Note: Due to COVID-19 precautions, the Commission’s office is not open to the public. The meeting was conducted through Zoom video conferencing and live streamed to YouTube for the public to access.
1. Ratification of Minutes of the September 30 and October 16, 2020 Meetings
Motion: To adopt the September 30 Minutes with friendly amendments.
Made by: Mr. Schneider
Seconded by: Mr. Marble
Vote: 5-0
Motion: To adopt the Minutes with a minor correction on page 6.
Made by: Mr. Lee
Seconded by: Mr. Schneider
Vote: 5-0
2. Complaint - Statement of Sources of Income by Rep. John L. Martin
Kevin Bushey of Ashland, Maine filed a complaint questioning whether Rep. John L. Martin misstated his position at the University of Maine at Fort Kent in his 2019 Statement of Sources of Income. Rep. Martin has responded that he correctly identified his job title as Assistant Professor of Political Science.
Motion: There was insufficient evidence to investigate this complaint further.
Made by: Mr. Lee
Seconded by: Mr. Marble
Vote: 5-0
3. Proposed Plan for Auditing Leadership PACs
The staff will present a plan for auditing 2020 leadership PACs, an initiative proposed by Commission members arising out of enforcement matters and public discussion of leadership PACs in 2016-2017.
Motion: That the Commission staff conduct a review of the leadership PACs selected by the Commission staff as proposed in the staff memo for the year 2020.
Made by: Mr. Lee
Seconded by: Mr. Marble
Vote: Withdrawn
Motion: That, without any suggestion of impropriety, the Commission authorize the Commission staff to conduct a review of the finances of the leadership PACs for the year 2020 as recommended in the staff memo.
Made by: Mr. Lee
Seconded by: Ms. Lowry
Vote: 5-0
4. Staff Adjustments to PAC/BQC Reporting
The Commission staff will discuss its past practice of entering an adjustment to the contributions and expenditures reported by PACs and BQCs in order to allow them to dissolve and to correct the cash balance in each report’s financial activity summary going forward.
The Commission will consider whether to initiate a rulemaking concerning the Maine Clean Election Act program.
Motion: To post the first proposed rule change [regarding a traditional candidate requesting to be MCEA candidate] for public comment.
Made by: Mr. Lee
Seconded by: Ms. Lowry
Vote: 5-0
Motion: That the Commission staff provide guidance in its publications for MCEA candidates, to the effect that candidates should be careful not to enter into obligations to pay for campaign goods or services prior to qualifying for revenues sufficient to pay for those services.
Made by: Mr. Lee
Seconded by: Mr. Marble
Vote: 5-0
Other Business: None
Executive Session: None