Maine ethics panel imposes record fine on National Organization for Marriage
Source: Portland Press Herald
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Posted: 12:16 PM
Updated: 1:13 PM
By Steve Mistler smistler@pressherald.com
Staff Writer
AUGUSTA –– The state ethics board voted unanimously Wednesday to impose a $50,250 fine on the nation’s leading organization opposing gay marriage, a decision that could affect how nonprofit organizations attempt to influence Maine elections.
The vote follows an investigation by the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices that found the National Organization for Marriage concealed its operations and donors during its successful bid to repeal Maine’s same-sex marriage law in 2009.
The vote also means that the state will require the National Organization for Marriage to register as a ballot question committee and disclose its donors from the campaign over five years ago.
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Ethics commission chairman Walter McKee said to accept NOM’s explanation would be to “accept a mockery of Maine’s election laws.” ... McKee pointed to a series of donor solicitations and transactions that were obtained during the investigation. The records show that some donors gave specific amounts to NOM’s treasury. On the very same day, the records show that identical, or nearly identical, amounts were transferred to Stand for Marriage Maine. McKee said it was hard to believe the transactions were a coincidence. ... “(The explanation) strains the credibility here,” McKee said. “It’s a tough set of facts for you.”
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Steve Mistler can be contacted at 791-6345 or at: smistler@pressherald.com Twitter: @stevemistler
Read more: http://www.pressherald.com/politics/Maine_election_panel_imposes_record_fine_on_National_Organization_for_Marriage_.html
Yeah, too bad about those facts.
This story has shamelessly been stolen from JoeMyGod:
MAINE: Ethics Committee Finds NOM Guilty, Eastman Says "We Won't Pay Fine"
I'm so upset that I'll link to another story about this:
Ethics Commission imposes record fine on anti-gay marriage group for breaking campaign finance law in ’09 campaign
By Mario Moretto, BDN Staff
Posted May 28, 2014, at 9:46 a.m.
Last modified May 28, 2014, at 12:36 p.m.
AUGUSTA, Maine — After five years of litigation and investigation, the Maine Ethics Commission on Wednesday ruled that a national anti-gay marriage group had violated campaign finance law during the 2009 marriage referendum, and imposed on the group the largest fine in state history.
The commission for roughly two hours listened to the National Organization for Marriage’s argument that it had done nothing wrong. But in the end, commissioners accepted state ethics investigators’ recommendation of a $50,000 fine and ordered the group to file campaign finance reports and disclose its donors.
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At issue was whether NOM raised money from donors with the specific purpose of influencing Maine’s referendum. Maine law requires registration and reporting by any group that raises more than $5,000 to influence the outcome of a ballot question. Ethics investigators cite several emails and other documents which they say prove NOM raised and spent money specifically for Maine’s referendum.
Commissioners on Tuesday agreed with the investigation’s findings, which outlined emails and other documents, which they said proved NOM coordinated its fundraising efforts to influence the Maine election.
....
Follow Mario Moretto on Twitter at @riocarmine.
= new reply since forum marked as read
Next stop bankruptcy for NOM 
