Employees of Maine’s state government received an email Friday from the Bureau of Human Resources that some state workers have dubbed “the Frey Email.”
“Supervisors who become personally involved with a subordinate are required to report the relationship to their supervisor so that a change in reporting structure can be considered,” the email said.
State workers dubbed the communication “The Frey Email” on account of Attorney General Aaron Frey’s eight-month-long, unreported affair with a subordinate employee, Child Protection Division Chief Ariel Gannon.
Frey, who was still in a relationship with his girlfriend of 12 years, with whom he lived, did not disclose his relationship with Gannon for eight months.
Frey only disclosed the relationship after the family of Gannon’s husband filed a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office and leaked information to the Bangor newspaper.
The Maine Wire has requested public records from the Attorney General’s Office that may shed light on whether Gannon received preferential treatment after entering into a romantic relationship with Frey, but the AG’s office has yet to provide those records or a timeline of when they may be produced.
Senate President Troy Jackson (D-Aroostook) and House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross (D-Portland) have enlisted the services of HR consultant Deb Whitworth of the HR Studio Group to review Frey’s conduct.
Although many political observers believed the sex scandal would spell the end of Frey’s run as Maine’s top law enforcer, Gov. Janet Mills has issued several joint statements with Frey on unrelated topics since the disclosure, signaling that she sees no reason for him to resign.
Among the rank-and-file employees of the Attorney General’s Office, there has been no wave of protest resignations.
It appears to be back to business as usual — albeit with a heart-warming story of two young lawyers in love added to the mix.
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