The Robinson Report

Jon Fetherston reported from Lewiston after police responded to a confrontation involving a man walking his dog near the mosque. Fetherston said the situation escalated when a man later drove by and made a gun gesture toward him, prompting him to alert officers already on scene. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber...

Graham Platner’s campaign suspension raises questions over whether he will formally withdraw before the filing deadline, leaving Democrats in limbo until the paperwork is submitted. Additionally, Maine Wire reporting claims that the attorney general’s office contacted Platner before his exit announcement, adding a new layer of uncertainty to the political fallout. This Substack is reader-supported...

The fight over Graham Platner’s future exposes confusion in Maine law and Democratic Party rules, leaving no clear roadmap for what happens if he exits the race. Additionally, possible replacements including Shenna Bellows, Troy Jackson, Nirav Shah, Valli Geiger and Patrick Dempsey begin surfacing as the party scrambles for a backup plan. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and...

Joe Sokol says he went to the police after a protester in Bangor struck him with a sign during an anti-Trump rally while he was asking questions. At the same time, Graham Platner remains the Democratic Senate nominee despite growing calls for him to step aside after a sexual assault allegation. Nirav Shah and Troy Jackson may want the opening, but the seat is locked unless Platner willingly walks...

Politico reported that Maine resident Jenny Racicot accused Graham Platner of entering her home uninvited in 2021 and sexually assaulting her after she told him not to come over. Platner denied the allegation, calling it false, while the Maine Wire said the report was more serious than prior controversies because Politico cited interviews, messages and documents tied to the allegation. This Substa...

Lewiston City Councilor Bret Martel said council leadership rejected his emergency agenda item after two more people were shot in the face following the city’s gun violence forum. Martel said the city left a three-and-a-half-hour meeting with no action plan and no sign that leadership considers the public safety crisis an emergency. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and suppo...

Jon Fetherston reacted to Lewiston’s gun violence forum, saying Mayor Carl Sheline ended the meeting without a plan, action items or a clear next step. Fetherston said the only major developments were Susan Longchamps calling for Gov. Janet Mills to bring in the National Guard and a Somali community member urging officials to address the “elephant in the room.” Seamus Othot previewed reporting on...

The panel criticized a Supreme Court decision touching birthright citizenship, arguing that the current system encourages birth tourism and weakens the meaning of American citizenship. They also tied the issue to foreign nationals, UOCAVA ballots, Shenna Bellows, the SAVE Act and broader concerns about election integrity. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work,...

After Joe Sokol attended Bangor Pride, one attendee confronted him over Jesus, called him a “fundy” and followed the exchange with profanity, insults and a failed attempt to play a satanic song. The encounter raised questions about public events, religious hostility, activist aggression and how quickly a neutral street interview can turn volatile. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new...

After Chris and Karen Harrington learned Clinton lacks a local food sovereignty ordinance, they began gathering signatures to force a special town meeting. Their plan is to give away sourdough and baked goods, collect donations for local causes and keep the farm stand alive while pushing the town to protect other small farms from state interference. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive ne...

ICYMI - State Rep. Laurel Libby (R-Auburn) has formed a new initiative to advance right-of-center policies and ideas in Maine. You should check out her initiative at LeadMaine.com . This week, I joined Laurel to discuss our investigative reporting on widespread Medicaid fraud, both here and at TheMaineWire.com (hat tip to Jon Fetherston and Seamus Othot). While the Bangor newspaper continues to da...

After Jon Fetherston and Graham Pollard arrived at a Kennebunk protest, several demonstrators refused to explain their signs while others argued over Trump, the Epstein files and the reflecting pool. The exchanges highlighted the gap between anti-Trump slogans, public protest and the ability of demonstrators to defend their positions on camera. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new pos...

After Lead Maine submitted two rule-making petitions to DHHS, Nick Murray, Policy & Communications Director, said the goal is to restore accountability to MaineCare providers receiving taxpayer money. The proposals would require actual on-site inspections and suspend payments to providers suspected of improper billing before more money goes out the door. Meanwhile, after Jon Fetherston and Graham...

