Maine Legislator Sends ‘Racist’ Email to Asian American in Windham

Krista Gerrity says she was really taken aback when she saw the email...as were a lot of people.

News Center Maine reported about Republican Representative Michael Lemelin responding to an email and using the term 'China virus' when referring to Covid-19. That got the Speaker of the House Ryan Fecteau, to call the response 'racist'.

Here's some background. Krista Gerrity from Windham had emailed a bunch of state lawmakers recently because of concerns about Republican-led efforts to get Maine's Dept. of Education and CDC to loosen COVID-19 restrictions and have schools reopen fully. Rep. Lemelin (District 88 Chelsea, Jefferson, Nobleboro, and Whitefield) emailed her.

In his email, that Krista shared iwth News Center Maine, he not only downplayed the virus, but called it the 'China virus.' Wow...read the room dude. Not only is this ridiculous and untrue, but as Krista told News Center

When people start using verbiage like this it's only propagating more hatred, more fear, more xenophobia.

When News Center reached out to Rep. Lemelin for comment, he said to read John 18:23. They did...'If I said something wrong,' Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?' Seems like he's doubling down.

The Democratic Speaker of the House Ryan Fecteau was not going to let it slide and called his response 'racist' adding that with all the violence against Asian Americans, this is 'beneath the office which he holds'.