Vance pledges crackdown on fraud in Maine

FILE PHOTO: President Donald Trump signs proclamations and executive orders, Thursday, September 25, 2025, in the Oval Office. (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian)

(The Center Square) — Vice President JD Vance accused "illegal aliens" of stealing millions of dollars in federal funding from Maine taxpayers during a visit to the state aimed at propping up former Republican Gov. Paul LePage's congressional bid.

The vice president blasted Gov. Janet Mills and other top Maine Democrats for not doing enough to crack down on fraud in the state's Medicaid program and other federally funded benefits. He said the state should get the "bronze" medal for public benefits fraud, tied with New York, and said much of it is being committed by people who are living in the U.S. illegally

"What you have in Maine is a festering problem where people have been taken advantage of, and they've been stolen from," Vance, a Republican, said in remarks in Bangor, flanked by supporters holding "protecting taxpayer dollar" signs. "And your government hasn't done anything about it."

Vance praised LePage, who is running against Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas in Maine's 2nd Congressional District, saying he was committed to cracking down on fraud while governor.

"I'm not just blowing smoke, friends, he took concrete action to try and fight back against fraud," Vance said. “So let me ask you this simple question, do you like having a government official who fights for illegal aliens over you? Do you like having a state governor who doesn’t work with the federal government to fight against fraud?”

“So, let’s kick Janet Mills to the curb, and let’s send Paul LePage to Washington to help us fight the fraudsters and protect all of you," he added.

There was no immediate response from Mills, a termed-out governor who recently suspended her bid for the U.S. Senate amid lackluster support.

Despite showing support for the former governor's congressional campaign, Vance's visit comes as the state comes as the Trump administration is threatening a federal takeover if state leaders don't turn over details of state Medicaid payments for an investigation of potential fraud in the program.

Vance announced Wednesday that the Trump administration is freezing new Medicare enrollments for hospice and home health agencies for the next six months for all states, including Maine. In Thursday's remarks, Vance said the move is aimed at protecting people who depend on Medicare and taxpayers.

"We basically said, very simply, that we're going to take away your money unless you get serious about fighting fraud," the vice president said.

A January report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General flagged nearly 100 Medicaid payments for autistic rehabilitative and community support services did not fully comply with federal and state requirements. The federal watchdog directed the state to repay at least $28.7 million for the federal share of the payments.

Medicaid is jointly funded by states and the federal government. In Maine, the federal government covers most of MaineCare's $5.4 billion in annual spending, with the state contributing about $1.5 billion, according to federal data.

Mills has pushed back on the claims, referring to CMS Director Mehmet Oz as a "former TV doctor" and accusing the Trump administration of using the allegations of fraud to "punish" Democratic-led states. She notes that MaineCare's improper payment error rate is 2.4%, which is less than half the national average.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee criticized Vance's trip to the state, saying is trying to prop up LePage's campaign while "extremist" Washington Republicans "rip away health care from tens of thousands of Mainers."

"JD Vance's trip to Bangor is just another desperate attempt to distract Mainers from the war Paul LePage and his extremist buddies in Washington are waging on their health care," DCCC spokesperson Riya VashiIf said in a statement.

"If Vance wants to talk about scams, he should talk about Republicans’ Big, Ugly Bill, which is already kicking tens of thousands of Mainers off Medicaid, putting rural hospitals across the district at risk of closure, and gutting Maine's health care system to fund massive tax breaks to billionaires," he added.

"Mainers see right through this charade and know that unlike LePage, Joe Baldacci will fight to protect their health care in Washington — not cheer on the politicians dismantling it."