Radio legend Mike Violette joins Maine Wire TV to raise questions about Hannah Pingree’s connection to Donald Sussman and the broader Democratic donor class. The exchange connected Pingree family wealth, Chellie Pingree’s financial disclosures, billionaire donors and whether Platner’s attacks on Susan Collins also apply to Democrats on his own ticket. Meanwhile, Graham Pollard and Jon Fetherston a...

After another delay in Maine’s ranked-choice voting count, Steve Robinson graces Maine Wire TV with his presence to criticize a system that sends local results to Augusta on thumb drives before voters learn who won. The discussion raised questions about ballot handling, delayed results, voter trust and whether ranked-choice voting has made Maine elections slower and less credible. This Substack is...

After Biddeford officials admitted they sent the wrong thumb drive to Augusta, Jon Fetherston started asking basic questions about how election data was stored, transported and secured after the primary. Then, while live-streaming from Kennedy Park in Lewiston, a man threatened to smash Jon in the face and another demanded to know why he was standing in a public park. Viewers got so concerned that...

After Teddy Daniels joined Maine Wire TV, he said Graham Platner’s comments about his Afghanistan combat video showed the mindset of a privileged candidate pretending to be a working man. Daniels described Platner as a fraud, questioned his “oysterman” persona and argued that real blue-collar men do not spend their time tearing down fellow veterans online. This Substack is reader-supported. To rec...

Brynne Willis, an unenrolled libertarian who supports Graham Platner, joined Maine Wire TV for what began as a political conversation but soon became a debate over surveillance and development. She said Flock cameras, AI data centers, corporate partnerships and Trump-era policies are pushing America toward authoritarianism, while Tom, Jon and Graham questioned whether rejecting that technology wou...

After Jon Fetherston approached a Kennebunk protest and pressed demonstrators about Graham Platner’s past comments and behavior, several supporters objected to the language but largely refused to defend their candidate on camera. Moments later, Kennebunk police responded to the protest, and Fetherston explained the complaint appeared to center on his use of Platner’s own words while questioning su...

After Donald Trump called Graham Platner a “low-level thug” and one of the worst people to ever run for office, Republicans gained a new national attack line in the Senate race. Furthermore, after the Maine Wire asked viewers to report voting problems, hundreds of comments and tips described issues with party registration, ballot access and confusion at the polls. The reports put pressure on the S...

After John Fetherston reported from Governor Longley Elementary in Lewiston, multiple voters described problems with party registration and absentee ballot records. The situation raised questions about Maine’s voter system, Shenna Bellows’ oversight, recent registry updates and whether election officials can explain why voters said they were blocked or nearly allowed to vote twice. Get full access...

After Graham Platner received a “Grahamily” card from supporters, his campaign appeared to lean into a victim narrative amid scandals involving Reddit posts, Kik, his tattoo, women and questions about honesty. The moment shifted into criticism of supporters who remain emotionally attached to Platner despite new allegations, campaign contradictions and questions about his working-class image. Joe S...

After the Washington Free Beacon questioned Graham Platner’s harbormaster claim, his campaign website was updated to say he no longer holds the position. Additionally, after a Lewiston educator spoke at the Community Conversation forum on youth gun violence, Sophia Khalid posted an edited clip that led to the educator being placed on administrative leave. The story quickly widened into questions a...

After rumors swirled about a major New York Times story on Graham Platner, the report landed with accounts from women who described volatile relationships, heavy drinking and unsettling behavior. The fallout added new pressure to his Senate campaign, raising questions about his personal history, his campaign’s credibility and whether national Democrats can keep backing him. This Substack is reader...

After Graham Platner traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with national Democrats, Chuck Schumer repeatedly dodged questions about whether he was satisfied with Platner’s explanations. The moment raised questions about Democratic strategy, Janet Mills, party loyalty, Platner’s controversies and whether national leaders are preparing for more damaging revelations. This Substack is reader-supported...