Sagadahoc Dems support Sheriff Merry despite fallout from Lewiston shooting

Sagadahoc County Democrats have decorated their headquarters in Topsham with signs to show their support for Democratic Sheriff Joel Merry in his bid for re-election, but candidates for the state legislature are a little reticent to show their support.

Sheriff Merry is seeking re-election after serving 15 years as a Democrat. The Republican challenger is Sergeant Aaron Skolfield of the Sagadahoc County Sheriff's Office (SCSO), a 25-year law enforcement officer.

Last year, both men found themselves at the center of one of Maine's darkest days and the investigation into law enforcement's treatment of Robert R. Card Jr. in the weeks and months leading up to his Oct. 25 killing spree in Lewiston.

[RELATED: Sagadahoc County Seeks Record 15% Tax Hike and Pay Raise for Sheriff Who Bungled Lewiston Shooter Reports…]

Political signs for Sheriff Merry proudly display on the Sagadahoc County Democrats building in Topsham alongside signs for Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and state Democrats.

Card, who lived in Sagadahoc County, had previously been held at a New York mental health facility at the request of the U.S. Army, which was so concerned about his potential danger that it denied him access to weapons at a U.S. Army Reserve facility in Saco.

Several reports of Card's unstable mental state and potential danger to others reached the Sagadahoc County Sheriff's Office (SCSO), which was responsible for conducting wellness checks and, in theory, yellow flag protection measures to seize his firearms.

However, records released days after the Lewiston shooting that left 18 Maine residents dead showed that the SCSO made only half-hearted attempts to contact Card and relied on his family to handle his weapons.

The investigative reports released after the shooting sharply criticized the SCSO's performance in contacting and evaluating Card.

Both Merry and Skolfield were criticized for not being aggressive enough toward Card.

Democrats running for office in the district were reluctant to comment on their party's support for Merry.

“I don't think it's my place to comment on this issue,” said Denise Tepler, a former state legislator who is now running for the 24th Senate District.

When contacted for an interview, former Rep. Sean Paulhus (D-Bath), who is retiring in 2023 but is running for re-election, refused to give his opinion on Merry.

None of the other candidates responded to the request.

The chairman of the Sagadahoc County Democrats did not respond to calls about his committee's apparent support of Merry.