DOCSLIB.ORG

Welcoming New Mainers: Local Economic Development and Its Effects on the Politics of Immigration Trevor H

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Welcoming New Mainers: Local Economic Development and Its Effects on the Politics of Immigration Trevor H Bates College SCARAB Honors Theses Capstone Projects 5-2019 Welcoming New Mainers: Local Economic Development and its Effects on the Politics of Immigration Trevor H. Fry [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scarab.bates.edu/honorstheses Recommended Citation Fry, Trevor H., "Welcoming New Mainers: Local Economic Development and its Effects on the Politics of Immigration" (2019). Honors Theses. 287. https://scarab.bates.edu/honorstheses/287 This Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Capstone Projects at SCARAB. It has been accepted for inclusion in Honors Theses by an authorized administrator of SCARAB. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Welcoming New Mainers: Local Economic Development and its Effects on the Politics of Immigration An Honors Thesis Presented to The Faculty of the Department of Politics Bates College In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts By Trevor Fry Lewiston, Maine March 20, 2019 Acknowledgements First and foremost, I would like to thank my advisor, Stephen Engel, for his incredible support and guidance through this project. Without your sage wisdom, I would not have been able to get this far. Thank you for listening to my ramblings and for helping to get out of the occasional research rut. I would also like to thank the many people I spent hours talking with in the Lewiston and Bates community. Kristen Cloutier, Phil Nadeau, Mary Rice-DeFosse, Lincoln Jeffers, Clarisa Pérez-Armendáriz, Jon Baughman, and Senem Aslan all were instrumental to me throughout this entire process. My friends have also been amazing sources of support and have been there for me through thick and thin. To Laura, I can’t even begin to describe how integral you were to this thesis. Finally, I would like to thank my family for their continued support throughout my entire four years at Bates – without you, none of this would have been possible. ii Abstract This thesis examines the policy and rhetoric directed toward immigrants from elite municipal actors in Maine’s two largest metropolitan areas: Lewiston and Portland. These cities, situated in one of the least diverse states in the nation, have recently seen large changes to their demographic makeups. While both share a similar history, in recent years they have diverged in terms of their politicians’ policy and rhetoric toward immigrants. The scholarship on immigration in the United States suggests that certain factors, such as the levels of economic anxiety present in an area, the existence of a so-called “creative class,” and an infrastructure of support services can influence how receptive a city’s existing residents may be to anti-immigrant rhetoric. This thesis employs a historical institutionalist framework emphasizing critical junctures, path dependency, and political entrepreneurship to account for the distinct economic development undertaken in Lewiston and Portland since the mid-twentieth century. By analyzing the histories of Maine’s two largest cities and the norm-breaking behavior of the former Governor of Maine, Paul LePage, this thesis offers an explanation as to why anti-immigrant rhetoric is more salient in certain locales. iii Table of Contents Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................... ii Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... iii Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 1 The Plan of this Thesis ........................................................................................................................... 7 Chapter One - Literature Review ................................................................................................. 12 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 12 1. The Construction of Race and the Immigrant Other .................................................................... 15 2. Outgroup versus. Ingroup Dynamics: The Immigrant as the “Other” ....................................... 22 3. Economic Threat ............................................................................................................................... 25 4. The Presence of a Creative Class .................................................................................................... 31 4.A Attracting the Creative Class ........................................................................................................................35 4.B Creative Class Members and Immigration ...................................................................................................37 5. Normalization of Right-Wing Rhetoric .......................................................................................... 39 5.A Rise of Support for Right-Wing Actors .......................................................................................................40 5.B Paul LePage and Norm-breaking in Maine ..................................................................................................47 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................. 49 Chapter Two - Narrative History of Lewiston and Portland ...................................................... 51 1. Maine: A State Built on Immigration ............................................................................................. 