On June 22, 2018 the Ethics Commission distributed a memorandum announcing that the Governor had declined to sign routine financial orders to release money to candidates from the Maine Clean Election Fund. As a result, payments to candidates certified to participate in the Clean Election program will be reduced to 20% - 25% of the amount they qualified for. The Clean Election Fund has sufficient cash to pay candidates the entire amount for which they qualified, but the governor's refusal to authorize the release of funds prevents the use of that cash.
- On Friday, June 28, we took the governor to court.
- On Thursday, August 2, the judge ruled that a financial order was not required, and that the money must be paid to Clean Elections candidates.
- On Thursday, August 16, the Ethics Commission voted to release the remaining funds to candidates.
Read our statement on the court decision here
You can read the court documents for yourself and follow the action below. It's powerful stuff.
- Motion for a temporary restraining order
- The original complaint from June 27
- The amended complaint as of July 2
- The judge's scheduling order
- The plaintiff's brief and affidavits
- Affidavit from Jonathan Wayne
- Commission's Memo of Law, July 13
- Exhibits, July 13
- Opposition Brief, July 13
- Read our statement on the oral arguments, July 24
- Decision from Judge Stokes, Aug 2
- Statement on administration compliance with court order, Aug 8
- Letter to Ethics Commission re: Fiscal Year 2019 authority, Aug 15
- Statement on Ethics Commission decision, Aug 16