Democratic Senate-hopeful Sara Gideon is in a tight battle with Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, for a 2021 spot in Capitol Hill.
But her political race may be the least of her worries after a new report surfaced from her past.
The Washington Free Beacon reported that Gideon, Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, voted against an anti-child abuse bill in 2018… just days after one of her fellow Democratic state lawmakers had resigned amid claims that he was carrying on sexual relationships with high school girls.
The bill would have potentially included harsher penalties for Gideon’s political ally, former Rep. Dillion Bates, had the legislation passed/. But according to The Free Beacon, Gideon led an effort against the bill.
The timing of the move is controversial, critics say.
Former Maine lawmaker Deborah Sanderson said the hypocrisy was as clear as day.
“You can’t say you care about children and … at the same time, not be willing to put in stricter and stronger regulations for someone who knowingly or intentionally does not report child abuse,” Sanderson said. “Not only are the people who don’t report culpable, but those who wouldn’t pass that legislation are culpable.”
The bill would have placed more strict punishments on those who knew about child sex abusers but failed to report them.
Gideon has reportedly confessed knowledge about Bates’ ongoing relationships with young women at Maine Girls Academy. And according to the report, Gideon wasn’t the only one who knew.
At the time, multiple Democrats in Maine criticized for having reportedly known about the situation involving Bates.
As of 2019, failing to report child abuse in Maine is only a civil offense.
The 2018 bill, amended and backed by Republicans, would have upgraded potential penalties incurred.
That is… if Gideon hadn’t organized the opposition to it.
The Horn editorial team