Anti-2A Lawmakers Exploit Mental Health Crisis to Push Red Flag Laws in Maine

A controversial red flag gun control measure is set to appear on Maine’s ballot this November, and the battle over it has grown fierce. The proposed law would allow judges to order the confiscation of someone’s firearms without requiring a mental health evaluation. Instead, claims by concerned relatives would be enough to trigger the seizure of guns. Critics, including gun rights advocates and mental health supporters, say the proposal is both unconstitutional and dangerous.

During a recent episode of Bearing Arms’ Cam & Co, host Cam Edwards spoke with Maine State Representative Jennifer Poirier (R-Skowhegan), who described the red flag push as a political maneuver disguised as public safety. “They don’t care about mental health,” she said. “They just want to get firearms out of people’s hands.”

Maine’s Existing Yellow Flag Law Offers a Better Path

Maine already has a “yellow flag” law in place, which allows for firearm removal only after a mental health evaluation is conducted and only if law enforcement is involved. Unlike red flag laws in other states, yellow flag procedures include professional assessments and offer more due process protections. According to Edwards, this makes Maine’s current law “far better” than most red flag statutes.

Representative Poirier agrees. In the interview, she said the yellow flag law has been used over 900 times since the tragic mass shooting in Lewiston. “It works when it’s applied,” she explained. “The problem is, we’re not enforcing the laws we already have. We’re just chasing headlines with this new proposal.”

Democrats Blocked a Competing Mental Health Measure

Poirier authored a competing ballot measure that would have improved the existing yellow flag law while also expanding mental health services across the state. It was crafted in collaboration with multiple stakeholders, including the Maine State Police, the Department of Public Safety, NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), and even Senator Susan Collins’ office.

But as reported by WGME 13, Democratic lawmakers prevented the competing measure from making it to the ballot. House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross reportedly refused to allow the measure to be heard by the Judiciary Committee, effectively killing it. Poirier said this violates House rules and undermines transparency. “They don’t want voters to have a choice,” she said.

Public Hearing Held With Barely a Day’s Notice

To make matters worse, Democrats initially refused to hold a legally required public hearing on the red flag referendum. Only after intense public pressure did they schedule one, with just over 24 hours’ notice. Despite the short window, gun owners and law enforcement officers packed the hearing to voice their opposition.

According to Cam Edwards, “Even the governor’s office and the state police testified against the red flag referendum. That should have been a major red flag in itself.” Yet, the effort to advance the measure pushed forward anyway.

Mental Health Services Are Already Struggling in Rural Maine

One of the most alarming parts of this situation is the simultaneous defunding of crisis receiving centers in rural Maine. Representative Poirier explained that two of these centers, in Kennebec and Aroostook counties, are now set to close due to budget cuts. These are the very areas where residents already struggle to access mental health help.

The competing measure would have restored funding for those centers and established five more across the state. “It’s heartbreaking,” Poirier said. “We’re taking away the very resources people need during a crisis, then turning around and trying to confiscate their guns without offering them help.”

The Red Flag Law Ignores Mental Health Altogether

Edwards pointed out that Maine’s proposed red flag law includes no requirement for mental health evaluation before or after firearms are seized. “They just take the guns and consider the problem solved,” he said. “But what if the person is still a threat to themselves or others? Taking away a gun doesn’t mean they can’t use something else – like a knife or pills.”

Poirier agreed, calling the proposal reckless. “It’s not about safety. It’s about control,” she said. “There’s no plan to help the person. It’s just a one-step response that leaves everyone vulnerable.”

Lessons Not Learned From the Lewiston Tragedy

The push for red flag laws in Maine began after the Lewiston mass shooting, where a mentally disturbed individual killed 18 people. But both Edwards and Poirier note that the tragedy occurred despite several warning signs – and despite existing laws that could have prevented it. The shooter’s own son reportedly told a school resource officer about threats made before the attack, but no action was taken.

In response, Poirier’s competing measure would have provided training for school security officers and SROs, giving them clear procedures to report threats and involve law enforcement. “The system failed,” she said. “But instead of fixing the system, they’re trying to bypass it entirely.”

Big Money Backing the Red Flag Campaign

As Poirier told Cam & Co, national gun control groups are pouring money into the red flag campaign. Billionaire Michael Bloomberg’s Everytown for Gun Safety is reportedly behind signature-gathering efforts and media promotion.

“We’re up against big money,” Poirier admitted. “But Maine has beaten them before – and we can do it again.” She referenced a 2016 referendum backed by Bloomberg that attempted to pass a background check law. Voters rejected it 52% to 48%.

Cam Edwards Shares Personal Story of Mental Health Access

Edwards, who lives in rural Virginia, shared his personal struggle finding grief counseling for his children after the death of his wife. “It was a nightmare,” he said. “There just aren’t enough mental health professionals, especially outside the cities.” He emphasized the importance of in-person counseling, calling remote therapy “a decent backup, but not a replacement.”

This adds another layer to the Maine debate: Democrats are pushing a law that addresses no mental health needs while also allowing rural mental health services to shut down. “That’s not just bad policy,” Edwards said. “It’s immoral.”

Red Flag Laws Don’t Actually Work Well

Statistically, red flag laws have a questionable track record. Edwards cited research showing that for every 16 to 17 gun seizure orders issued, only one suicide is prevented. “That means in the vast majority of cases, these orders either weren’t necessary or they failed to work,” he said. “Either way, that’s a terrible result.”

He also warned about the erosion of due process under red flag statutes, where someone can lose their rights without being charged or convicted of a crime. “We’re punishing people based on what might happen,” he said. “And we’re doing it without giving them help.”

What Happens Next? Education and Organizing

Poirier isn’t giving up. She plans to reintroduce her competing measure as legislation in the next session, which begins in January. In the meantime, she’s teaming up with David Trahan from the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine to host educational events across the state. Their goal is to help voters understand what’s at stake in November.

“You can vote no on red flag laws,” she said. “And still support real mental health solutions. The fight isn’t over.”

A Battle Between Control and Compassion

What’s happening in Maine is bigger than just one referendum. It’s a test of how far lawmakers are willing to go to seize power at the expense of personal rights – and whether voters will go along with it. The red flag push ignores mental health, bulldozes due process, and shuts out public input.

It’s one thing to disagree on gun policy. It’s another thing entirely to ignore the help people need in a crisis, just to score political points. If lawmakers truly cared about safety, they’d fund mental health centers, train school officials, and support laws like yellow flag that involve experts and fair process.

But when the goal is confiscation, not compassion, red flag laws become the weapon. Maine voters will have to decide whether that’s a future they want to live in.