SANFORD, Maine (AP) — Maine Democrats called on a Republican state lawmaker to resign Wednesday in light of charges accusing him of strangling his partner after she confronted him about having an affair.
State Rep. Lucas Lanigan turned himself in on Monday on domestic violence aggravated assault charge. A police affidavit about the case states that Lanigan’s partner confronted him and a woman at a storage facility in Sanford, and that Lanigan then choked the partner for about 20 seconds.
The partner was taken to a hospital, where she was found to have bruising around her neck and other injuries.
Bev Uhlenhake, who chairs the Maine Democratic Party, said in a statement Wednesday that Lanigan should resign from the Legislature and drop his reelection campaign.
“The allegations are appalling, and they are far beyond the conduct we as Mainers will tolerate from anyone claiming or seeking to represent us in the state legislature,” Uhlenhake said.
The Republican leader of the Maine House, Billy Bob Faulkingham, did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment about calls for Lanigan’s resignation.
Lanigan is in custody and was scheduled to make a court appearance later Wednesday, a York County Jail representative said. He was expected to be defended by a lawyer who represents recently arrested defendants, jail officials said.
Lanigan represents communities in the Sanford area in the Legislature. Before his election to the Maine House, he served on the Sanford City Council from 2016 to 2021.
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