In an August 26st social media post, Charles boasted that “I don’t take lobbyist dollars” on a post that says “zero lobbyist dollars.” In a July 26th press conference, Charles also said “I’m calling on them (his opponents) to take no lobbyist money, no money from law firms that lobby, no money from CMP, and no money from AI centers.”
According to the Press Herald, Charles has received “more than $13,000 in donations from current or former lobbyists and their family members.”
As previously reported by the Press Herald and Maine Beacon, Charles spent decades as a DC lobbyist, representing the Association of Mature American Citizens — which advocates for increasing the Social Security retirement age from 67 to 70 — and clients that have been accused of defrauding or overbilling taxpayers, benefited from lucrative no-bid government contracts, bribed public officials, and even engaged in illegal campaign contributions.
This morning, the Maine Democratic Party filed an ethics complaint with the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices over Bobby Charles’ campaign finance violations.
Portland Press Herald: Bobby Charles has received lobbyist money. But he’s trying to make an ‘Augusta’ distinction.
By Billy Kobin – Oct 1
He may run a firm that has lobbied in Washington, D.C., since the turn of the century, but in his bid to become Maine’s next governor, Republican Bobby Charles has said he is rejecting money from “Augusta lobbyists.”
Charles first made that pledge in June, when he called on Democrat Hannah Pingree and independent Rick Bennett to join him in also not accepting donations from Central Maine Power or “AI data center companies.”
He has occasionally left out the “Augusta” distinction, such as during an interview this summer.
But Charles has received money from lobbyists who live outside of Maine. He has received more than $13,000 in donations from current or former lobbyists and their family members, according to campaign finance records.
Still, Charles’ campaign, which has raised more than $1.8 million since launching last year, reiterated Wednesday that lobbyist donations to his campaign have not come from “Augusta lobbyists.”
That pledge has not changed the fact that Pingree, a former Maine House speaker from North Haven, has consistently led Charles by double digits in independent polling of the race to succeed Mills, a Democrat who is termed out of office after this year.
Additionally, Charles has not received help from the Republican Governors Association in the form of ad spending — a sign that national leaders do not view the Maine race as very competitive.
Charles’ lobbying ties drew criticism even from his Republican primary opponents earlier this year, including Jonathan Bush, who dubbed him “Lobby Charles.”
Campaign finance records show he received contributions such as $4,150 from Van Hipp Jr. and his wife. Hipp Jr., a former South Carolina Republican Party chair, has a lobbying role as chair of American Defense International, a Washington-based consulting firm.
Among other donors, Rob Hartwell, a Virginia-based lobbyist and former chief of staff to several Republican members of Congress, chipped in $250. Bob Carlstrom, a former lobbyist who joined Charles in serving in former President Ronald Reagan’s administration, gave Charles more than $2,600. And Barry Caldwell, a former lobbyist for Cigna and other firms, donated $1,000.
Hannah Pingree continues to hold a big lead in new poll of Maine governor’s race
The lobbyist donations are not the only point of contention among the candidates. The Maine Democratic Party filed a complaint Thursday morning with the state’s ethics commission against Charles. The complaint said Charles reported 46 contributions totaling more than $25,000 over the legal contribution limit, including donors who gave thousands of dollars more than the $2,075 maximum amount allowed under law.
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