53 2. Lewiston’s History ............................................................................................................................ 54 2.A Growth of the Immigrant Community ..........................................................................................................55 2.B Early Discrimination in Lewiston .................................................................................................................58 2.C Lewiston’s Economic Downturn ..................................................................................................................60 2.D Changing Immigration in Lewiston .............................................................................................................62 2.E Somali Arrivals .............................................................................................................................................64 2.F City’s Reactions ............................................................................................................................................65 3. Portland’s History ............................................................................................................................ 67 3.A Immigration to Portland ...............................................................................................................................69 3.B Backlash to Immigration ..............................................................................................................................71 3.C Portland’s Economic Woes and Future Investment .....................................................................................73 3.D Recent Immigration to Portland and Subsequent Reactions ........................................................................75 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................. 77 Chapter Three - Model Cities Program ....................................................................................... 80 1.History of the Model Cities Program ............................................................................................... 85 2. Portland’s Post-War Decline ........................................................................................................... 87 2.B Portland’s Revitalization ..............................................................................................................................88 2.C Portland’s Model Cities Program .................................................................................................................91 2.D Provision of Social Services .........................................................................................................................93 2.E Institutional Structure and Support of the Program ......................................................................................94 2.F Program’s Repercussions ..............................................................................................................................96 2.G Changing Downtown ....................................................................................................................................98 iv 3. Lewiston ........................................................................................................................................... 100 3.A Lewiston’s Model Cities Program ..............................................................................................................104 3.B Institutional Structure and Support .............................................................................................................105 4. Data Related to Levels
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Maine Chance
    The claim of a federal “land grab” in response to the creation of Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument in Maine revealed a lack of historical awareness by critics of how two other cherished parks were established there: through private-public partnerships and the donation of land by private citizens. The maine chance PRIVATE-PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP AND THE KATAHDIN WOODS AND WATERS NATIONAL MONUMENT t is never over until it is…and even then, it might not be. That conundrum-like declaration is actually a straightforward assessment of the enduring, at times I acrimonious, and always tumultuous series of political debates that have enveloped the U.S. public lands—their existence, purpose, and mission—since their formal establishment in the late nineteenth century. From Yellowstone Washington. Congress shall immediately pass universal legislation National Park (1872) and Yellowstone Timberland Reserve (1891) providing for a timely and orderly mechanism requiring the federal to Bears Ears National Monument (2017), their organizing prin- government to convey certain federally controlled public lands to ciples and regulatory presence have been contested.1 states. We call upon all national and state leaders and represen- The 2016 presidential campaign ignited yet another round of tatives to exert their utmost power and influence to urge the transfer this longstanding controversy. That year’s Republican Party plat- of those lands, identified in the review process, to all willing states form was particularly blunt in its desire to strip away federal man- for the benefit of the states and the nation as a whole. The residents agement of the federal public lands and reprioritize whose interests of state and local communities know best how to protect the land the party believed should dominate management decisions on where they work and live.
