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March 22, 2011

Richardson campaign worker pleads guilty

By The Mainebiz News Staff

A former campaign worker for gubernatorial hopeful John Richardson has pleaded guilty to charges of falsifying documents related to Clean Election donations.

Joseph Pickering yesterday pleaded guilty to five counts of unsworn falsification, a misdemeanor, for collecting signatures from voters who did not contribute to the Clean Election Fund, according to the Portland Press Herald. Maine law requires that Clean Election candidates raise $40,000 and receive $5 individual contributions from 3,250 registered voters to qualify for taxpayer funds. Pickering was one of four campaign workers charged by the Maine Attorney General's Office last September for falsifying Clean Election forms. Pickering's lawyer, William Childs, said his client made a mistake because he was not properly trained. Pickering previously pleaded not guilty to 16 counts, but under an agreement with the attorney general's office was allowed to plead to five counts, and must complete 120 hours of community service.

Richardson dropped out of the gubernatorial race last April after the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices denied his application for public funding, saying he did not submit the required valid signed forms from contributors and that several campaign volunteers violated rules in collecting donations.

Denise Alvater of Perry pleaded guilty to four counts and was ordered to perform community service. Cases for the other two campaign workers are pending.

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