A lawmaker was barred from visiting his western Maine town’s community center for a year after his disagreements at a meeting earlier this month regarding an annual parade led to a trespassing notice.
Rep. Mike Soboleski, R-Phillips, showed up to a July 6 meeting of the chamber of commerce in his hometown after hearing the organization was considering not allowing elected officials to participate in the annual Phillips Old Home Days parade held in August. Soboleski was asked to leave after speaking against the proposed change that officials have since backed off.
It resulted in differing retellings from Soboleski and chamber officials. Soboleski and other politicians have previously appeared in the parade that is set for its 66th year on Aug. 15. U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, a Democrat from the 2nd District, handed out beers along the route in 2024. Soboleski lost a primary for the right to oppose Golden last year.
Soboleski said Friday that when he arrived at the meeting, he introduced himself to the chair, explained how he wished to speak and was invited to share his thoughts. When Soboleski asked about the reasoning behind no longer having politicians in the parade, he said officials mentioned a threat against Golden and past arguments between participants.
A social media post before last year’s parade “generated some concern about the congressman’s safety,” a Golden campaign spokesperson said Friday. Golden participated with precautions in place. But the post still led the Phillips chamber to consider no longer allowing elected officials to walk in this year’s parade.
Soboleski said he told chamber officials the parade is a public event held on a state road and described it as a First Amendment issue, telling the group that they “can’t prohibit anyone from participating.”
“They told me I needed to leave. I tried to calmly reason with them, saying I’m a resident of the community,” Soboleski said. “They didn’t want to hear it.”
Soboleski added he was asked again to leave and told that the sheriff may be called. He said the incident lasted a few minutes and told the group he would continue to participate in the parade before leaving.
Outside, Soboleski said he overheard a chamber member on the phone with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. Later that night, Soboleski said a deputy showed up at his home to serve him with a trespassing notice directing him to not step on the property of the community center on Main Street in Phillips for one year. He said he has only been there twice in 14 years.
“I was stunned. I thought it was out of line,” Soboleski said.
But Susy Sanders, the president of the Phillips Children’s Foundation, which owns the building where the meeting was held, said she was the person who requested Soboleski receive the trespassing notice. Sanders said in a Friday statement that visitors to the chamber’s closed meetings must contact the chamber in advance to be put on the agenda.
Soboleski came “uninvited” and “strode in taking a power stance.” He used words that were “hostile from the very beginning,” including that he had local political support for his participation and asking if the chamber had an attorney.
“This is the man who is supposed to represent us,” Sanders said. “He was yelling at us. No reasoning or care to understand or even to negotiate.”
Sanders said she “politely asked” Soboleski to leave the building four times and that he did not look at or acknowledge her. A different member got up to call the police and then Soboleski left, according to Sanders.
“His level of rudeness was surprising for a public servant,” Sanders added.
The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office confirmed a call related to the meeting and did not immediately provide more details Friday after telling a reporter to submit an open records request. Sanders said she contacted the office of House Speaker Ryan Fecteau, D-Biddeford, to inform him of Soboleski’s behavior and was referred to House Republican leaders.
The chamber did not change its parade policies after this month’s meeting and will continue to allow elected officials to walk in the Phillips parade.
In a statement, Phillips Chamber of Commerce President Mikelle Davenport said the group has been advised to not comment on the incident. But she confirmed Sanders asked Soboleski to leave four times before he left.