The far-right politicians who led Monday’s anti-quarantine, “Reopen Maine” rally in Augusta received max donations from Susan Collins’ PAC in the recent past. Chris Johansen, a Republican State Representative from Maine’s 145th district received a max donation from Collins’ Dirigo PAC for his re-election campaign in 2018. White nationalist sympathizer Larry Lockman, a former State Representative and current candidate for State Senate, received an endorsement from Collins and a max donation from her PAC in 2014. Both lawmakers openly organized, promoted and led Monday’s anti-quarantine rally. Collins is yet to comment on the rally or lawmakers behind it.

Monday’s illegal anti-quarantine rally was attended by a wide range of extremists including QAnon conspiracy theorists, who believe there is a network of Satan-worshiping pedophiles who rule the world. In August 2019, the FBI determined QAnon to be a source of domestic terrorism. Christian fanatics who believe the coronavirus is a sign of the apocalypse were also spotted at the rally. Most attendees did not wear face masks or maintain social distancing norms even though Johansen and Lockman urged them to when promoting the event on Facebook.

When asked on Tuesday about the health risks created by his rally, Johansen brushed off concerns. The Representative said he did not wash his hands after the rally, despite coming into direct contact with hundreds of people. Johansen went on to note that if he or others died as a result of his protest, “it would still be worth it”.

“I know that with my trip to Augusta there were many of you very concerned with my health. Some were even concerned I would infect them or others on my return,” Johansen wrote in a Tuesday Facebook post. “When I was in Augusta I did not shake hands with any politician so saw no need to immediately wash my hands. I’m feeling great so you can stop with all the drama, I have endangered nobody.”

Lockman, who Johansen confirmed was at the rally, said despite the protest’s “success” his followers remain “under house arrest” due to the “dictatorial powers” of Maine Governor Janet Mills. “End the lockdown, Governor. Do it now,” Lockman posted on Facebook after the rally. “Let my people go!”

Prior to promoting Monday’s anti-quarantine protest, Lockman was known for his belief that men should be able to rape women if abortion is legal. “If a woman has (the right to abortion), why shouldn’t a man be free to use his superior strength to force himself on a woman,” Lockman said in 1990. “At least the rapist’s pursuit of sexual freedom doesn’t (in most cases) result in anyone’s death.”

Lockman has also aggressively advocated to stop what he calls “the pervasive influence of militant, politically-organized homosexuals.” And fought to block diversity initiatives in Maine schools saying they were “politically-correct liberal fascism” in the late 1990s.

“The homosexual rights movement is engaged in a covert scheme to use federal crime-control funds to transform Maine’s public schools into gay-activist indoctrination centers,” Lockman claimed in 1997.

Despite Lockman’s past comments and the current health risks posed by Lockman and Johansen’s anti-quarantine rally, Collins has shown no concern. Collins, who is currently the least popular Senator in the United States, has not disavowed the rally or its participants.

When asked about the response from Maine’s federal delegation to his rally, Johansen said “GOP leaders are just frightened of the political risk if they got involved or didn’t get involved.”

At the time of publishing, there are almost 900 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Maine and 36 deaths.