ROCKLAND, Maine — Heather Sprague was removed as chair of the Knox County Republican Party several days after a raucous party meeting to which the police were called.
The police were called to a meeting of the Knox County Republicans held at their headquarters at the Life Church at 336 Limerock St. in Rockland.
Cory Raymond said he eventually called for police at the request of other members. Raymond is vice chair of the Knox County Republicans but stressed he was speaking as an individual and not in his party role.
No one was charged, according to the police report from the incident. The call was classified as a disorderly complaint. Rockland Police Chief Tim Carroll said the discussion had become heated with comments such as that the president was being overthrown and there was corruption in the process.
Most people had left by the time police arrived. The owner of the property, Jake Barbour, had asked police to have everyone leave.
Four days later, on May 18, at another Knox County Republicans meeting, the vote was 25-3 to remove Sprague, with two abstentions, according to Raymond. He would not give a reason for the removal but noted it required at least a two-thirds majority to remove a chair.
Raymond said the status of the Knox County Republicans continuing to use the church was undetermined.
Sprague did not respond to a Facebook message, email, and text sent Monday.
An email and telephone message were also sent to Barbour Monday.
Sprague has been chair of the Knox County Republicans for the past few years. During that time, she has been critical of local schools, doubling down on false claims that the schools allow mentally ill adults to sexualize children.
In 2022, Sprague blamed a school shooting in Texas on the teachers in that school. She falsely claimed teachers pressured the shooter into not being a male. She later issued an apology, saying she posted it based on inaccurate information.
Sprague chaired the countywide party caucus on March 6 that gubernatorial and local candidates attended before a crowd of about 100 at the Mid-Coast School of Technology.
Republicans did not run candidates this year against incumbent Knox County Sheriff Patrick Polky or District Attorney Natasha Irving, whose position is elected by the voters in Waldo, Knox, Lincoln and Sagadahoc counties.
Knox County had 32,146 registered voters as of earlier this year. Of those, 12,502 were Democrats, about 39% of the total. The next biggest group was those not enrolled in a political party, with about 9,985 voters or 31% of the electorate. Republicans had 8,502 voters, or nearly 27%.
Additionally 1,051 people enrolled in the Green Independent Party, which amounts to slightly more than 3%. And 128 people are registered as Libertarians which is less .5%.
This story appears through a media partnership with Midcoast Villager.