Tag: maine

Feds take down Chinese-operated grow home network in Massachusetts, Maine

An alleged network of interconnected grow houses in Massachusetts and Maine that Chinese nationals operated to cultivate and distribute marijuana is no more after authorities arrested the men behind the “sprawling criminal enterprise.”

Seven Chinese nationals have been indicted in connection with what the feds describe as a “multi-million-dollar conspiracy to cultivate and distribute marijuana across the Northeast.”

The group is accused of smuggling other Chinese nationals into the U.S. to work in the grow homes, found inside single-family properties in Massachusetts and Maine. The workers didn’t have access to their passports until they repaid their smuggling debts, according to a release from the office of Massachusetts US Attorney Leah Foley.

Authorities arrested six of the defendants Tuesday morning, while the seventh, Yanrong Zhu, 47, of Greenfield, Mass. and Brooklyn, N.Y., remains a fugitive.

The group allegedly used a Braintree home as the “base” for the enterprise to cultivate and distribute kilogram-sized quantities of marijuana in bulk. The network of interconnected grow houses also included properties in Melrose and Greenfield, among other locations in the Bay State, Maine and elsewhere, according to authorities.

“This case pulls back the curtain on a sprawling criminal enterprise that exploited our immigration system and our communities for personal gain,” Foley said in a statement. “These defendants allegedly turned quiet homes across the Northeast into hubs for a criminal enterprise – building a multi-million-dollar black-market operation off the backs of an illegal workforce and using our neighborhoods as cover.”

“That ends today,” she added.

Grow house operators allegedly communicated with one another through a list of marijuana cultivators and distributors from or with ties to China in the region, dubbed the “East Coast Contact List.”

Charging documents allege that the network began operating in or around January 2020.

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Maine Legislature Passes Bill Creating Separate Licensing System for Sun-Grown Marijuana With Significantly Lower Fees

The legislation was approved by the Senate in a 21 to 14 vote, after clearing the House 110 to 35. The measure defines “sun-grown cultivation” and “sun-grown cultivator” under state law, applying to those who grow marijuana primarily using natural sunlight and limited artificial lighting.

The bill creates a separate licensing framework for outdoor cultivators, including significantly lower fees. For example, a Tier 4 outdoor cultivation license would cost $15,000 annually—half the cost of an equivalent indoor operation.

Under the proposed law, sun-grown caregivers would be allowed to grow up to 150 mature plants or use up to 2,500 square feet of canopy each year, expanding the current limits. Additional provisions include updated security requirements for cultivation facilities, a grace period for new employees awaiting ID card approval, and the elimination of yeast and mold testing requirements for adult-use marijuana.

Supporters say the measure promotes sustainability, lowers barriers for small growers, and reflects Maine’s agricultural roots. If signed into law, it would mark a significant shift in how the state regulates outdoor marijuana cultivation, and it would make Maine one of the only states with a designated license for sun-grown cannabis growers.

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Supreme Court Overturns Maine’s Censure of Rep. Laurel Libby in Free Speech Ruling Over Trans Athlete Post

The US Supreme Court has stepped in to overturn the Maine legislature’s censure of Republican Representative Laurel Libby, marking a clear win for those opposing legislative punishments aimed at curbing political expression. The 7-2 ruling, issued Tuesday, instructed Maine lawmakers to rescind the sanctions they imposed on Libby over a social media post that identified a transgender high school athlete who had placed first in a girls’ pole vault event.

We obtained a copy of the opinion for you here.

The Court found that Libby’s claim merited immediate relief, stating that her right to be free from censure for speech made in her official capacity was “indisputably clear.” Since February, the censure had effectively stripped Libby of her ability to participate in floor debates or vote on legislative matters unless she apologized, a condition she steadfastly rejected.

Following the ruling, Libby posted a celebratory message on X: “This is a victory not just for my constituents, but for the Constitution itself. The Supreme Court has affirmed what should NEVER have been in question — that no state legislature has the power to silence an elected official simply for speaking truthfully about issues that matter.”

