Maine Lawmakers Mull Review of Lewiston Mass Shooting Panel
Lawmakers in Maine are considering conducting their own review of the Lewiston mass shooting after being frustrated by Governor Janet Mills’ failure to appoint legislators to the panel. The panel, which includes current and former attorneys, judges, prosecutors, and medical leaders, met for the first time on Monday to review the lead-up and response to the shooting at a Lewiston bowling alley and bar that left 18 people dead and 13 injured.
Several lawmakers on both sides of the aisle expressed frustration over their lack of representation on the panel, which is a sign of tension around the high-interest investigation into Maine’s deadliest mass shooting on record. Assistant Senate Minority Leader Lisa Keim called the lack of legislators on the commission “unacceptable” and is discussing the possibility of launching a separate legislative review of the Lewiston shooting.
Representative Adam Lee and Senator Eric Brakey, both from the Lewiston twin city of Auburn, also agreed that Mills should have included legislators on the panel. Lee stated that discussion of subpoena power should also include a legislative discussion of the commission’s composition, scope, and public nature. However, there could be obstacles for another review, including duplicative efforts and requiring a two-thirds vote.
In response to the suggestion that not enough members may support granting the panel subpoena power, a spokesperson for Mills said that the governor and attorney general “hope that lawmakers will aid the commission, not impede it, as it seeks answers for Maine people.” As the existing probe remains underway, it is uncertain if additional members could be added to the commission.
The Lewiston shooting panel aims to produce a public report on its findings within six months and has requested the Legislature to grant it subpoena power in the upcoming session in January. The commission’s next meeting is scheduled for December 14. The panel will also focus on the months leading up to the shooting and the police response, which included a 48-hour manhunt for the gunman, Robert R. Card II.
With pressure mounting for answers, the Maine lawmakers may also consider several bills responding to the mass shooting that deal with guns and mental health when they reconvene in January.