Augusta, MAINE – In light of new information that appears to directly connect the Maine Republican Party to the shadowy, anonymous “news” website the Maine Examiner, the Maine Democratic Party late last night filed an addendum to its original complaint with the Maine Ethics Commission.
The addendum requests that the Commission “fully investigate to what extent the Maine Republican Party operates and controls the Maine Examiner and whether the Party should be held responsible for the Maine Examiner’s failure to file independent expenditure reports…”
Maine Democratic Party Chairman Phil Bartlett issued the following statement:
“It is becoming clearer and clearer that the Maine Republican Party is either completely behind or deeply involved in anonymously peddling misleading information through the Maine Examiner – a serious violation of campaign finance laws. Maine people deserve better than a Republican Party that engages in shady and dishonest behavior to score political points. We look forward to the Ethics Commission's consideration of our complaint.”
Several news reports have uncovered the close relationship that the Maine Republican Party appears to have with the Maine Examiner. Spokesman for the Maine GOP, Garrett Murch, has said that he is does not know who operates the website and has declined to say whether or not the Maine Republican Party coordinates with the Maine Examiner.
However, news reports from the past two days have uncovered deepening ties between the Maine Republican Party – specifically Executive Director Jason Savage – and the Maine Examiner, noting that an electronic error log on the Maine Examiner website appears to show that Savage also owns or controls the hosting account responsible for the website.
In the Maine GOP’s response yesterday, Chair Demi Kouzounas did not defend Savage or Murch and did not deny that the Maine Republican Party is directly connected to the Maine Examiner.
To read the complete addendum, click HERE.
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