New accounts from former Bates College classmates are raising serious questions about the past conduct and political character of Democratic activist Kiernan Majerus-Collins (D), who is now running for Maine State Representative while simultaneously serving as the attorney for controversial Lewiston City Councilor-elect Iman Osman, a man under federal indictment for stolen firearms who continues to refuse to clarify his residency status.
As scrutiny over Lewiston’s political turmoil intensifies, several Bates alumni, some willing to go on record, others speaking on background, describe what they say is a long-standing pattern of political manipulation, narrative control, and unsettling behavior by Majerus-Collins stretching back more than a decade.
Classmate James Erwin shared with the Maine Wire that Majerus-Collins began building political influence before he even set foot on campus. “He quickly established himself as a prolific poster in the group, often promoting Democrat party politics even before we got to campus for our freshman year.” Using the Class of 2018 Facebook page, they say he promoted partisan messaging, cultivated name recognition among incoming freshmen, and organized a coordinated slate of candidates for student government positions.
By the time the class arrived in Lewiston, he had already cemented himself as a central political figure, positioning himself advantageously for the first student elections.
Upon winning the freshman representative seat, Majerus-Collins quickly moved into the role of parliamentarian, a position that controlled the counting and oversight of student government ballots.
Classmates say he then took control of the rewriting of student government constitution. The revised document concentrated new authority under the parliamentarian’s office, expanded it into a committee whose members he would appoint, and shifted student elections from secure online voting to paper ballots he and his allies personally handled.
These changes drew criticism from the student newspaper at the time, which accused him of orchestrating a power consolidation effort. Despite the opposition, the constitutional rewrite passed.
ALLEGED BALLOT MANIPULATION AND A FORCED RESIGNATION
Following the constitutional overhaul, an anonymous tip to the Student Senate alleged that Majerus-Collins had agreed to stuff ballots in a student body presidential election in exchange for influence over committee appointments.
According to students who served in the Senate, the candidate involved admitted the arrangement after being confronted. Majerus-Collins allegedly refused to answer questions without speaking to legal counsel. Impeachment proceedings began shortly thereafter, and he resigned from student government.
One year later, Majerus-Collins attempted a comeback by running for student body president. When the filing deadline closed, he was the only official candidate on the ballot.
Upperclassmen, aware of his prior conduct, organized a write-in campaign for a well-liked peer. Despite being the only printed name on the ballot, Majerus-Collins finished a distant third. He abandoned student government after the public rejection and shifted his political ambitions toward organizing within the Lewiston Democratic Party.
Classmates also say Majerus-Collins convinced the college to grant him administrative control of the Class of 2018 Facebook page. He allegedly removed other administrators and tightly moderated content, blocking posts critical of him or supportive of political opponents.
Individuals familiar with the matter say he remains the page’s sole administrator today.
DISTURBING BEHAVIOR ALLEGED DURING SHETLAND ISLANDS TRIP
Background accounts from alumni also describe troubling behavior by Majerus-Collins during a 2018 Bates archaeology trip to the Shetland Islands.
According to individuals familiar with the events, his conduct on the trip created significant disruptions among classmates and culminated in a sewage system failure at the cottage where male students stayed. Students and faculty reportedly spent their final night digging out and clearing the septic tank due to the damage.
These accounts, while second-hand, come from individuals who participated in the trip and recall the episode as a major disruption.
NOW SEEKING OFFICE WHILE REPRESENTING INDICTED LEWISTON OFFICIAL
Today, Majerus-Collins is not only campaigning for a seat in the Maine House of Representatives but also representing Councilor-elect Iman Osman, who faces federal charges involving stolen firearms and refuses to resolve ongoing questions about whether he legally resides in the city he intends to represent.
As the city grapples with escalating controversy surrounding Osman’s indictment and residency dispute, Majerus-Collins’ own historical pattern of political manipulation and questionable conduct is resurfacing among those who knew him best during his formative political years.
Former classmates say the parallels between his campus conduct and his current political involvement in Lewiston are impossible to overlook.
Across all accounts provided, a clear pattern described by those who knew Majerus-Collins includes:
- Aggressive pursuit of political control
- Manipulation of internal election systems
- Suppression of information and control over communication channels
- Resistance to oversight and accountability
- Public rejection by peers who refused to accept his strong-arm tactics
- Behavior raising broader questions about judgment, temperament, and fitness for public office
With Majerus-Collins now seeking state legislative power, while defending an indicted city councilor embroiled in one of Lewiston’s most high-profile scandals, former classmates say voters deserve to know the full scope of his past behavior as they assess his actions today.
