A top Republican on the Maine’s Legislature’s watchdog committee said he plans to call for an investigation into interpreter fraud following reporting from the Bangor Daily News.
Sen. Jeff Timberlake of Turner, who sits on the Government Oversight Committee, said he needs to study the issue more ahead of the Legislature convening in January but expects he’ll file a letter asking the panel look into the fraud within MaineCare, the state’s version of Medicaid, the federal and state health care program for low-income people.
His comments came Wednesday, a day after the Maine Department of Health and Human Services halted payments to a provider that allegedly overbilled for interpreter services by more than $1 million. The BDN also published a story detailing a never-before-seen report written by a federal agent that raised concerns five years ago about potential widespread fraudulent billing for interpreter services in Maine.
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“I think it’s something that we need to take a serious look at,” Timberlake said.
The 2020 report from a federal agent flagged Maine’s expenditures on interpreter services as entering the territory of waste, abuse or fraud. Claims were rising despite a steady or falling number of newly arrived refugees. The report came about a year after the federal government prosecuted three providers along with two interpreters, who fraudulently billed MaineCare for millions of dollars’ worth of interpreter services that didn’t happen or were overinflated.
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Data obtained by the BDN shows the levels of spending that were flagged by the reports have continued. A review of claims submitted and dollars spent on interpreters shows that consistently over the last 10 years, a handful of organizations by far have filed and gotten the most of the $41 million the state has spent.
One of them is Gateway Community Services, the Portland-based company that has faced allegations of overbilling from a former employee, first published by The Maine Wire, the media arm of the conservative Maine Policy Institute.
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The move by DHHS came a day after U.S. Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, the top Republican on the House oversight committee, sent a letter to the U.S. Treasury that flagged Gateway along with a host of current and former employees as potential targets of a broader welfare fraud investigation being conducted by the panel. Comer’s letter directly tied for the first time Gateway to the committee’s investigation that has largely been focused on Minnesota.
There was no reaction from top elected Democrats on Wednesday. A spokesperson for Gov. Janet Mills, who is running for U.S. Senate in 2026, did not respond to a request for comment. Nor did Sen. Henry Ingwersen of Arundel and Rep. Michele Meyer of Eliot, the co-chairs of the legislative committee overseeing MaineCare.
Several candidates running to succeed the term-limited Mills have put pressure on her administration over the issue this month. One of them, health tech entrepreneur Owen McCarthy, praised The Maine Wire’s reporting and called for an audit of government agencies in a Facebook post.
Assistant Maine Senate Minority Leader Matt Harrington, R-Sanford, has raised concerns since May about Gateway and more broadly about the state’s spending on interpreting services. He said for months now he’s wanted top state officials to open an investigation into the spending.
As the new legislative session approaches, Harrington said he thinks more calls for action and investigation are coming. However, the calls won’t be new, he said. State republicans have been calling on Mills for months now to look into these issues, Harrington said.
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“For me, I would just like to see it taken seriously, from [Attorney General Aaron Frey], from the Mills administration,” he said. “The silence is really deafening.”
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine Democrat Graham Platner has picked up another high-profile endorsement in his bid to flip a key Senate seat blue, marking another sign of the oyster farmer and combat veteran’s political resiliency even as he continues to face controversy throughout his campaign.
Arizona Democrat Ruben Gallego announced Monday that he was backing Platner, saying that the first-time candidate “reflects the grit and independence that defines Maine.”
“Graham Platner is the kind of fighter Maine hasn’t seen in a long time, someone who tells you exactly what he thinks, doesn’t owe anything to the special interests, and wakes up every day thinking about working families,” said Gallego, who won a Senate seat in Arizona in 2024 by more than 2 points while Trump carried the state by nearly 6 points.
Platner has previously been endorsed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, and New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich, a Democrat.
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However, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has endorsed Platner’s main opponent, Maine Gov. Janet Mills.
Both Platner, 41, and Mills, 78, are hoping to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins, 73, a five-term incumbent who announced last month that she was running for another term. A victory in Maine is crucial for Democrats’ efforts to take back control of the Senate. The Democratic Party needs to net four seats to retake the Senate majority, and they are aiming to do that in Maine, North Carolina, Alaska and Ohio.
READ MORE: Maine’s Graham Platner thinks voters will overlook his past to support a new type of candidate
Platner has gained traction with his anti-establishment image and economic equality message. He’s pressed forward despite controversies over old social media posts and a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol, which he recently had covered up.
Gallego is among the Democrats named as possible 2028 presidential contenders. Last fall, he stumped in New Jersey, Virginia and Florida, where he campaigned for Democrats who went on to win their elections.
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“I have an immense amount of respect for him and I’m looking forward to joining him as a fellow Marine and combat infantryman in the U.S. Senate,” Platner said in a statement.
Kruesi reported from Providence, Rhode Island.
A free press is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy.
On March 2, Spurwink will join community partners for a special viewing of Building Hope: Ending Homelessness in Maine at the University of Southern Maine’s McGoldrick Hall.
Directed by Richard Kane and produced by Melody Lewis-Kane, the film shines a compassionate light on the realities of Maine’s homelessness crisis. Through deeply personal stories, Building Hope explores the challenges faced by unhoused individuals and families, while highlighting the hope that emerges when communities come together to create solutions. It’s been praised for its honesty, dignity, and inspiring message: change is possible when we work together.
Following the screening, a panel of local leaders and advocates will discuss the film and the ongoing effort in Maine to end homelessness. Panelists will include Katherine Rodney, Director of Spurwink’s Living Room Crisis Center; Cullen Ryan, Chief Strategic Officer at 3Rivers; Donna Wampole, Assistant Professor of Social Work at USM; and Preble Street staff. Catherine Ryder, Spurwink’s Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives, will bring her expertise in trauma-informed care and community collaboration to the panel as the moderator.
Keon Johnson had 21 points and 10 rebounds as the Maine Celtics defeated the Windy City Bulls 122-87 in an NBA G League game on Sunday afternoon at the Portland Expo.
Hason Ward scored 16 points and Jalen Bridges 14 for Maine (13-15), which had seven players score in double digits. Bridges drained four 3-pointers for the Celtics, who shot 13 for 28 (46.4%) from beyond the arc.
Max Shulga dished out 11 assists and scored nine points.
Maine led 33-18 after one quarter 72-36 at halftime.
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Keyshawn Bryant scored a game-high 25 points for Windy City (12-12).