    [Show full text]
  • Bevne | Aiu | Uaae
    OCTOBEr, 2019 | VOL.2 / NO.7 Understanding, Embracing, and Celebrating Diversity in Maine free WLOE | BEVNE | AI U | UAAE | SODOOW | BMVNO ekhlAs AhMed visits sudAn with Pious Ali And deqA dhAlAc endorse Pencils for MAsnun MAyor striMling for re-election From le, school board member Emily Figdor, former state Rep. Diane Russell, Mayor Ethan Strim- Mohammed Kamal, Ekhlas Ahmed, and Ltifa Mohamed at Khartoum Airport in Sudan Pho- ling, state Rep. Benjamin Collings, South Portland City Councilor Deqa Dhalac, Former State Rep. tos | Ibrahim Mursal Story on page 13 John Eder, former state Rep. Eliza Townsend, Portland City Councilor Pious Ali, state Rep. Michael Sylvester, Portland School Board Member Tim Atkinson. Photo |Lauren Kennedy Story on page 9 LADDER TO THE MOON NETWORK A message of unity from Ambassador in ,is issue... Arikana chihombori-quao presents By Kathreen Harrison Lewiston ..................................Page 2 Mana Abdi 2019 Global Awareness & Lewiston High School Lewiston Adult Education Responsibility Conference African Gala.............................Page 9 e Relationship Between Candidates Talk Issues ...Page 10/11 Journalism and a Free Society in every issue... Keynote Speaker Services Kassim Kayira Food Pantries.......................Page 4 Journalistic Challenges in Africa Housing................................Page 5 Health Care.........................Page 6 Kathleen Shannon Nichols Soup Kitchens ..................Page 14 The U.S.Press: Today’s Journalism and a Free Society Clothing Closets................Page 15 Legal Assistance.................Page 16 Electricity............................Page 18 Luc Samuel K. K. Matumona Immigrants and Asylum Seekers as Consumers of News: Translations The Need for Information “e sleeping giant that is Africa is now rising,” proclaimed African French..................................Page 5 Union Ambassador to the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Oversight Field Hearing Committee On
    ELEVATING LOCAL VOICES AND PROMOTING TRANSPARENCY FOR A POTENTIAL MONU- MENT DESIGNATION IN MAINE OVERSIGHT FIELD HEARING BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED FOURTEENTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION Wednesday, June 1, 2016, in East Millinocket, Maine Serial No. 114–46 Printed for the use of the Committee on Natural Resources ( Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.fdsys.gov or Committee address: http://naturalresources.house.gov U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 20–480 PDF WASHINGTON : 2016 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Publishing Office Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512–1800; DC area (202) 512–1800 Fax: (202) 512–2104 Mail: Stop IDCC, Washington, DC 20402–0001 VerDate Mar 15 2010 09:44 Dec 12, 2016 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 5011 Sfmt 5011 J:\114TH CONGRESS\FULL COMMITTEE\06-01-16 FIELD\20480.TXT DARLEN COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES ROB BISHOP, UT, Chairman RAU´ L M. GRIJALVA, AZ, Ranking Democratic Member Don Young, AK Grace F. Napolitano, CA Louie Gohmert, TX Madeleine Z. Bordallo, GU Doug Lamborn, CO Jim Costa, CA Robert J. Wittman, VA Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, CNMI John Fleming, LA Niki Tsongas, MA Tom McClintock, CA Pedro R. Pierluisi, PR Glenn Thompson, PA Jared Huffman, CA Cynthia M. Lummis, WY Raul Ruiz, CA Dan Benishek, MI Alan S. Lowenthal, CA Jeff Duncan, SC Matt Cartwright, PA Paul A. Gosar, AZ Donald S. Beyer, Jr., VA Rau´ l R. Labrador, ID Norma J. Torres, CA Doug LaMalfa, CA Debbie Dingell, MI Jeff Denham, CA Ruben Gallego, AZ Paul Cook, CA Lois Capps, CA Bruce Westerman, AR Jared Polis, CO Garret Graves, LA Wm.
    [Show full text]
  • Maine and the Arctic: Why Maine Should Develop an Arctic Strategy
    Maine Policy Review Volume 29 Issue 1 2020 Maine and the Arctic: Why Maine Should Develop an Arctic Strategy Jonathan Wood [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mpr Part of the International Relations Commons Recommended Citation Wood, Jonathan. "Maine and the Arctic: Why Maine Should Develop an Arctic Strategy." Maine Policy Review 29.1 (2020) : 56 -61, https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mpr/vol29/iss1/8. This Commentary is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. AN ARCTIC STRATEGY COMMENTARY Maine and the Arctic: Why Maine Should Develop an Arctic Strategy by Jonathan Wood INTRODUCTION historical, social, economic, and political Council. Senator King delivered the key interests in the Arctic, which will form note address to Maine’s Arctic Forum, espite recently being in the spotlight the subject matter of this commentary. founded in 2015 to coincide with the Das an Arctic player, Maine does not chairmanship. Senator King’s introduc- currently have a formal published Arctic MAINE’S RECENT HISTORY tion indicated this could be a critical strategy. The US Chairmanship of the AS AN ARCTIC PLAYER moment for the state: Arctic Council during the years 2015 to The Maine Arctic Forum was 2017 provided a windfall of opportuni- Successes (2013 to 2016) precisely the type of symposium we ties for the United States to refocus its he period from 2013 to 2016 is needed at this moment in history. Arctic strategy and take the lead in many arguably the high-water mark in T By bringing together a wide variety policy areas.
