Bipartisan ethics committee votes to release remaining clean elections funds without legislative fix

AUGUSTA—On Thursday, the Maine Ethics Commission voted 3-1 to release the remaining $3 million in clean elections funds to qualified candidates, ruling that a legislative fix was not necessary based on the Superior Court decision from Justice William Stokes earlier this month. Despite an error made in the drafting of last year’s biennial budget, the Commission agreed that the intent of the budget law was clear and that eligible Maine candidates should receive the funds in which they are owed.

This decision by the bipartisan, independent Commission comes after heated negotiations in the Legislature, where the House Republican Caucus attempted to hijack this drafting error and derail Maine’s Clean Elections program. In response to the Maine Ethics Commission’s conclusion, Senate Democratic Leader Troy Jackson of Allagash released the following statement:

“I have said all along that lawmakers should not accept a bad deal on clean elections. Last summer we all agreed – Democrats, Republicans and Independents – to fund this critical program. And a deal is a deal.

 

Exploiting a drafting error to further their dark money agenda is not only bad governance, it’s also not what Maine people want from their lawmakers. The Legislature could have resolved this months ago by passing the routine “errors bill.” Instead, it took the courts and the Maine Ethics Commission simply because House Republicans didn’t do want to do their job.

 

Maine’s Clean Elections program is a fundamental part of giving everyone a chance to participate in government. We shouldn’t have to compromise just to protect the integrity and viability of this program. I’m glad we stood strong to defend it.”

###