Troy Jackson faces scrutiny over 1988 police report

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Troy Jackson is facing scrutiny following the emergence of a 1988 police report from Fort Kent, Maine. The report describes an incident in which Jackson, then 19, allegedly kicked in a door, punched a man, and choked him. Additionally, the report includes a statement from Jackson’s longtime partner, Lana Pelletier, claiming he “pushed her around.”

Jackson has not denied the 1988 assault, which resulted in a misdemeanor charge resolved by a fine, but he has denied being violent with Pelletier. In a statement, Jackson noted that the incident occurred nearly four decades ago and does not reflect his character today. Pelletier has stated she has no memory of the specific comment regarding being pushed.

This controversy arises as Jackson seeks to replace Graham Platner on the Democratic ticket in a pivotal race against Republican Senator Susan Collins. Jackson’s political history also includes a 1998 blockade of the U.S.-Canada border intended to restrict Canadian labor in the Maine lumber industry, a stance that has shaped his reputation regarding trade and immigration.