NOM causes Maine ethics panel to recommend new disclosure rules for out-of-state donors

Quoting Christopher Cousins at Bangor Daily News:

The Maine Ethics Commission voted 5-0 in favor of a proposal that would require groups that donate more than $100,000 to a campaign in Maine to disclose information about themselves, including what kind of organization they are and their top five donors. The new legislation would apply to out-of-state organizations that contribute to Maine political action committees, party committees and ballot question committees.

The proposal comes as the amount of money flowing into Maine politics climbs a steep incline. In 2009, the National Organization for Marriage contributed more than $2 million to a political action committee called Stand for Marriage Maine, which supported a successful citizen-initiated repeal of a John Baldacci-era same-sex marriage law.

That triggered a years-long fight between the state and the organization, which culminated in 2015 with a court order for the National Organization for Marriage to identify its donors.

I do not believe that NOM ever complied with the court order. Brian S. Brown is wed to the notion that he and NOM have special rules ordained by God himself. I am trying to find out from Mr. Cousins. The court order was the result of consistent work by Fred Karger who orchestrated the disclosure campaign.

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