2012 hits record for outside electoral spending
Political groups not tied to a specific candidate more than doubled their record-setting election spending in Maine in 2012, dumping around $3.7 million into elections, according to a report by The Center for Public Integrity.
The Portland Press Herald reported the total more than doubled the previous record of $1.5 million of spending by outside groups set in 2010.
The paper reported the 2012 spending equals the cost of stipends for 147.5 of the state’s 186 legislators. Nationally, the report found that outside groups spent at least $209 million in 38 states. Figures were not tabulated for other states because of weaker campaign finance disclosure laws.
The report found the top-spending outside group was the Maine Democratic Party, which spent $1 million in 2012, followed by the Maine Republican Party, which spent $920,068. The highest-spending political action committee was the Committee to Rebuild Maine’s Middle Class, a group the Press Herald reported was largely supported by unions and hedge fund manager, philanthropist and husband of Democratic U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, S. Donald Sussman. Sussman is also the majority owner of MaineToday Media, the newspaper's parent company.
Most Recent
Most Recent
Comments