AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Maine ethics commissioners say they won’t investigate a once-anonymous website owned by a state Republican official.
The Bangor Daily News <a target=”—blank” href=”http://bangordailynews.com/2018/02/22/politics/ethics-regulators-decline-to-investigate-maine-gops-ties-to-news-site/”>reports</a> the state’s ethics commission voted 3-2 on Thursday against launching an investigation of a website that published articles Democrats said slandered their unsuccessful Lewiston mayoral candidate.
Maine Republican Party Executive Director Jason Savage says he alone was responsible for running the anonymous website in his free time. Savage says he participated in decisions to share the website’s posts on the party’s social media page.
Democrats say Republicans should have reported the website in campaign finance reports.
But Republicans say they reported needed expenses. Savage argues the Maine Examiner website falls into an exemption from disclosure intended for the news media.
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Information from: Bangor Daily News, <a target=”—blank” href=”http://www.bangordailynews.com”>http://www.bangordailynews.com</a>