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Citizen journalist, who took his life after school district threatened him, vindicated in court

Citizen journalist Shawn McBreairty didn’t live to see his legal victory against a Maine school district for threatening to sue him for criticizing its alleged suppression of female student protests against a gender identity restroom policy, committing suicide two days after receiving what his lawyer called a “bogus” legal threat letter from a party’s lawyer.

But by granting summary judgment to McBreairty’s widow, Patricia, on behalf of his estate, and denying it to Brewer School Department and Superintendent Gregg Palmer, U.S. District Judge Lance Walker’s ruling is heartening McBreairty’s friends and allies in the parental rights movement and First Amendment law community.

The district’s anti-hazing, bullying and workplace bullying policies, implementing state law, did not apply to McBreairty or “oblige, compel, or justify the conduct by the Brewer School Department and its legal counsel that gave rise to this civil action,” Walker wrote.

He also mocked defendants’ argument that the legal threat letter sent by its “retained counsel” did not constitute “municipal action,” which “makes no sense” unless they are “toying with the notion” that law firm Drummond Woodsum – whose website opens with a land acknowledgment to indigenous people –”acted at their own direction.”

Nothing gave the district or its counsel “license to threaten litigation whenever someone unaffiliated with the public schools speaks critically about a matter of public interest occurring in the schools and, in the process, identifies students or staff and criticizes them,” the blistering ruling by the President Trump nominee says.

“I’ve never cried over a win before … [sic] but I’ve never fought a case to ensure that my friend’s legacy was that of a winner,” lawyer Marc Randazza, a First Amendment legend with a colorful client list who has represented McBreairty in four cases involving school districts, wrote on X. “Shawn, I miss you bro.”

He prevailed for McBreairty in a 2022 lawsuit against Regional School Unit 22, which paid him $40,000 for banning McBreairty from school board meetings based on his criticism of sexualized books in the school library, particularly one that Breairty repeatedly said featured “hardcore anal sex.”

The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied McBreairty standing last year, however, when he sought a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against RSU 22’s ban on “complaints or allegations” against school employees at school board meetings.

Randazza told Just the News Friday it’s been a “bittersweet couple of days” but he’s getting ready for trial on McBreairty’s claims that the Brewer district violated his civil rights under federal Section 1983 and the comparable provision under the Maine Constitution.

He’s seeking damages before the “politically diverse population” of Portland. “Sometimes it’s a lot more fun to have one of these things in front of a jury.”

The Center for American Liberty sponsored McBreairty’s lawsuit before its founder, Republican superlawyer Harmeet Dhillon, became assistant attorney general for civil rights in the second Trump administration. “His widow fought on and today she, Shawn, and we all won as the First Amendment prevailed,” Dhillon wrote on X.

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OUTRAGEOUS: Deranged Maine High School Teacher Calls for Killing President Trump and ALL of His Fans in Series of Incredibly Sick Posts – Remains Employed by Her School

A deranged high school teacher in Maine called for killing Trump and his God-fearing supporters in a bizarre rant. Yet, she remains employed by the school despite her remarks.

As the New York Post reported, Waterville Senior High School English teacher JoAnna St. Germain went on Facebook Tuesday and demanded the Secret Service “coordinate” and kill every single one of Trump’s fans along with the president.

“The Secret Service has the perfect opportunity, if they choose to step up and take it,” she wrote. “You are the ones with the power. Coordinate. Take out every single person who supports Trump’s illegal, immoral, unconstitutional acts.”

Disturbingly, St. Germain also claimed she was “not talking about assassinating a president,” arguing that a president is “a person duly elected by the American people” (Which Trump was). The disturbed individual instead believes that the election does not count because Trump is now “leading a fascist dictatorship.”

“If you step up, we can avoid a civil war,” she ranted. “I’m not talking about assassinating a president. A president is a person duly elected by the American people. “Tr*mp has shamelessly bragged openly about stealing the election.”

