LEWISTON, Maine – The Maine Community Foundation’s Feb. 9 website update meant to answer criticism over how Lewiston shooting-related donations were handled is now drawing even more scrutiny, not only for what it says, but for what it doesn’t.
MCF’s post, framed as a response to criticism over the handling of money connected to the Lewiston-Auburn Area Response Fund and related nonprofit grants, points to just four “stories” of impact. For critics demanding transparency, that limited showcase has become part of the problem: if the foundation is confident in its decisions, why highlight only four examples while leaving other grants and recipients unaddressed?
The backlash comes as victims and families continue to push for clearer answers about where the money went, how decisions were made, and why so much of the public-facing messaging appears curated rather than comprehensive.
Inside Lewiston, the political tension has escalated as residents and advocates say City Hall has refused to honor requests for an investigation. Critics say the mayor and city council have declined to pursue formal scrutiny, even as questions persist publicly about nonprofit distributions and oversight.
Those concerns have increasingly centered on Lewiston City Council President David Chittim, with critics alleging a perceived conflict of interest due to his friendship with Becky Conrad, who critics associate with the Feb. 9 update.
City Councilor Bret Martel put it bluntly: “I genuinely believe that David Chittim is more concerned about covering for his close friend, than he is any of the victims, or their families.”
Others have accused the nonprofit response itself of exploiting a traumatized community.
Amy Sussman, aunt of Maxx Hathaway, who was killed in the shooting, said: “They took advantage of people when they were most vulnerable.”
Sussman continued: “We know the police and army reserves should have stopped the shooter. If they truly knew what they would do, they would have. That is my belief. It’s a special kind of evil that takes advantage of people from a mass shooting the way the MCF did. Nonprofits should help people. Not take advantage of them when they’ve been shot. Or lost a loved one.”
The political fallout is also expanding beyond Lewiston.
Lizzy Gillen said: “Former Governor Paul LePage remains very concerned about the victims of this shooting, which is exactly why he raised almost half a million dollars for the victims and their families in 2023.”
Governor Janet Mills (D) refused LePage’s offer to work with Mills on the fundraising project. Mills has made no public comments on the MCF controversy.
And Republican Gubernatorial candidate David Jones called on MCF to reverse course, describing ongoing suffering among victims and families and questioning why the foundation is still holding large sums of money.
“It is obvious to me and I hope many others, that Maine Community Fund is concerned about how they distributed the donations. I have spoken with victims whose lives are still in shambles due to loss of loved ones, loss of use of portions of their body and operations that still need to be done. As someone who has listened and observed the heartbreaking stories I ask MCF to get the funds distributed to the NGOs back, redistribute the funds to the victims and distributes some of the millions of dollars MCF is holding to these victims and families still suffering…what purpose does it serve for Maine Community Fund to be holding millions of dollars other than to benefit the community?”
Meanwhile, anger has surfaced in the bluntest possible terms from within City Hall itself. Lewiston City Councilor Susan Longchamps said, “This is bullshit.”
Critics argue the entire point of an emergency response fund after a mass casualty event is speed, clarity, and relief for victims, not layered nonprofit pipelines, vague public updates, and unanswered questions. And they say the longer the foundation and city leadership resist full transparency, the more it looks like they’re trying to manage optics rather than deliver accountability.
