AUGUSTA — Belfast Democrat state Rep. Erin Herbig on Monday withdrew her protection from abuse order against her former boyfriend Rep. Alex Cornell du Houx, D-Brunswick.
Herbig last week secured a temporary protection order against Rep. Alex Cornell du Houx. The two lawmakers entered a relationship in 2011 and ended it earlier this year, setting off an ugly separation that Herbig claims spilled onto State House grounds and eventually prompted involvement by legislative leadership and law enforcement.
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Maine State Police had been investigating some of Herbig’s allegations after she consulted with Capitol Police in early April. Capitol Police Chief Russell Gauvin told The Portland Press Herald last week that Herbig never filed a formal complaint and she didn’t seek a protection order until last week.
Steve McCausland, a spokesman for the agency, today said police had concluded their investigation on Friday and that no charges against the 29-year-old Cornell du Houx were forthcoming. McCausland, who has declined to say which allegations police were investigating, said he did not know why the decision was made to end the inquiry.
Cornell du Houx has not been interviewed by authorities.
A message left at the Office of the Kennebec County District Attorney was not immediately returned.
Gauvin said Monday that he believed that the district attorney had been brought in to review the case and consider criminal charges. Gauvin said prosecutors had significant latitude in making a decision not to prosecute, including insufficient evidence.
In an 8-page handwritten court filing, Herbig made a series of specific accusations against Cornell du Houx, including that he entered her apartment without permission, acted in a threatening manner and followed her while she was driving.
Cornell du Houx has said that Herbig’s court statement contained many falsehoods.
Lawyers for the two legislators late Friday reached a confidential settlement after the personal entanglement received significant media attention. Both sides said Saturday that they were happy with the deal.
Cornell du Houx released a short statement today saying he was glad that the protection order was withdrawn. He has said that he plans to complete his term, but he has sought a temporary excused absence from this week’s legislative session.
Cornell du Houx, citing the media attention the situation has attracted, said his absence was designed to “calm the situation.”
A spokesman for House Speaker Rep. Robert Nutting, R-Oakland, said the clerk’s office was reviewing the process to excuse Cornell du Houx’s absence.
Herbig had secured a temporary protection from abuse order from a Belfast District Court judge alleging that Cornell du Houx had taken photos of her while she slept and had acted in a threatening manner.
According to court documents in Herbig’s request for a protection order the situation between the couple grew more uncomfortable in late March, early April. it was then that Herbig consulted with Capitol Police.
Herbig was expected to release a statement on Monday about her decision to withdraw the protection order.
Cornell du Houx would not comment on whether he would abandon his re-election bid; however, he has previously said that he was committed to staying in the race. Herbig said through her attorney, Chris MacLean, that she was continuing her reelection bid.
If either changes their mind and ends their campaign they may wait until after the June primary to do so. A spokeswoman for the Secretary of State recently told The Press Herald that it’s too late to remove the candidates’ names from the primary ballot.
Additionally, withdrawing before the primary could leave Democrats without a candidate in November, according to state election law. If either candidate waits until after the primary to withdraw, their respective town committees would have a short period of time to draft a new candidate.
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