Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) faced fresh scrutiny last month during a Washington, D.C. trip when asked about past cocaine allegations.
When questioned if “sniffing cocaine at work” should be considered a “human right,” Mills sharply replied, “What the f—?” before walking away and refusing follow-up questions.
This incident comes as renewed focus falls on a decades-old drug investigation.
A recently obtained Department of Justice (DOJ) memorandum disputes Mills’ long-standing claim that the probe was politically motivated, finding no misconduct by federal or state officials.
In 1990, Mills, then a Maine district attorney, was investigated after a drug suspect accused her of cocaine use.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) in Maine, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Maine’s Bureau of Intergovernmental Drug Enforcement (BIDE) were involved.
The investigation was dropped without charges, but Mills maintained it was politically driven due to her Democratic affiliation and criticism of BIDE, according to Fox News.
In March 1995, the DOJ’s Office of Professional Responsibility (DOJ/OPR) issued a memorandum to then-Deputy Attorney General Merrick Garland, refuting Mills’ claims.
The memo said the USAO “conducted a proper investigation of serious allegations” and found “no misconduct of any kind can fairly be attributed to any member of