A Maine journalist has admitted to falsely accusing a Donald Trump supporter of providing drugs and alcohol to a minor in an effort to get him fired from his job.
Chris J. Barry, 56, known by his pen name Crash Barry, confessed to making harassing phone calls to the workplace of Nick Blanchard, a right-wing activist, following a long-standing feud over their differing political views.
Blanchard, 35, who had been involved in the January 6 Capitol riot and local school board protests, was targeted after celebrating Trump’s inauguration. Barry explained in a Substack post titled “Mea Culpa” that Blanchard’s posts on Inauguration Day pushed him to take drastic action.
Upon learning that Blanchard had been hired as a manager at a local Dunkin’ Donuts, Barry decided to call the establishment. He claimed that the call led to a background check and the subsequent withdrawal of Blanchard’s job offer.
Barry admitted that his anger over Blanchard’s political views led him to take further steps. He created a false script accusing Blanchard of providing alcohol and drugs to a minor and threatened to involve law enforcement.
When Blanchard arrived at work the following day, his boss relayed the message, leaving Blanchard upset and confused. Blanchard later posted about the incident on Facebook, where friends connected the phone number to Barry.
Barry expressed some regret for using a burner phone but stood by his actions, claiming he wanted Blanchard to experience the distress of having false accusations made about him.
Blanchard is now considering seeking a protection from harassment order following Barry’s confession. Barry had previously written about Blanchard in his Substack, including a piece referencing Blanchard’s attendance at the January 6 riot, where he described himself as a peaceful protester.