“He is making plans to give himself a third term. I’m talking about Americans recognizing a fascist dictatorship and standing against it.”

Of course, St. Germain is such a sick coward that she wants others to suffer for her desire.

“If I had the skill set required, I would take them out myself,” she claimed.

St. Germain made clear that she was well aware she could lose her position for her words against Trump, but continued to portray herself as a “fearless warrior.”

“I posted knowing I’d likely lose my job and benefits,” she wrote. “I’m not backtracking a single thing. I believe Trump and every sycophant he has surrounded himself with needs to die,” she wrote.

The Waterville Public Schools Superintendent, Peter Halle, issued a statement on Wednesday responding to St. Germain’s infuriating remarks. The statement was later shared by the outlet The Maine Wire.

“Please know that I have taken steps to ensure everyone’s safety and am, along with the appropriate authorities, actively investigating the incident,” Hallen wrote.

“While I cannot comment on personal matters, I assure you that due process and the safety of our students and staff are my highest priority,” he added.

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Maine Lawmaker Asks Supreme Court to Reverse Speech Ban

A Maine legislator has turned to the US Supreme Court after being effectively stripped of her ability to represent her constituents over a controversial social media post. Republican Rep. Laurel Libby, who serves District 90, submitted an emergency request to the high court this week, seeking to overturn a disciplinary action imposed by her fellow lawmakers that has barred her from voting or speaking on the House floor since February.

The dispute stems from a Facebook post Libby made criticizing the inclusion of a transgender athlete in a statewide girls’ pole vault competition.

The post included a mention of a Maine student and questioned the fairness of allowing biological males to compete in girls’ sports categories, a stance that ignited outrage among Democratic legislators. In response, the House voted to censure Libby and conditioned her return to full legislative participation on an apology she had refused to give.

Rather than comply, Libby launched a legal fight to restore her role, arguing the punishment amounted to unconstitutional retaliation. After lower courts refused to intervene, she is now asking the Supreme Court to address what she sees as a blatant violation of the First Amendment and a denial of her constituents’ right to representation.

We obtained a copy of the application for you here.

“For over 60 days my constituents have had no say in any actions taken by their government, actions that directly impact their lives,” she wrote in a post on X. “Every vote taken on the floor of the legislature is a vote my constituents cannot get back. The good people of our district have been silenced and disenfranchised.”

Libby emphasized that the case raises serious concerns about the limits of legislative authority when it comes to penalizing elected officials for their speech.

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Maine Drops Transgender Lawsuit After Federal Funds Released

The state of Maine and President Donald Trump struck a deal over ‘transgender’ athletes in girls’ sports.

Maine dropped its April 7 lawsuit after the USDA agreed to restore the federal funds it had frozen.

The funding freeze came because Maine refused to bar trans athletes from girls’ teams.

Now the money’s flowing again, and the lawsuit’s out.

Another win against woke!

The state of Maine and President Donald Trump reached an agreement in their dispute over transgender athletes in girls sports.

In exchange for the U.S. Department of Agriculture agreeing to restore federal funds to Maine that it had frozen, the state dropped its lawsuit against the Trump administration.

The lawsuit was filed April 7 after a federal funding freeze in response to the state’s refusal to keep trans athletes out of girls sports.

Federal Judge John Woodcock ordered the Trump administration to restore those funds April 12. Woodcock, a senior judge of the United States District Court for the District of Maine, was appointed by former President George W. Bush in 2003.

Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey’s office released a statement addressing the settlement Friday afternoon.

“It’s unfortunate that my office had to resort to federal court just to get USDA to comply with the law and its own regulations,” Frey said. “But we are pleased that the lawsuit has now been resolved and that Maine will continue to receive funds as directed by Congress to feed children and vulnerable adults.”

However, the state is still facing other legal battles related to the issue.

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Teacher calls for the assassination of Trump, supporters

The latest chapter of leftists and Democrats advocating for violence, even murder, has arrived.

