PARIS — Oxford County commissioners denied a request from Oxford County Sheriff Christopher Wainwright to pay $42,750 in personal legal fees related to his defense regarding a complaint filed by the commissioners seeking Wainwright’s removal from office.

Commissioners outlined in a written decision that the request was denied because Wainwright was not authorized ahead of time to expend county funds for this purpose; he “did not provide adequate documentation as to the purpose of the expenses”; Wainwright “admitted to substantial portions of the conduct described” in the complaint, “which alleged serious breaches of county policy and state law”; and because the commissioners are “under no contractual or other obligation to reimburse the costs.”

Oxford County Sheriff Christopher Wainwright, right, and his attorney, Jonathan R. Berry, listen April 22 during Wainwright’s dismissal hearing at the Maine Department of Public Safety in Augusta. In a letter read Tuesday at the Oxford County commissioners meeting, the commission denied Wainwright’s request to pay for his personal legal fees for his defense regarding a complaint filed by the commissioners seeking Wainwright’s removal from office. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal file

According to the commissioners’ letter revealed during Tuesday’s commission meeting, Wainwright submitted a handwritten note with a personal invoice from attorney Jonathan R. Berry, asking that Oxford County pay a total of $42,750 using funds from two separate line items in the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office budget — other professional services and the Oxford County Jail’s legal services line.

“While the request does not specify or itemize the origin of the costs for which Sheriff Wainwright is requesting payment, the Commissioners understand that some or perhaps all of the costs are associated with legal expenses accrued by Sheriff Wainwright in conjunction with his hiring of a private attorney to represent the Sheriff in his personal capacity regarding a complaint seeking the Sheriff’s removal filed by the Commissioners on February 7, 2024 to the Governor under the Commissioners’ constitutional and statutory authority,” the commissioners’ letter reads.

In February, Commissioners David Duguay of Byron, Timothy Turner of Buckfield and Steven Merrill of Norway submitted a 10-page complaint to Gov. Janet Mills’ office asking her to remove Wainwright for requesting a deputy be lenient on a ticketed motorist, employing two school resource officers whose credentials lapsed and allowing them to carry firearms, and sale of evidence firearms with no records.

Per the Maine constitution, county commissioners cannot vote to remove a sheriff from office. The power lies only with the governor. In May, Gov. Janet Mills declined the Oxford County Commission’s request to do so, finding Wainwright’s behaviors did not warrant his removal.

The commissioners’ letter further notes that Wainwright “has no authority to dictate to the County Commissioners or the County Administrator’s office from what accounts such funds must be pulled from.” The sheriff’s authority is subject to the county commissioners’ budget-setting authority.

The letter also noted that paying for the legal fees is not in the “best interest of Oxford County taxpayers.”

Commissioners have already footed the bill for the county’s $85,308.36 in legal fees related to the complaint and investigations attempting to remove Wainwright from office.

Joan Kelly, a former county employee, said she strongly opposed paying for the sheriff’s legal fees. Kelly has alleged she was unfairly disciplined for reporting concerns of employee misconduct.

“I am here just to point out the audacity of him for requesting this, knowing the investigations and everything that this county and its taxpayers have paid for because of his actions,” she said.

“Attorney Berry’s representation of Sheriff Wainwright in the constitutional proceeding seeking Sheriff Wainwright’s removal from office for unethical, imprudent, and illegal conduct was for Sheriff Wainwright’s personal benefit and in that capacity solely,” the letter concluded.