Ethics panel to investigate anti-gay marriage group

[ccharles000]

http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/123348.html

AUGUSTA, Maine – A national organization that has provided hefty sums to the fight against Maine’s gay marriage law will be the subject of an investigation into potential campaign finance violations.

Members of the Maine Ethics Commission voted 3-2 Thursday morning to look into whether the National Organization for Marriage has purposefully skirted campaign finance laws in order to hide the identities of donors.

The complaint, filed by the group Californians Against Hate, alleges that those donations were then funneled to Stand for Marriage Maine, the organization leading the battle to repeal Maine’s same-sex marriage law.

National Organization for Marriage contributed $160,000 to the referendum campaign to repeal the law during the last campaign reporting period, which ended in early July. The organization has since made additional large donations, which are expected to be detailed in Stand for Marriage Maine’s next financial disclosures, due in mid-October.

[Gormy Cuss]

1. I love the timing of this.

One thing Mainiacs hate is outsiders trying to tell them how to think.
Much of the state gets treated to the summer complaints and other tourist blow-ins opining on how backward and out of step Maine is.

If it weren't for the load of money they leave behind they'd all be barred from the state.