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

[Dick Atlee]

Thank you for the clarification, Ann! I should have remembered that 
those expenditures were independent, given that he was upset by them. I 
very much regret that error.

Dick

Ann Luther wrote, On 2/28/12 3:51 PM:
>   Thank you for this posting, Dick.  I just want to point out that Brian 
> Langley did run as a Clean Elections candidate in his 2010 race against 
> Jim Schatz.  There were huge, negative independent expenditures in that 
> race by the Republican State Leadership Committee, which both candidates 
> emphatically decried.
> 
> 
> On 2/28/2012 3:34 PM, Dick Atlee wrote:
>> 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.
>>
>> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
>> 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
>>
>> ---------------------------------------------------------------
>> 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
>>
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