Gov. Paul LePage’s campaign on Monday was issued a preliminary fine of $210 by the Maine State Ethics Commission for missing two deadlines to file 24-hour campaign finance reports. The violations are for contributions totaling $5,850 from five donors, according to documents provided by the ethics commission.
Although LePage is the only Republican running, state election laws still stipulate that any contribution of more than $1,000 to a campaign, political party or political action committee must be reported within 24 hours during the 13 days leading up to a primary or general election, said Jonathan Wayne, the Ethics Commission Executive Director. Letters notifying the campaign of its error were sent Friday and Monday.
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The first violation was for a $1,150 contribution on June 5 by the Respect Maine PAC of Hampden. The second violation stemmed from four contributions made on June 1 totaling $4,700, from three individuals and from the Red Brick Trust of Gray. The campaign may ask for a waiver of the fees, but has not done so yet, according to Wayne.
Brent Littlefield, political consultant to LePage, said in an email that staffers who received the fundraising checks held them in error because they were not aware that the 13-day pre-primary reporting period still applied to LePage, who does not have a Republican challenger.
“When the (campaign) treasurer received checks for deposit and noted the received date he notified ethics and self reported the issue,” Littlefield wrote in an email. He said the campaign may still seek a waiver.
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