Embattled District Attorney Jackie Sartoris (D), Cumberland County’s top prosecutor, will face a re-election challenge — if she seeks re-election — from former Assistant District Attorney Valerie Adams.

Adams exited the DA’s office on November 8, 2025, the same day she informed Sartoris of her intention to run against her in 2026. Adams announced her campaign hours later, citing the need to end low morale and restore basic functionality to the office.

We will never subject you to pajama parties.

In comments to The Robinson Report, Adams didn’t mince words.

“I have seen firsthand that DA Sartoris lacks the ability to be an effective district attorney because she lacks familiarity with criminal procedure and criminal practice,” Adams said.

“I have seen firsthand that DA Sartoris lacks the ability to be an effective leader because she cannot develop and commit to policies, she does not listen to her colleagues, both within and outside of the office, and she does not take responsibility for her own shortcomings in performing her duties as DA,” she said.

Sartoris, who was swept into office with more than $350,000 in spending from groups funded by George Soros, was also the main subject of a letter mailed to The Robinson Report last month. The letter, written by a DA’s office insider, details an office filled with chaos, lapses in judgement, and poor management.

The claims made in the letter, which are substantiated by insider accounts as well as copies of emails included in the mailing, perfectly align with the criticism Adams has made so far about her former boss.

DA Dysfunction: Top ADA Exits Jackie Sartoris’ Office Amid Allegations of Toxic Work Environment

By Jon Fetherston

A senior prosecutor has departed the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office amid allegations of internal conflict and concerns about workplace culture under District Attorney Jackie Sartoris, sources told the Maine Wire.

An office spokesperson confirmed that Assistant District Attorney Valerie Adams is no longer employed with the office. The confirmation followed information provided to the Maine Wire by a source familiar with the situation, who said Adams confronted Sartoris regarding what the source described as a “toxic work environment” and indicated she was considering a campaign for district attorney.

The DA’s office did not comment on the circumstances of Adams’ departure, personnel matters, or any potential political plans.

Adams, a graduate of the University of Maine School of Law, has worked in multiple areas of Maine’s legal system.

Before joining the Cumberland County office, she practiced in criminal defense, appellate litigation and immigration law.

She previously operated a private practice, Adams Law, and worked with Fairfield & Associates and Hanly Law. Earlier in her career, Adams volunteered with the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, and she was recognized by the Maine Judicial Branch through the Katahdin Counsel Initiative for providing pro bono legal service.

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