Republican gubernatorial candidate Ben Midgley called on Monday for the immediate removal of Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) employee Cameron A. Grover, the former child protective caseworker and current supervisor who seemingly posted hardcore pornography on social media during normal government work hours.
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“The story today from The Maine Wire, with seemingly verifiable facts, is extremely disturbing. If [Gov.] Janet Mills’ [D-Maine] DHHS has allowed this man to not only work for the state of Maine but work with children and receive a promotion, it raises questions about all of her employment decisions, especially as it relates to sensitive positions,” said Midgley.
“It is shocking that he would be allowed to work in any program related to children, especially those at risk. Mills should immediately take action to do what is necessary to have this person removed from DHHS and assess any other potential risks within the department. Leadership starts at the top,” he added.
Midgley’s statement came in response to a report from The Maine Wire on Grover, who worked as a child protective caseworker for the state before he was promoted to a supervisory position at the DHHS.
Grover initially drew outrage when he promoted a drag show that he marketed for “all ages” while working for the state. The owner of the restaurant that was set to host the event canceled it, telling The Maine Wire that he was unaware that Grover was marketing the event to minors and had only approved a show for adults.
Grover garnered further attention when, following information originally uncovered by X user TheUnquirer, The Maine Wire published a report revealing that an account on that platform operated by a so-called Bangor Bear who appeared identical to Grover was filming and posting hardcore pornography.
Many of those posts came during normal state government working hours. In one post, Bangor Bear appeared to admit to public masturbation and included photographic evidence.
The Maine Wire also uncovered a history of posts from Grover’s personal account in which he apparently admitted to serious mental illness, and reposted statements seemingly advocating violence against children.
Despite some of those statements dating from before he received his social worker’s license in 2022, he was able to acquire the credentials necessary to work with vulnerable children, and apparently even rose to the rank of supervisor while continuing to post anti-child statements and graphic hardcore pornography.
The Maine Wire reached out for comment to Grover, the DHHS and Pamela J. Mayo-Watson, the state employee listed as the sponsor for Grover’s social worker’s license, but none of them responded.
Notably, both Grover’s personal account and the Bangor Bear account were deleted shortly after The Maine Wire reached out to Grover’s state government email address.
Gov. Mills, whom Midgely is seeking to succeed, has overseen historic failures in Maine’s DHHS, particularly in its Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS). Under Mills, deaths of children under state care have tragically increased.
She has also presided repeated annual reports exposing serious failures in the state’s child welfare system, and failed to take action in response to a letter of no-confidence in OCFS Director Bobbi Johnson from 145 child welfare caseworkers calling for her removal.
