Maine GOP fined for Ethics violations

[Bluebear]

AUGUSTA - Nearly a dozen publicly funded Democratic candidates for the Legislature will share more than $110,000 in matching funds after the state's ethics panel concluded the Maine Republican Party crossed the line with some independent campaign mailings. In a 3-2 decision Thursday, the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices sided with Democrats who claimed their party's Clean Election candidates had been placed at a disadvantage by the way the GOP candidates' names were printed on the state party's fliers. One unenrolled candidate and a Green Independent Party candidate also were entitled to matching funds as a result of the GOP fliers.

"We disagree with the decision, but we will comply with the commission's request," said Dan Billings, attorney for the state Republican Party. "I think this is an area where both the Legislature and the commission need to give more direct guidance as to what the rules are."

Maine Republicans sent fliers supporting their candidates to voters in more than a dozen Senate districts. The fliers addressed a range of topics, such as health care costs, Maine's tax burden and regionalization of schools and hospitals.

In addition to concerns over the way some GOP candidates' names or pictures were featured on the mailers, Democrats maintained that some ads mischaracterized the positions of their candidates on various issues.

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