Maine – Old Orchard Beach Town Councilor and 2012 Emerge Maine graduate Robin Dayton has become the subject of the Maine Attorney General’s investigation into allegations that she used hate speech on Wednesday to ridicule a black Auburn resident.
Dennis E. Graise, Detroit native and Maine resident since 2005, was at the Old Orchard Beach post office on Wednesday gathering signatures for a local recall initiative — an initiative which includes the recall of Dayton — when he noticed a woman approaching him who appeared irate.
“She was yelling mean stuff and putting on a show,” said Graise. “She came back out of the post office and she was still yelling and raving,” he said.
“As she was leaving, getting into her car, she used a racial slur, the n-word towards me,” said Graise.
Graise was at the post office to gather signatures in support of an effort to recall all seven recently elected Old Orchard Beach town councilors, including Dayton. He said he had no idea who Dayton was, but that witnesses told him she was “from the other side.”
Graise said there were “quite a few” witnesses present for Dayton’s alleged racist tirade. However, the Old Orchard Beach Police Department dismissed the complaint.
“Later on I found out she was a public representative,” said Graise. “That’s what really bugs me.”
“When you represent the public, you should carry yourself in a certain fashion,” said Graise.
Dayton attended Skidmore College and Rutgers University for her undergraduate. She received her Master’s Degree in Public Administration at George Washington University.
Michael Coleman, a fellow member of the OOB Town Council, said he doubted that Dayton made the alleged racist remarks.
“She’s left of left, but she’s also politically correct,” said Coleman. “There’s no way she said the n-word,” he said.
Coleman, like Dayton, could be recalled if Graise’s petition collection effort succeeds. He said the whole affair was probably manufactured by supporters of the recall in order to discredit Dayton. “She’s a good council member,” he said. “She supports transparency in public spending. Believe it or not, she’s a budget hawk.”
According to an article in the Biddeford-Saco-OOB Courier entitled, “Robin Dayton: OOB councilor has long history of civic responsibility,” the embattled Democrat moved to Old Orchard Beach following the attacks of September 11, 2001. She was elected to the Old Orchard Beach Town Council in 2006.
In addition to being an elected official, Dayton is a graduate of Emerge Maine — a leftist training camp that teaches Democratic women how to run for public office.
Attempts to contact an Emerge Maine representative were not successful.
The Emerge Maine advisory board includes several of Maine’s female Democratic luminaries: U.S. Rep Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Attorney General Janet Mills, Rep. Sharon A. Treat (D-Hallowell), Sen. Emily Cain (D-Penobscot), and former State Rep. and failed gubernatorial candidate Libby Mitchell.
According to Emerge Maine’s website, the group provides the following services: “We only train Democratic women… Our intensive, cohort-based training builds a team within each class who support each other… We provide 70 hours of in-depth candidate training and women are ‘ready to run’ for office… Participants master: Public Speaking and Communication, Fundraising, Media and Messaging, Networking, Campaign Strategy, Field Operations, Technology and New Media, Diversity and Cultural Competency, and Ethical Leadership… Our training includes sessions on Democratic Party platform training and Labor Issues.” [emphasis added]
Graise said he went to the Old Orchard Beach Police Department (OOBPD) after the altercation seeking an apology from Dayton. His conversation OOBPD snowballed into a full blown investigation and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is also now involved.
According to a Friday email from OOBPD Police Chief Dana M. Kelly, police investigators found no basis for Graise’s claims that Dayton threatened him with racist slurs.
“[I]nvestigating officers continued to investigate the matter and concluded that there is no probable cause to conclude that the behavior of the town Councilor was in fact criminal in nature,” Kelly wrote. “It did not meet the elements necessary to be considered a hate crime and as a result we have closed the case. However, as a follow up to our investigation, the information we gathered and our conclusion, was forwarded to the Maine Attorney General’s Office for their review.”
Kelly said in the email that the AG will be reviewing the investigation and responding within one week.
The AG’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
By S.E. Robinson
MAINE WIRE Reporter
32 Comments
Really Steve – you need to ask this:
“It is unclear whether yelling racial obscenities at political opponents is part of the Emerge Maine curriculum or improvisation on Dayton’s part.”
This is “news” reporting that funders of Maine Heritage Policy Center approve of?
Does anyone actually believe the Maine Wire is a valid news source?
yes
Perhaps it was the fault of Skidmore or Rutgers?
According to Emerge Maine’s website, the group provides the following services: “We only train Democratic women… Our intensive, cohort-based training builds a team within each class who support each other…”
Sounds pretty sexist to me. Why does Emerge Maine endorse gender-exclusivity?
He is trying to recall her, but he didn’t know who she was? Yeah, he’s credible.
Mr. Robinson is a journalistic hack.
Not only is bias self-evident, the facts detailed in his own story betray his unwarranted intent to malign Ms. Dayton in order to vent his spleen against Emerge Maine:
“According to a Friday email from OOBPD Police Chief Dana M. Kelly, police investigators found no basis for Graise’s claims that Dayton threatened him with racist slurs.”
Why in the world was this guy hired to report news for an allegedly credible conservative news organization?
I understand that Councilor Dayton is willing to take a polygraph. Will Graise?
I know Dennis Graise, having met him during last year’s campaign season. He struck me as being an ethical, honest man. If he says this leftist Councilwoman yelled racial slurs at him, I tend to believe him. Just because this woman has the educational pedigree ( all liberal of course) and completed the Emerge Maine leftist indoctrination camp, doesn’t mean she is incapable of doing this. Some of the most hateful, bigoted and racist people I have had the misfortune to encounter were leftist. Seems to me the OOBPD didn’t really look at this to hard, nor will fellow Emerge Maine alum Janet Mills. This ultra leftist Councilwoman will get a compete pass on this, and Mr. Graise will be viciously attacked by the liberal media. It’s disgusting the levels Democrats in this state will stoop to, but they know they can get away with it.