    [Show full text]
  • Whittemore & Sons $4,999!*
    FONZO’S PIZZA & SEAFOOD Area’s Best Lobster Rolls Fresh Dough Pizza 10”, 12” & 16” “HOME OF THE ORIGINAL Thin Fresh Breaded Seafood Including BUSTER BURGER” Milk Full Belly Clams, Scallops, Check out our Hours: Mon. ~ Closed 634-2556 Shakes Haddock & Maine Shrimp New Kids Menu Tues. & Wed. ~ 3-8 Hand Cut 2.99 ~ 3.59 Thurs. & Fri. ~ 3-9 Dine In, On Our Deck, Sat. ~ 12-9 or Take Out We Deliver Fries Sun. ~ 12-8 $15 minimum/5 mile max. 72 Smithfi eld Road, Norridgewock Somerset Times Appreciated by 18,900 Readers Weekly! An Edition of the SVWeekly WWW.SVWEEKLY.COM VOLUME 4 ~ EDITION 16 FREE THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2010 Clogging slated for Mr. Mike’s Kneading Conference returns National Dance Day to Skowhegan July 29-31 BY KATHERINE LEBL ANC Musings BY MIKE LAN G E SKOWHEGAN – More than 200 bakers, cooks, Summer homemakers, farmers, millers, oven builders and en- trepreneurs will enjoy a weekend of great-tasting ac- tivities as the 4th Annual Kneading Conference and Nights: Artisan Bread Fair returns to Skowhegan. The Kneading Conference gets underway at the Alluring Skowhegan Fairgrounds on Thursday, July 29 while the Artisan Bread Fair, open to the public at no charge, pleasures is set for July 31. Wendy Hebb of Damariscotta, one of the conference coordinators, said that registrations for the conference that make are 40 percent higher than last year. “And last year was groggy 25 percent higher than the year go,” said Webb. “So that indicates to us that there is a growing interest in Front row, left to right Kaylee Wacome, Jessica Nelson, Jessica Beaudoin, baking across the nation.” Emma Downing Back row, left to right Samantha Turcotte, Pauline Be- mornings In addition to attracting registrants from all over the audoin, Sandy Hight, Shelly Norberto, Hailey Norberto BY MIKE ESTRADA – WTOS FM country, Webb said that one couple from New Zealand 96.7, 101.1, 105.1 FM is attending this year’s conference.
    [Show full text]
  • State of Maine Energy Assurance & Emergency Management Plan
    State of Maine Energy Assurance and Emergency Management Plan ____________________________________________________ _ Series: v2.0.2011.03.21 State of Maine: Proprietary Information S TATE OF M AINE O FFICE OF THE G OVERNOR 22 S TATE H OUSE S TATION A UGUSTA, M AINE 04333-0001 PAUL R. LEPAGE KENNETH C. FLETCHER GOVERNOR DIRECTOR OFFICE OF ENERGY INDEPENDENCE AND SECURITY March 2011 Honorable, Governor Paul R. LePage State of Maine Office of the Governor 1 State House Station Augusta, Maine 04333-0001 RE: State of Maine Energy Assurance and Emergency Management Plan Dear Governor LePage: The Governor’s Office of Energy Independence and Security (OEIS) is responsible for developing and revising the State of Maine Energy Assurance and Emergency Management Plan. The purpose of the Energy Assurance Plan is to provide the Governor, the Legislature, the Executive Departments, the energy industry and the general public with a clear, concise and comprehensive blueprint and strategy to address a potential or actual energy emergency caused by a supply disruption, a rapid and unsustainable increase in energy prices or other energy emergency situation. The OEIS created Maine’s first energy emergency plan in 2008 in response to Maine citizens’ increasing vulnerability to rapid price escalations, fossil fuel supply curtailments and infrastructure disruptions. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) provided states with an opportunity to revise the plan to build greater capacity and resiliency for energy assurance and emergency planning and response. The State of Maine Energy Assurance and Emergency Management Plan is designed to be a living document that will be presented to the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • December 2014
