[HCCN] Info on crucial point on Clean Elections -- call Sens. Langley or Rosen NOW

[Dick Atlee]

You are all probably aware that the Supreme Court ruled Maine's Clean 
Elections law unconstitutional, and people have been trying to figure 
out how to work around the problem. There is now legislation in the 
Legislature, coming up for a vote this week, that will do this by 
gutting the law.

Today, I got a phone call from Common Cause, asking me to contact my 
state senator, Brian Langley (see contact info for him and Sen. Rosen 
below), in support of the Maine Ethics Commission's recommendation for 
an amendment to LD 1774 (why couldn't it have been 1776??), which was 
described by the Clean Election campaign as:

"The Maine Ethics Commission recommended a strong alternative to 
matching funds, a “re-qualifying” option that allows candidates to earn 
additional funds to remain competitive in hotly contested races. This 
replacement would ensure the viability of the Clean Election program so 
that government remains accountable to Maine voters, not campaign 
donors. A strong Clean Election program is the best defense against 
corporate and special interest influence."

I tried to find this option described on the Ethics Commission website, 
but the link to their report was messed up. Luckily, when requested, 
they fixed it quickly. You can find the report at

  http://www.maine.gov/ethics/pdf/2011_report_on_MCEA_webversion.pdf

The option in question is "Legislative Proposal #2", pp. 12-15, detailed 
on appendix p. A-8. Basically, it works this way: in addition to the 
present funding upon receipt of sufficient qualifying signatures, this 
option would offer two other additional levels of funding ("High" or 
"Maximum"), which could be obtained by House candidates upon obtaining 
30 or 60 additional qualifying signatures by June 30, and by Senate 
candidates for 100 or 200 signatures by the same date.

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LANGLEY -- Stonington/BlueHill/Ellsworth/MDI/Winter-Prospect Harbors, etc.

Mr. Langley did not run a "clean election" campaign (in more ways than 
one, though that was not primarily his fault). One can only hope that he 
can see his way past his own situation to recognize the importance of 
this to the state. It will be an interesting test of the principled 
stand he has taken occasionally on other issues. Please give him a call 
and pass this on:

The web pages of the Senator say to call him at 667-0625, but the 
message machine on that number, in a no-nonsense voice (his wife?) tells 
you to call

                                207-287-1505

if you want to reach Senator Langley, which turns out to be the Senate 
Republicans office. You can leave him a message there, or at the senate 
message phone:

                                800-423-6900

Email:
   State web page: SenBrian.Langley at legislature.maine.gov
   Republican web page: langley4legislature at myfairpoint.net

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ROSEN -- Castine/Penobscot/Orland/Bucksport/Orrington etc.

  Senate message phone: 800-423-6900
  Senate Republicans office: 207-287-1505
  Home phone (I haven't tried it): 469-3779
  Email (Repub. page): rrosen113 at aol.com
  His web page form: http://senatorrichardrosen.com/contactus.html