Ethics complaint targets Press Herald
The Portland Press Herald could come under the scrutiny of the state ethics commission, following a complaint alleging the newspaper violated campaign finance laws by donating $47,000 worth of advertising space to an effort to install an elected mayor in Portland.
Thomas Valleau, a former member of the Portland Charter Commission, filed a complaint Dec. 30 with the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices, asking the commission to investigate whether the paper was in the wrong for donating ad space to the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce which it then used to support a campaign for a popularly elected mayor, according to the paper. City residents voted Nov. 2 in favor of amending the charter to allow for an elected, rather than appointed, mayor, and Valleau told the paper the chamber's advertising campaign could have been a decisive factor.
The matter first came to light last month, when political action committee Elect Our Mayor/Yes on 1 reported in a campaign finance report that the chamber contributed more than $46,500 in advertising in the Press Herald, The Forecaster reported. Michelle Lester, vice president of advertising for MaineToday Media Inc., which owns the paper, said in a statement that the paper offers in-kind advertising to the chamber and "use of the space is at its discretion."
The ethics commission will likely take up the matter later this month or in February, according to the Press Herald.
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