And yes, to you liberal critics here, the Maine Wire is a credible news source. If it’s so biased and not credible, why are you here?
Why am I here? To help casual readers understand that the MaineWire is a yellow journalist rag.
Dirigo Blue, Your sign in logo pretty much nullifies your opinion don’t you think?
“It is unclear whether yelling racial obscenities at political opponents is part of the Emerge Maine curriculum or improvisation on Dayton’s part.”
Pretty valid question, so what is the answer? Was she improvising or is this part of the curriculum taught by Emerge Maine?
The group in question claims to be recalling all 7 members of the town council but is in actuallity only collecting signatures to recall 3, Dayton, Michael Coleman and Robert Quinn. The three who didn’t vote to fire the town manager. The other 4 are the subject of an earlier recall effort that turned their petitions in on Thursday.
Dirigo Blue …so you admit culpability, and now it’s just who else can be blamed? I guess you weren’t admitted to the women-only training camp; just gave them money to perpetuate sexist practices? Amazing how much I’m learning from your posts!!!
So let me get this straight.The witness that heard her call him the (N) word are liars to.As far as OOBPD not finding no probable cause doesn’t surprise me at all.
Drama!
I wasn’t there however I’m sure she was upset to see someone going up against her and her fellow constituents but too many people are trying to play the reverse discrimination card! Without being there I really have no idea how to think about this alleged incident. Was she angry? Probably I mean you’re going after somebody’s career here! Did he feel disrespected? Probably but be careful to throw out she called me the N word especially in this day and age. Politics can certainly be a dirty business!
Actually Mike, he was asked several times during the double team interrorgation by the OOBPD and the answer was a resounding yes, every time. There were also several witnesses. Personally I’d like to see all 7 take one! Full and complete transparency right? LOL
David, the group you speak of is collecting signatures for the remaining 3 councilors that were not on the first petition to give the community a chance to vote on all 7. Since those that voted for the other 4 have had their votes nullified, it’s only fair that the community get a chance to vote in an all new council or keep some or all of the current ones. All 3 of these councilors fully supported him completely (and continue to) even when some of the issues were brought forward. The other 3 have not exactly been as innocent as they’d have you believe. Just to clarify a misconception here, the manager was not fired, or terminated or whatever you want to call it, his contract was bought out though a no cause section. It’s not uncommon at all if you google it. The biggest difference here is he (the former manager) insisted on negotiating it into his contract prior to signing it rather than having to negotiate a buyout after the fact. He had the opportunity to accept it for what it was and move on discretely with a chunk of $$. Instead he and his supporters decided to turn it into a media circus show. He and the 3 supporting councilors fought several attempts to rectify some failrly serious issues and basically left the others with the option to ignore and allow it to continue or end it and buy him out. They did remain tight lipped because if they did give reasons (cause) then it isn’t for no cause anymore is it? That would have certainly given him ammunition for a law suit and given his past history of sueing former employers they did the right thing. They let the citizens’ FOAA requests do the explaining. These documents are all available to see for anyone that is interested. Anyone that thinks it’s made up, just ask to see them. The “Thruth” folks would be glad to oblige you. By the way, he has filed his lawsuit, but the town STILL has not actually been served. What are they waiting for? Personally I think it was just a scare tactic to get people to sign the petitions on the 4 that honored the oath to protect the town.
For those of you not part of this community. This lovely, innocent looking, woman has a long (video taped) history of being disruptive, disrespectful and rude. Throwing papers around, making faces and stomping out of council chambers, yelling at fellow councilors and citizens that she disagrees with and is engouraging and inciting to anyone against her opposition. She’s the last to stop talking and interrupting but the first to complain when the meetings go late into the night. lol Many of us wonder how she keeps getting voted in and the reply is typically “for the entertainment factor”. She is however also known as a budget hound and how she condoned some of the former managers’ doings is beyond me.
Les Gibson writes: “Some of the most hateful, bigoted and racist people I have had the misfortune to encounter were leftist”
Wow – Les – Nothing like “Guilt by Association” – Right up there with Racism.
Some folks will never learn nor ‘Get it”
Check Dayton’s so-called education pedigree, specifically the Skidmore and Rutgers claims…
If it was one person’s word against another you would wonder who is telling the truth. But in this case there are several people who also heard her call him the N word. Just the fact that she got in his face and yelled at him is discraceful. As a Council Member she is an embarrasment to this Town and should resign, if she doesn’t then she should be REMOVED. The sooner the better!
I would like to see the African American man that put my 15 year old daughters arms down just before the white girl punched my daughter in the head 28 times ON VIDEO in the park in OOB take a polygraph and the white girl as well. They have been covering up an illegal fight club for years! Why didn’t Councilor Michael Coleman and Dayton suggest to the police last year when my daughter was assaulted to have the perpetrators of a crime take a lie detector……..ask if they were part of the illegal fight club that has been gpoing on for YEARS? Why only harrass the African American VICTIM of a hate crime with the lie detector? WHY? WHY? WHY????? HOW MUCH ARE THEY HIDING IN OOB???????????????????
I think all SEVEN of them should send the AG’s office a letter requesting the assistance of a forensic accountant and just get to the truth once and for all……………QUICKLY!
There are no similar groups for Republican women, Naran? I highly doubt that. Like the author, you are commenting just to take a jab at Emerge Maine, which has nothing to do with the incident.
I know this is old news, but what would be helpful is if someone, ANYONE who had been treated this way by Dayton before would say something. If she said the N word, then she said it before, because no one is racist for just one day. Funny how in the last couple months, no one has said anything about a run in with her.
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