    MAINE STATE LEGISLATURE The following document is provided by the LAW AND LEGISLATIVE DIGITAL LIBRARY at the Maine State Law and Legislative Reference Library http://legislature.maine.gov/lawlib Reproduced from electronic originals (may include minor formatting differences from printed original) A Summary of the Activities of the Maine Indian Tribal-State Commission (July 1, 2013 – June 30, 2014) Prepared by John Dieffenbacher-Krall, Executive Director Maine Indian Tribal-State Commission (MITSC) P.O. Box 241 Stillwater, ME 04489 (207) 817-3799 Email: [email protected] www.mitsc.org December 2014 MITSC Commissioners Jamie Bissonette Lewey, Chair John Banks Matt Dana Gail Dana-Sacco Vera Francis Richard Gould Joan Nass H. Roy Partridge Robert Polchies Linda Raymond Brian Reynolds Table of Contents I. Executive Summary ...........................................................................................................1 II. Introduction ........................................................................................................................2 . A Purpose and Organization of This Report III. Overview of MITSC ...........................................................................................................2 A. Purpose and Responsibilities B. MITSC Members and Staff C. Funding IV. MITSC Activities ...............................................................................................................3 Reviewing Effectiveness of the Settlement Act MITSC Responds to Request for Input from UN Special
    [Show full text]
  • Maine Policy Review Maine's Public Reserved Lands
    Maine Policy Review Volume 29 Issue 2 Maine's Bicentennial 2020 Maine’s Public Reserved Lands: A Tale of Loss and Recovery Richard Barringer [email protected] Lee Schepps [email protected] Thomas Urquhart [email protected] Martin Wilk [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mpr Part of the Environmental Policy Commons, Political History Commons, and the Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration Commons Recommended Citation Barringer, Richard, Lee Schepps, Thomas Urquhart, and Martin Wilk. "Maine’s Public Reserved Lands: A Tale of Loss and Recovery." Maine Policy Review 29.2 (2020) : 65 -79, https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mpr/vol29/iss2/9. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. PUBLIC RESERVED LANDS Maine’s Public Reserved Lands: A Tale of Loss and Recovery by Richard Barringer, Lee Schepps, Thomas Urquhart, and Martin Wilk Pending the arrival of settlers, the Abstract only realizable value from the public The story of Maine’s public reserved lands—or public lots—is worth the telling domain was its standing timber. Even for its own sake and for its enduring lessons. Provided for in the Maine Consti- before Maine statehood, authorities real- tution of 1820 and neglected for more than a century, the public lots were once ized there were no practical means of scattered widely across the Unorganized Territory of northern, western, and protecting the public domain lands, eastern Maine. Today, they are restored to public use and benefit, reassembled including the public lots, from timber into large blocks of land that, in aggregate, are more than twice the size of Baxter trespass or theft.3 Over the first 30 years of State Park.
    [Show full text]
  • Fall 2018 College Connections Newsletter
    COLLEGE CONNECTIONS THE COLLEGE OF ARTS, HUMANITIES, AND SOCIAL SCIENCES NEWSLETTER Volume 12, Fall 2018 Fall 12, Volume Picnic on Route 114 Samantha Costello Art Education BFA student Introduction to Painting, Fall 2018 In This Issue: Program Activities New Center for the Arts Project Alumni Notes From the Dean Students, faculty, friends, and alumni of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at the University of Southern Maine, we would like to invite you to explore your college through our final newsletter of the academic year. Highlighted within are the achievements of our students and the many public events organized by our faculty and academic programs. This has been an important year at USM. The university continues to grow despite decreasing numbers of high school graduates in our aging Dean Adam Tuchinsky state. We are particularly grateful to the voters in our state that approved a bond package that will make possible a significant investment in our Volume 12, Fall 2018 Fall 12, Volume aging facilities, particularly on the Portland campus. The confidence that the voters in our state demonstrated in the importance of public higher education sends important signals to the philanthropic sector. Of central importance to our college is the proposed Center for the Arts, which has already received a substantial gift to begin the planning process. The Center will be funded entirely by private philanthropy, but with bond funding for a new campus center and public-private partnerships to fund residence halls on the Portland campus, we are confident that USM will be able to recruit students from throughout our neighboring regions.
