SANFORD, Maine — On Wednesday, the partner of Maine state Representative Lucas Lanigan, who faces charges of domestic violence, testified in court asserting that the alleged assault did not occur and urged that the charges be dismissed.

Lanigan, a Republican, surrendered to authorities on Monday, facing a charge of aggravated domestic violence assault. According to a police affidavit, the incident reportedly took place at a storage facility in Sanford when the partner confronted Lanigan and another woman, leading Lanigan to allegedly choke his partner for approximately 20 seconds.

However, during his court appearance, Lanigan’s partner made a declaration stating that the alleged assault never took place. Lanigan is set to appear in court again in March, as confirmed by his attorney, William Bly.

Bly expressed his intention to contest the charges, deeming them baseless, and indicated that a plea of not guilty would be entered at the appropriate time. A representative from the district attorney’s office opted not to provide any comments related to the ongoing case.

In response to the situation, Maine Democrats have urged Lanigan to step down from his legislative position. Meanwhile, the Republican head of the Maine House, Billy Bob Faulkingham, conveyed via text message that the legal matters would be handled through the court process.

Representing the Sanford region in the Legislature, Lanigan previously served on the Sanford City Council from 2016 until 2021 before his election to the Maine House.