illicit drug manufacturing and trafficking operation are used to finance human trafficking, narcotics trafficking, and other criminal activities.

In his investigation, Steve found sites were easy to identify and more of an open secret than a clandestine enterprise. Many of the sites were purchased by an out of state entity and all require an unusual industrial 400-amp electrical service with usage in thousands of kilowatts a month. In one case, Governor Mills' brother, Paul, helped with the real estate transfer of a nine-acre cannabis grow property in Corinna to a Chinese national living in Guangdong Province. To date, little has been done by either the state or federal justice departments. There have been a handful of raids with money, guns, marijuana, and other drugs seized. Some foreign nationals have been arrested and released on bail all with no real effect on the operation. A wealth of information including pictures of the properties is available on the website themainewire.com.

He went on to note this is not a victimless crime. Legitimate growers in the state are competing with an unregulated industry using what some would consider slave labor. The marijuana has been found to be contaminated with chemical products. In some cases, electricity is being stolen by bypassing the electrical meters. The houses and other buildings are kept at high temperature and humidity and cannot be rehabilitated and must be destroyed. These properties, owned by Chinese citizens, may never return to the real-estate market. There is risk to Maine citizens when a large, armed, ruthless, criminal enterprise, backed by a foreign state is allowed to operate. People near these operations are often fearful and consider themselves at risk with little response from the state.

After many questions and a round of applause the business meeting was opened by the Pledge of Allegiance and a benediction. Lincoln County candidates then addressed the group.

Dale Harmon is running to represent the people of Senate District 13. He feels the state is in turmoil, polarized and divided. He believes we need level headed people in Augusta that will protect families and children, protect freedom and the 2nd Amendment, and will address runaway energy costs that are crippling both our business and residential users.

Representative Ed Polewarczyk is running to continue representing the people in House District 47. He noted the current legislative session is coming to an end and many of the bills passed by the Democratic dominated legislature passed on party lines and are bad especially on parental rights, protection of our children, and education. He noted that statistics from the Department of Education show that 31% of Maine students are below grade in English, 51% are below grade in math and 64% are below grade in science. In short, Maine is failing to educate and protect its children and that must change.

Bill Hunt is running to represent the people of House District 48. Bill’s background is in small business, specializing in software technology. He has worked for Senators Olympia Snowe and Bill Cohen. Bill wants the politicians in Augusta to understand they work for us. He recounted that Maine Legislators passed 450 new laws in the past 6 months, many were unnecessary, and many are simply bad for the people of Maine.

Mary Lou Daxland is running to represent the people of House District 46.  She believes that conservative principles, those respecting the rights and values of individuals and families, respecting the rights of working men and women, respecting efforts of the taxpayer, and compliance with the Constitutions and existing laws will help get Maine back on the right track.

It was announced that the 2024 Republican State Convention will be held at the Augusta Civic Center in April with events on the 25th through the 27th. For those interested, the Draft 2024 Republican platform is available on the Maine GOP website.   

Information on this and other issues is available at the lincolncountymaine.org website.