DOCSLIB.ORG

Nov2018 GAC Book Web

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Nov2018 GAC Book Web National Council of Farmer Cooperatives Government Affairs Meeting November 12-14, 2018 • Santa Fe, NM www.ncfc.org Government Affairs Committee La Fonda on the Plaza Santa Fe, New Mexico November 12-14, 2018 AGENDA November 12th All Day Arrival and Check-in 6:00 pm Reception & Dinner La Terraza Room La Fonda on the Plaza 100 E San Francisco St (505) 982-5511 November 13th 8:00 am Breakfast (Santa Fe Room) 8:30 am Welcome & Introductions (New Mexico Room) • Chairman's Welcome & Meeting Overview • Self-Introductions • Approval of the Minutes 8:35 am Political Assessment – What just happened? Speaker: David Wasserman House Editor Cook Political Report 9:30 am Political Assessment – An Agriculture Perspective Speaker: Chris Clayton Ag Policy Editor DTN/The Progressive Farmer 10:15 am Break 10:30 am State of the Economy & Pressures on Agriculture Speaker: Brian Cavey Senior Vice President, Government Affairs CoBank Representing the Business Interests of Agriculture 11:00 am Policy Implications of a Changing Agricultural Landscape Speaker: Scott Caine Chief Operating Officer Aimpoint Research 12:00 pm Lunch (Santa Fe Room) 1:00 pm Trade Outlook – Roundtable Discussion 2:00 pm Legal, Tax & Accounting Update • Tax Reform Implementation • Tax Reform 2.0 • FDII – A New Opportunity for Co-ops? 2:30 pm Wage Inflation and Worker Scarcity Speaker: Ben Laine Knowledge Exchange Division CoBank 3:15 pm Break 3:30 pm Regulating Emerging Technologies: Cultured Meats?! Speaker: Danielle Beck Director of Governmental Affairs National Cattlemen’s Beef Association 4:00 pm Policy Round-up – Status of Key Issues • Farm Bill • Environmental Regulations • Biotech Labeling Regulation • Product Labeling • Immigration Reform • Pension Relief 5:00 pm Adjourn 6:00 pm Transportation to Dinner Departs Hotel 6:30 pm Reception & Dinner Gabriel’s Restaurant 4 Banana Lane (505) 455-7000 November 14th 8:00 am Breakfast (Santa Fe Room) 8:30 am NCFC CO-OP/PAC Report (New Mexico Room) • 2018 Cycle Overview • Improving our Reach • Annual Meeting Preparation 9:00 am Strategic Assessment of Committee Structure & Elections • Committee and Subcommittee Elections • Subcommittee Organization & Participation • Addressing Your Priority Issues • Future Meeting Topics 10:00 am BREAK 10:30 am Review & Update NCFC Priorities & Policy Resolutions 11:30 am Other Business 11:45 am Adjourn 12:00 pm Lunch Provided La Plazuela Restaurant La Fonda On the Plaza June 2018 Meeting Minutes NCFC Government Affairs Committee Meeting Washington, D.C. June 25, 2018 Minutes CALL TO ORDER Committee Chairman, Chuck Spencer, called the meeting to order, giving an overview of the meeting and supporting materials. BUSINESS MEETING The Committee proceeded with its business meeting. • APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES – A motion to approve the February 2018 meeting minutes was made by Rich Hudgins, President & CEO, California Canning Peach Association. The motion was seconded by Wally Knock, Board Director, Agtegra Cooperative. • BYLAWS CHANGE – Marlis Carson reported that in order to promote increased communication and membership participation, a change to NCFC’s bylaws regarding the Individual Membership category has been proposed. The Executive Council reviewed this change and recommended it for the Council’s consideration of the change. The proposed change would expand the Individual Membership category to include consultants such as attorneys and government relations professionals who work for NCFC members and participate in NCFC’s LTA and Government Affairs Committees. Individual Members receive NCFC publications, reduced conference rates, annual recognition at NCFC meetings, and eligibility for NCFC CO-OP/PAC’s restricted class. Individual Members do not have a vote on the Council and the NCFC President & CEO is authorized to approve or reject applications for individual membership. The change was to be discussed in the next Executive Council Meeting. • NCFC CO-OP/PAC REPORT – Kelsey Billings reported that NCFC CO-OP/PAC began the year with a balance of $74,445.00. As of June 15, 2018, contributions to the PAC totaled $102,110.00. Individual PAC contributions accounted for $43,500.00 and member PAC contributions accounted for $58,610.00 of the total. The annual goal for the PAC for 2018 is $233,500.00. As of June 15, 2018, the PAC reached 70 percent of its goal. Mrs. Billings announced that the multiple fundraisers will be held during the conference, including a coffee with Senator John Boozman of Arkansas; a reception with Representative Kurt Schrader of Oregon; and a breakfast with Representative Jim Costa. Finally, Mrs. Billings reported that as of June 15, 2018, the PAC supported 28 members of Congress for a total of $45,500.00 in contributions to candidates. As of June 30, 2018, the PAC had an ending balance of $142,795.76. • LEGAL, TAX & ACCOUNTING UPDATE – Marlis Carson gave an update on Legal, Tax & Accounting matters. She first discussed the antitrust case involving egg producers, taking place in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. After nine years of litigation and a trial that consumed most of the month of May, a jury found that egg producers Rose Acre Farms, Ohio Fresh Eggs, and Sauder, Inc. did not engage in unlawful market restraints and did not violate the Sherman Act. The case arose out of allegations in over a dozen separate lawsuits asserting that sixteen egg farmers and their cooperative, United Egg Producers, engaged in a conspiracy to raise the price of shell eggs and egg products by reducing egg supply. Over the years at least eight egg producers and their cooperative settled with the direct purchaser plaintiff class for approximately $150 million. With $3 billion in damages at stake, the three national egg producers achieved a significant victory. Jurors found that Rose Acre Farms was part of a conspiracy involving United Egg Producers to reduce the supply of eggs. However, the conspiracy did not impose an unreasonable restraint