Reply #10: ME: Ethics Panel Confirms Complaint Against Democrats [View All]

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Saturday, August 19, 2006

Ethics panel confirms complaint against Democrats

By BETTY JESPERSEN
Staff Writer

Copyright © 2006 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.

FARMINGTON -- The director of the Maine ethics commission Friday confirmed a Franklin County Republican has filed a complaint against the Maine Democratic Party for a mailing that promoted a public forum on consumer fraud hosted by State Sen. Janet Mills, a Farmington Democrat.

A spokesman for the Maine Democrats says the complaint filed Aug. 15 by, is groundless. "This is a meritless complaint entered by an enthusiastic Republican partisan," said spokesman Jess Knox. "The event did not advocate Sen. Mills' campaign, she did not authorize it and it was a 100 percent, independent expenditure, not only in language but in its creation."

Frary said Friday the mailing may not be a direct endorsement of Mills but he has requested it be reviewed by the five-member Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices to put it on the public record. "It is my personal opinion that this is a political mass mailing," Frary said. "It may be permissible within the law but to deny it is a political mass mailing is absurd. The process of mass mailing is to get a name and picture out. The information it conveys is secondary."

Mills said the forum, held Wednesday at the Ethel Walton elderly housing complex in Farmington, featured Maine Attorney General Steven Rowe. He spoke to about 25 people about identity theft, internet "phishing" to get personal information, scams that target the elderly and recent consumer protection legislation. He also answered questions including one about the theft of personal information on veterans from U.S. Veterans Administration computers.

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http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/news/local/3042035.shtml