LEWISTON, Maine — More than two years after Maine’s deadliest mass shooting, the fight over who benefited from donations raised in the tragedy’s aftermath is escalating again, in City Hall, in Augusta, and now on national television.
On Oct. 25, 2023, gunman Robert Card opened fire at Just-In-Time Recreation and Schemengees Bar & Grille, killing 18 people and injuring 13. The community response that followed was historic: millions were raised as Mainers and donors nationwide tried to help survivors and families rebuild. But the distribution of those funds — including money routed to a nonprofit “broad recovery” pool, has sparked sustained outrage among some victims’ relatives and residents who say donor intent was not honored.
Sussman names names at City Hall
Amy Sussman, whose nephew Maxx Hathaway was among those killed, has led the pushback at Lewiston City Council meetings, accusing city leadership of failing to treat families’ concerns with urgency. In testimony reported by The Maine Wire, Sussman described an exchange with City Council President David Chittim, saying he dismissed the controversy as a “misunderstanding” while telling her he would investigate, and she said the “investigation,” as she experienced it, amounted to being looked up on LinkedIn rather than any meaningful review of the nonprofit grants.
Sussman has also publicly criticized Mayor Carl Sheline, saying he promised to get back to her and never did.
“Accountability, explanations, and refunds!”
As public anger has grown, council divisions are becoming harder to hide. Councilor Susan Longchamps has aligned herself with calls for restitution, and Councilor Bret Martel posted a statement backing the push and demanding action.
“It’s an honor to call Susan Bergeron Longchamps a colleague and friend,” Martel wrote. “There are no lies in her words. No deception or personal agenda… It’s time for some accountability, explanations, and refunds!”
Sussman takes the fight national
After repeatedly pressing local officials, Sussman has pushed the controversy into the national spotlight with appearances on Fox News and NewsNation, bringing wider attention to the donor-intent dispute and intensifying pressure on the institutions at the center of the fund distribution.
Augusta steps in: Katrina Smith submits emergency legislation
In Augusta, Rep. Katrina Smith (R–Palermo), Assistant Leader of the Maine House Republicans, has said she submitted emergency legislation titled “An Act to Protect Donor Intent and Ensure Transparency in Charitable Fundraising.”
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“Money donated to the Lewiston tragedy should NEVER have been given to organizations that didn’t directly benefit those harmed,” Smith wrote in public messaging tied to the bill, adding that she had “submitted legislation” so it “never happens again.”
Council President Chittims’ role:
Lewiston City Council President David Chittim came under sharp criticism from Amy Sussman during recent council meetings, but the backlash has not been limited to public testimony. Within City Hall and across the Lewiston community, whispers of a potential conflict of interest have grown louder, centered on Chittim’s friendly relationship with Beckie (Rebecca Swanson) Conrad, the former president of the Lewiston-Auburn Chamber of Commerce and chair of the steering committee tied to the Maine Community Foundation fund distribution. According to multiple sources who spoke to The Maine Wire, Chittim has privately indicated that he would do everything in his power to protect Conrad from fallout related to the shooting fund controversy, claims that critics say raise serious questions about his impartiality and help explain why he has shown little interest in pursuing a deeper investigation.
David Jones escalates to DOJ
Republican gubernatorial candidate David Jones has amplified the controversy statewide, urging U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Department of Justice to open a federal investigation into the Maine Community Foundation, alleging fraud and misappropriation of donations meant for victims and families.
Bottom line: What began as a dispute over donor intent has become a widening political crisis spanning City Hall, Augusta, and national TV, with victims’ families refusing to back down, lawmakers pushing emergency safeguards, a gubernatorial candidate demanding DOJ intervention, and Lewiston officials facing renewed demands for accountability and refunds.