There long have been statements by that community that call for the removal or elimination of President Donald Trump, verbiage that one report called “assassination prep.”

Now an instructor from a school in Maine has turned blunt, with JoAnna St. Germain of Waterville Senior High calling on the Secret Service to kill Trump and his supporters.

On Facebook, she insisted the federal agency “step up” and avoid a civil war by killing Trump and his supporters.

She claimed it would not constitute assassination, since she turned conspiracy theorist with the claim Trump is not a legitimate president “duly elected by the American people.”

She said, “If I had the skill set required, I would take them out myself.”

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Maine AG Wildly Claims ‘No Concerns Of Safety’ With Men In Women’s Sports

After the U.S. Department of Justice sued Maine for putting women and girls at risk by allowing males to compete in their sports, the state’s attorney general claimed — with zero evidence — that Maine’s ideology poses “no concerns of safety.”

“There are no concerns about individuals who are just choosing which gender they want to give themself in order to participate,” Democrat Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey said in an interview with CNN. “So that, that too is really after a lot of work on whether or not there’s any issue here that warrants this intrusion by the federal government into what’s going on in Maine schools.”

Frey was on CNN to defend his state’s refusal to comply with Title IX federal civil rights law by continuing to allow men to compete against women. His appearance came after U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced a civil lawsuit against Maine for its noncompliance in the wake of multiple federal agencies trying to get the state to stop putting women and girls at risk for weeks.

“We’ve been working through to understand what, if any problem, really exists with the participation, if some of the harms that are being alleged really are of some concern, and what we’ve identified is, there really is — there are no concerns of safety,” Frey told CNN.

Frey either has no clue what he is talking about or is lying through his teeth, because it is not hard to find instances of serious injuries to women and girls at the hands of the biologically stronger and larger males they are forced to compete against.

Take Payton McNabb, for instance. She was invited as one of President Donald Trump’s guests to his address to a joint session of Congress earlier this year because she suffered a concussion, brain bleed, and other trauma when a male athlete spiked a volleyball violently directly into her face. She still has issues with vision, partial paralysis, and mental health concerns associated with such injuries.

A Massachusetts girls’ basketball team had to forfeit after a male on the opposing team kept injuring players “basically, all game,” according to the account of the athletic director of the forfeiting team.

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‘Not a cult’: Holy war erupts as judge bans mom from taking daughter to Christian church

A mother whose constitutional rights were violated by a Maine judge hearing a custody dispute has taken the fight to the state Supreme Court.

The case involves a radical ruling from Jennifer Nofsinger, a judge who heard a custody case, who ordered that the mother was not allowed to take her 11-year-old daughter to an evangelical Christian church.

That was based on “objections” from the child’s father, who like the mother and daughter was not identified in the report from Liberty Counsel, which is working on the case.

Chairman Mat Staver said, “Calvary Chapel is not a cult. This custody order banning a mother from taking her child to a Christian church because of its biblical teachings regarding marriage and human sexuality violates the First Amendment. The custody order cannot prohibit the mother from taking her daughter to church. The implications of this order pose a serious threat to religious freedom.”

The judge granted the father, who objects to the Christian teachings of the church, “the sole right to govern the girl’s religious activities.”

The high court is being asked to reverse the “unlawful custody order” and to restore the mother’s First Amendment right to pass on her religious beliefs

The judge adopted the ideology of a leftist teacher from California who was hired by the father. That teacher, Janja Lalich, told the judge “that cults usually have a charismatic, authoritarian leader who teach about a ‘transcendent belief system’ that offers answers, and ‘promises some sort of salvation.’ She further testified that she had ‘studied’ Calvary Chapel Church and found that the church’s pastor was a ‘charismatic’ speaker, spoke ‘authoritatively’ in his messages, and that he asserted his messages were objective truth.,” Liberty Counsel reported.

That meant, Lalich claimed, the church was “cultic.”

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