Augusta, Maine — Today, the Maine Democratic Party is filing a formal complaint with the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices over Republican gubernatorial candidate Bobby Charles’ campaign finance violations.
The party believes Charles’ campaign likely accepted more than $25,000 in contributions that violate Maine campaign finance laws.
The party believes Charles’ campaign likely accepted more than $25,000 in contributions that violate Maine campaign finance laws.
These contributions, which we know Charles looks at closely, were included in his underwhelming financial filings where he was once again outraised by Hannah Pingree.
In those reports, Charles’ campaign seemingly reported 46 contributions totaling $25,687.13 over the legal contribution limit, including donors who gave thousands of dollars more than the $2,075 maximum.
Clearly, the Charles campaign knew how to identify an illegal contribution. It refunded $85.11 to two donors whose $2,160.11 contributions exceeded the legal limit — but did not refund dozens of other contributions that were also over the limit.
That’s not one or two contributions that slipped through the cracks. It’s a campaign report showing tens of thousands of dollars in apparent illegal contributions, including multiple donors who blew past the limit by thousands of dollars.
Maine Democratic Party Spokesperson Lauryn Fanguen:
“Bobby Charles appears to have knowingly accepted illegal campaign contributions and may be spending those prohibited funds in the final weeks of this campaign. This is unethical and illegal — and Mainers deserve answers. The Maine Democratic Party is asking the Ethics Commission to immediately investigate these violations and Bobby Charles must immediately return these illegal donations.”
“Bobby Charles appears to have knowingly accepted illegal campaign contributions and may be spending those prohibited funds in the final weeks of this campaign. This is unethical and illegal — and Mainers deserve answers. The Maine Democratic Party is asking the Ethics Commission to immediately investigate these violations and Bobby Charles must immediately return these illegal donations.”
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