AUGUSTA — Thom Rhoads, husband of former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rosa Scarcelli, revealed today that he is one of two men behind the Cutler Files website.
In a written statement released this morning, Rhoads said he stands by the information on the website, which was critical of independent gubernatorial candidate Eliot Cutler.
“I want to be clear – my wife had no involvement in this endeavor,” he wrote. “When she learned of it, she was extremely disappointed. She asked that I cooperate fully with the ethics commission investigation – which I have done – as well as come forward to the public – which I am doing today.”
Earlier this morning, the ethics commission reaffirmed its Dec. 20 decision to fine political consultant Dennis Bailey $200 for his involvement in the website. Despite the urging of Cutler’s attorney to also name Rhoads, the commission said it believed it should protect his right to anonymous free speech.
The commission did not find that Rhoads violated state campaign finance laws.
In the statement, Rhoads said he acted alone and that “no candidate or campaign had any involvement with my research activities, or participated in the website in any way.”
In October, Rhoads told the Portland Press Herald the he could “unequivocally state” that he was not the “author, owner or creator” of the Cutler Files. In an interview today, he said he stands by that statment, but that “obviously it was not the entire story.”
Send questions/comments to the editors.
