Democratic state lawmakers on a legislative panel charged with revising the Maine Clean Elections system backed a non-partisan plan to preserve the program that keeps special interests out of Maine elections, while Republicans ignored the necessary adjustments that will keep it viable. The Joint Standing Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs voted 7-6 to strike down the matching funds portion of the Maine Clean Election Act in order to comply with a Supreme Court decision.

“Doing nothing will not strengthen the Clean Election program, but rather will diminish it,” said Alison Smith, President of the Board of Maine Citizens for Clean Elections. “With several good options on the table, it’s disappointing that a majority on the committee voted to weaken a popular and well-used law. Many will view the weakening of Clean Elections through this do-nothing approach as a first step in dismantling a program that works to reduce the influence of private money in Maine elections.”

“If their decision stands, the result will be greater corporate control of our government. They have started down a path towards killing the Maine Clean Election Act,” said Jessie Graham director of the Maine People’s Alliance. “This is an affront to the large majority of Mainers who voted to put Maine’s system of clean elections in place ten years ago and a slap in the face to the sixty percent of us who voted just three weeks ago in favor of strong, fair and open democracy in Maine.”

The panel must revise the program by law because of a Supreme Court ruling that struck down a portion of the Arizona Clean Election law, which is modeled on Maine’s system. The court said the portion of the law that allows candidates to receive additional “matching funds” to respond to attacks against them or in support of their opponent was unconstitutional.

“The purpose of Clean Elections is to reduce the influence of special interests, while also opening up doors for average Mainers to run for office,” said Senator John Patrick, who serves as the lead Democratic senator on the panel. “The Republican proposal to do nothing will effectively kill the Clean Elections system.”

Democrats backed a non-partisan plan written by the Maine Ethics Commission, referred to as “Legislative Option 2.” The proposal provides an initial minimum disbursement to candidates who qualify for funding and also provides an option for those candidates to receive more funds if they collect additional $5 qualifying checks.
Republicans on the panel offered a plan to strike the matching funds portion of the law from the program but rejected making any other changes to the law.

“The option Democrats support is a non-partisan solution that keeps the public system viable and reduces the influence of special interests on our elections,” said Rep. Mike Carey. “It also puts the responsibility on the candidate to earn more funds by working harder to collect checks that in turn go back into supporting the Clean Elections fund.”

According to estimates from the Ethics Commission, the non-partisan plan will not add costs to the Clean Elections program.

The publicly financed campaign system was passed as a citizen initiative in 1996. It is widely used by Republican and Democratic candidates. Eight in ten legislators who serve today won their seats using Clean Elections funds.
The Republican and Democratic proposals will be taken up by lawmakers in January when the Legislature reconvenes. Full details on “Legislative Option 2” can be found at http://www.maine.gov/ethics/mcea/2011study.htm.