on supply, so the producers did not incur any antitrust liability. It is likely that the plaintiffs will appeal the ruling. If that happens, the egg producers could cross-appeal and raise an earlier, problematic ruling by the judge, in which the judge said land ownership is a requirement for qualifying for Capper-Volstead protections. NCFC believes that ruling is wrong, as Capper-Volstead does not impose any land ownership requirements on producers. Ms. Carson also discussed the cyclical interest that lawmakers, regulators, and the American Bar Association take in the Capper-Volstead Act every five to ten years. The Department of Justice held a series of roundtables on regulations and antitrust law this spring. The first roundtable focused on antitrust immunities and exemptions. American Bar Association (ABA) representatives participated and submitted a statement consistent with the ABA’s traditional views on antitrust immunities and exemptions. The ABA asserted that the Capper-Volstead Act is flawed and needs to be reformed. At a separate roundtable, Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim said the milk pricing system is the type of market distortion and anticompetitive activity that should be reviewed by the Antitrust Division. And a participant from the Cato Institute commented on sugar policy, labeling it as an anticompetitive intervention in the market. The Cato Institute recommended that DOJ target this sort of policy. Ms. Carson also reported that in South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc., in which the Supreme Court held that a state can tax internet sales even though the seller does not have a physical presence in the state. Next, Ms. Carson gave a short update on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, particularly on issues associated with Section 199A. The IRS has reported that they are working diligently to provide regulations as soon as possible. The Department of Treasury has stated that they are considering regulations from the old Section 199, which hopefully will make the transition easier for all involved. Finally, Ms. Carson recommended for everyone to go to the IRS website and complete the IRS “pay- check check-up” to make sure that everyone’s taxes are correct after passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. GUEST SPEAKERS The Committee was joined by a number of guest speakers on hot topic issues, including the following: • The Administration’s Outlook for Agriculture; with guest speaker Mr. Gregg Doud, Chief Agricultural Negotiator, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Ambassador Doud described the current state of trade relations with regard to recent actions the administration has taken by imposing tariffs. Trading partners currently are retaliating, or threatening to retaliate, by imposing tariffs on $29 billion of U.S. agricultural exports due to the U.S. imposition of Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs. He explained that this policy has been developed by the President himself. While his office is working to advocate within the administration for the agriculture community since they are taking the brunt of the retaliation, it doesn’t appear there will be quick resolution to withdraw the retaliation given the priority that the president has put on imposing tariffs. Ambassador Doud further explained the other Section 301 tariffs being put into place against China due to their unfair trading practices with respect to intellectual property and forced technology transfer policies. China’s retaliation by imposing tariffs targeting the U.S. agricultural community is an attempt to get the president’s supporters from the agriculture community to oppose his trade policy and weaken his negotiating stance. However, Ambassador Doud stressed that the president was adamant about using tariffs as a tool to change China’s behavior and that, again, no one should think this will be resolved in the near term. He also noted that the administration intends to be more offensive in opening markets for U.S. agriculture, as well as encouraged that the NAFTA renegotiation would be concluded in the near future. • Labor & Immigration – Lots of activity; any action?; with guest panelist Ms.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Federal Election Commission 1 2 First General Counsel's
    MUR759900019 1 FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION 2 3 FIRST GENERAL COUNSEL’S REPORT 4 5 MUR 7304 6 DATE COMPLAINT FILED: December 15, 2017 7 DATE OF NOTIFICATIONS: December 21, 2017 8 DATE LAST RESPONSE RECEIVED September 4, 2018 9 DATE ACTIVATED: May 3, 2018 10 11 EARLIEST SOL: September 10, 2020 12 LATEST SOL: December 31, 2021 13 ELECTION CYCLE: 2016 14 15 COMPLAINANT: Committee to Defend the President 16 17 RESPONDENTS: Hillary Victory Fund and Elizabeth Jones in her official capacity as 18 treasurer 19 Hillary Rodham Clinton 20 Hillary for America and Elizabeth Jones in her official capacity as 21 treasurer 22 DNC Services Corporation/Democratic National Committee and 23 William Q. Derrough in his official capacity as treasurer 24 Alaska Democratic Party and Carolyn Covington in her official 25 capacity as treasurer 26 Democratic Party of Arkansas and Dawne Vandiver in her official 27 capacity as treasurer 28 Colorado Democratic Party and Rita Simas in her official capacity 29 as treasurer 30 Democratic State Committee (Delaware) and Helene Keeley in her 31 official capacity as treasurer 32 Democratic Executive Committee of Florida and Francesca Menes 33 in her official capacity as treasurer 34 Georgia Federal Elections Committee and Kip Carr in his official 35 capacity as treasurer 36 Idaho State Democratic Party and Leroy Hayes in his official 37 capacity as treasurer 38 Indiana Democratic Congressional Victory Committee and Henry 39 Fernandez in his official capacity as treasurer 40 Iowa Democratic Party and Ken Sagar in his official capacity as 41 treasurer 42 Kansas Democratic Party and Bill Hutton in his official capacity as 43 treasurer 44 Kentucky State Democratic Central Executive Committee and M.
