WESTBROOK — Rep. Dillon Bates has resigned his seat representing Westbrook in the Maine Legislature, while calling anonymous allegations of inappropriate behavior made against him “baseless and false.”

The resignation comes after published reports about his alleged inappropriate behavior with students at Maine Girls Academy, where he worked as a teacher and a soccer coach.

Earlier in August, Bates’ lawyer said he would continue to serve in the Legislature until his term was slated to run out at the end of the year. 

A spokeswoman for Speaker of the House Sara Gideon, D-Freeport, confirmed Monday that Bates, a Democrat, had resigned. Gideon sent an email to members of the House of Representatives Monday morning notifying them of Bates’ resignation. 

Gideon’s office also shared an email containing a resignation letter from Bates, which the Westbrook lawmaker said was effective Monday, Aug. 20. 

“The anonymous allegations against me are baseless and false. That said, with likely only a matter of hours of legislative work remaining, I do not wish to create any distractions,” Bates said in his letter of resignation. 

Gideon’s spokeswoman said the speaker had no additional statement on the resignation. Gideon previously called allegations against Bates “deeply troubling” and asked for his resignation. 

The allegations against Bates were published Aug. 3 in an issue of a Portland publication, The Bollard, which reported, based on anonymous sources, that Bates allegedly had three “romantic or sexual” relationship with students. The paper did not name the individuals, but did quote one of them anonymously.

A 2011 graduate of the University of Maine, Bates was first elected to the House District 35 seat in 2014 and won re-election in 2016. 

He has worked as a track coach at Massabesic High School and had been hired to be the cross country coach this fall, but Superintendent Larry Malone said Bates, who was the indoor track coach for two seasons and boys outdoor track coach for the last three, is no longer under contract to coach.

Bates has also coached or worked at Greely Middle School in Cumberland, Lincoln Middle School in Portland, Bonny Eagle High School in Standish and Gorham High School and Great Falls Elementary School in Gorham. Bates had been the education director at Schoolhouse Arts Center, but has resigned from that position.

He and Janelle LoSciuto recently launched the Presumpcot Stage theater company in Westbrook.

“In my time away from the Legislature, I plan to focus on clearing my name. I am proud of my time in service to the City of Westbook and the State of Maine,” Bates continued in his resignation letter. 

Bates

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