By Natalie Colarossi
Staff Writer
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Max Linn, a former U.S. Senate candidate in Maine who was known for protesting COVID-19 rules and accused of pulling a gun on a former aide, was found dead in a hot tub over the weekend from an apparent heart attack.
The 62-year-old died on Saturday after suffering from a previous heart condition, one of his attorneys told the Bangor Daily News on Monday.
Linn previously worked as a financial planner in Florida but ran for Senate in Maine in 2020 as a conservative independent and supporter of former President Donald Trump, according to the Daily News. He had previously been disqualified from the Maine Republican primary after his nominating petitions were found to contain fraudulent signatures.
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Overall, his history of politics was eclectic, and included backing former President Barack Obama's first run for office, and campaigning for governor in Florida as a Reform Party candidate in 2006.
In 2020, Linn received just 1.6 percent of the Senate vote, coming in last place in a four-way race that was ultimately won by incumbent Maine Republican Susan Collins. On the campaign trail, Linn drew widespread attention for his behavior during political debates, which included cutting up a coronavirus face mask with scissors and stating "request denied!" when asked to stay on topic by a moderator.
More recently, the 62-year-old had been facing legal issues after a former campaign staffer accused him of pulling a gun on him during a dispute in October. The staffer, Matt McDonald, alleged that Linn pointed a handgun at him amid an argument about cryptocurrency and illegitimate COVID-19 drugs. At the time, McDonald said he believed his family could be in danger, and requested a protection order.
The case was set to go before an Ellsworth court in November, but was postponed, according to the Daily News. McDonald had since withdrawn the protection order request.
According to the Sun Journal, Linn may have even been one of the first people in Maine to contract the coronavirus. In December 2019, he returned home from a business trip that took place in China "so sick that he admitted he felt like he might not survive," the news outlet reported. Though Linn never got tested for the virus – which he frequently dismissed – McDonald told reporters that he believes he was "patient zero" in the state.
"I've never seen anyone so sick outside a hospital," McDonald said. "He brought COVID to Maine. He was patient zero."
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