    [Show full text]
  • Maine League of Women Voters Concurrence Study Instant Runoff Voting
    Maine League of Women Voters Concurrence Study Instant Runoff Voting The Maine League of Women Voters is asking its members whether or not they concur with a study done by the Minnesota League of Women Voters on Alternative Voting Systems, endorsing the use of Instant Runoff Voting (also known as Ranked Choice Voting) as an acceptable alternative voting method. LWVME began looking at the issue of IRV four years ago and reviewed studies done by state Leagues in Minnesota, Washington, and California. Diane Russell, state legislator from Portland, gave a talk about IRV at our state convention in 2009 and Terry Bouricius, of FairVote, was a guest speaker at the Quad States workshop in May, 2010. As we move into the final phase of concurrence, LWVME will hold meetings in Portland, Brunswick, and Ellsworth to first inform members and to then ask for a vote. In addition to the information contained in this Concurrence Study, information on IRV is available on our web site at www.lwvme.org. INTRODUCTION The League of Women Voters believes that democratic government depends upon the informed and active participation of its citizens. The League believes in representative government and in the individual liberties established in the Constitution of the United States. The League works to promote an open governmental system that is representative, accountable and responsive. The League of Women Voters believes that every citizen should be protected in the right to vote. The League has a history of working to improve our voting systems and believes that increased accessibility is essential to ensuring a representative electoral process and every citizen’s right to vote.
    [Show full text]
  • 2012 Environmental Scorecard
    2012 Environmental Scorecard for Members of the 125th Maine Legislature The Next Page on Maine’s Environment The 125th Legislature will be remembered as one of the toughest periods for Maine’s environment. It will be remembered for Governor Paul LePage’s sweeping attacks on the laws that protect our health, natural heritage and way of life. It will be remembered for remarkable bipartisan leadership on a “takings” bill that threatened to freeze passage of future environmental laws and a last-minute bill that weakens mining regulations. Finally, it will be remembered as the time when Maine people came together like never before to defend our waters, woods and wildlife. As we look back on the session, there are many stories to tell. Some are hopeful, some discouraging, and some are a little of both. A bright spot of the session was the bipartisan support for a $5 million Land for Maine’s Future (LMF) bond, but in contrast, the passage of an open-pit mining bill presents a troubling look towards the future. For more than two decades, LMF has conserved more than 532,000 acres that secure public access Photo: Olivia Gatti for recreation, conserve our most important habitats, preserve Maine’s farming traditions and protect the natural infrastructure vital to both our sense of place and our economic future. A logger and hunter who has spent much of his time in Maine’s woods, former State Senator David Trahan of Waldoboro cares deeply about protecting wildlife habitat. He now heads the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine (SAM), and used his passion for deer yards and his experience as a former legislator to work with a diverse group of partners to garner broad support for LMF.
    [Show full text]
  • Pretiflaherty Portland, ME Agenda Item #4 Augusta, ME
    Commission Meeting: 12/18/2019 PretiFlaherty Portland, ME Agenda Item #4 Augusta, ME Additional Material Concord, NH Daniel W. Walker oston, [email protected] B MA 207.791.3281 Washington, DC December 17, 2019 Sent via email to: [email protected] Jonathan Wayne Executive Director Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices 135 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333 RE: Strimling for Mayor Campaign Opposition to Request for Waiver of Late — Filing Penalty by Unite Portland Dear Mr. Wayne: The Ethan Strimling for Mayor Campaign writes this letter in response to the December 11, 2019 Memo from Michael Dunn, Esq. of the Ethics Commission re Request for Waiver of Late-Filing Penalty by United Portland and the December 13, 2019 Letter from James T. Kilbreth, Esq. to the Ethics Commission re Portland Mayoral Complaint. The Unite Portland PAC was created for one purpose — to raise and spend nearly $50,000 to expressly advocate for the defeat of Ethan Strimling in the 2019 Portland mayoral election.' UP was created to make independent expenditures and that is all. For UP to now claim that until late October, their principal officers did not understand they had to file independent expenditure reports does not pass the straight face test. More money is spent on the Portland municipal election than on any other municipal election in Maine and nearly all races for the State House. It is crucial that the Ethics Commission levy a serious penalty in this case to set an example for future campaigns in our biggest city that it is not okay to run an express advocacy campaign directly against a candidate and fail to disclose what they are spending money on and who they are paying to do it.
    [Show full text]