BANGOR — Supporters of the Trump Administration filled the Bangor General Aviation parking lot Thursday to hear from U.S. Vice President JD Vance.
“I feel great to be around people that are like me,” said Bangor resident Matt Robinson. “I’ve always wanted to go to a Trump rally, so this is like the next best thing.”
And, at the same time, protesters lined up just across the street to tell Vance to go home.
“People in Bangor can’t afford gas. They can’t afford groceries; they can’t afford to pay their rent, and he’s over here talking about Medicaid fraud,” said protester Andrei Yermakov.
Vance visited the city to deliver remarks about the Trump administration’s efforts to combat fraud, but some argued he had ulterior motives.
“What [Vance] is talking about is trying to create a specter to scare people and take their attention off of what’s really hurting Mainers, and that is this illegal war that’s driving up gas prices and the crackdown on our civil liberties,” said Shenna Bellows, Maine’s Secretary of State and a candidate for governor.
Along with Bellows, several congressional candidates came together to address the crowd Thursday.
“I think [the allegations are] a smokescreen,” said Matt Dunlap, Maine state auditor and a democratic candidate running for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District. “We have seen nothing that would indicate that the world is out of control. I think, again, they’re trying to whip something up here that really is a pretext for cutting benefits away from people.”
Democrats we spoke with Thursday seemed to be in agreement that Vance’s visit was about more than the alleged fraud.
“I think this is the administration, again, trying to interfere and create lies about fraud,” said Jordan Wood, a democratic candidate for congress. “I think they are desperately losing these elections, and they’re trying to change it.”
However, Republican House Minority Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham applauded Vance’s arrival.
“We’ve obviously got a huge fraud issue here in Maine,” said Faulkingham. “The democrats are trying to label it as just improper payments and errors. It’s obviously way more than that.”
“His task force that he’s leading is very much needed in Maine and other states across the United States,” he added.
Prior to Vance’s speech and the related protest, state Senator and Democratic Congressional Candidate Joe Baldacci also addressed the vice president’s visit.
“He’s trying to come to distract you,” said Baldacci. “To pick a fight, to make this about something other than the truth that this administration is waging a war on healthcare.”
In March, President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing a “task force to eliminate fraud” targeting state Medicaid programs. Vance is leading that task force.
“I think MaineCare is being completely annihilated by false claims,” said Amanda Farrar of South Paris, who was waiting in line to see Vance on Thursday. “I also think that people are people put in positions such as social workers who are not qualified.”
A federal audit released in January identified roughly $46 million in improper payments for community support services for children with autism. The audit did not allege fraud but identified problems with documentation and compliance.
“There’s fraud in every program, no matter where,” said Deb Leon, leader of the protest group Indivisible Bangor. “It’s the extent to which there is fraud. I don’t believe Maine has a problem. I believe we’re being targeted because we’re a blue state, and because Janet Mills, our governor, has stood up to Trump.”