    [Show full text]
  • Michael Dunn, Esq., Political Committee and Lobbyist Registrar Date: May 18, 2021 Re: Request for Investigation of Sanford Democrats
    Commission Meeting 05/26/2021 STATE OF MAINE Agenda Item #2 COMMISSION ON GOVERNMENTAL ETHICS AND ELECTION PRACTICES 135 STATE HOUSE STATION AUGUSTA, MAINE 04333-0135 To: Commission From: Michael Dunn, Esq., Political Committee and Lobbyist Registrar Date: May 18, 2021 Re: Request for Investigation of Sanford Democrats On February 17, 2021, the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices (the “Commission”) received a request for an investigation (the “Complaint”) from the Sanford Republican Committee alleging that the Sanford Democratic Committee failed to file campaign finance reports since 2006. The Complaint alleges that the Sanford Democrats have rented or were provided office space at 911 Main St., Sanford during the 2020 election and that the value of that space would have exceeded the $1,500 threshold to require the Sanford Democrats to file campaign finance reports. The Complaint goes on to indicate that in 2016, 2012, and 2008, the Sandford Democratic Committee operating out of a space at 463 Main St., Springvale, and at 763 Main St., Sanford. The Sanford Republicans request that the Commission conduct an investigation into the unfiled campaign finance reports. The Sanford Democratic Committee submitted its response, dated March 10, 2021. The Sanford Democratic Committee indicates that they were not the leasee for any of the offices. On April 6, 2021, Commission staff spoke with Mr. Joseph Hanslip and Ms. Rachel Sherman, the Treasurer and Chair of the Sanford Democratic Committee. The officers indicated that the committee has not raised or spent over $1,500 since 2006. The Sanford Democratic Committee does not use the office the space for its own purposes; the office space (911 Main Street) is rented from the Garmour Realty Group by the Maine State Democratic Committee to support its federal campaigns.
    [Show full text]
  • Advisory Board January 28, 2019
    Make Shift Coffee House Advisory Board January 28, 2019 The purpose of the Make Shift Coffee House Advisory Board is to (1) provide advice on how to achieve the purpose, mission, and vision of the Make Shift Coffee House project, (2) help to financially support the effort, and (3) serve as ambassadors and make connections with helpful people and organizations. Make Shift Coffee House is fiscally sponsored by Friends of the Maine State Library. Our address is 98 Maine Street, Brunswick ME 04011. Our phone number is 207-729-5607. You can reach us online at MakeShiftCoffeeHouse.com or via email at [email protected]. Co-Chairs Dr. Demi Kouzounas Dentist and Chair, Maine Republican Party Saco Demi Kouzounas, a graduate from University of Maine at Orono, graduated in 1981 from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. She is one of the founders of Bright Smiles, a free children’s clinic in Portland, which has seen children, for the last 7 years, who may have newly immigrated or do not have MaineCare coverage. She also is the cofounder of ‘Dentists Who Care for ME’ which gives an annual day of free care. She has also served as the president of the Maine Dental Association and has been very involved legislatively concerning access-to-care issues. Kathleen Marra Chair, Maine Democratic Party Kittery Kathleen Marra was elected as Maine Democratic Party Chair in January 2019. She previously served as a Chair of the Kittery Democratic Committee, Vice Chair of the York County Democratic Committee, and as a member of the Democratic State Committee.
    [Show full text]
  • L, 6%M--Mmcn‘D Rzszp’> Committee - Federal Fund G P-P
    \ i March 22,2006 Lawrence H. Norton General Counsel Federal Election Commission N 999 E Street, NW 0 =?I e Washington, DC 20463 &% 0 grno=af? ‘E XPn Re: Complaint against Matt Brown for US Senate, Democratic Party of Hawaii, cr~ COZI-~~ Maine Democratic State Committee, and Massachusetts Democratic State L, 6%m--mmcn‘d rzszp’> Committee - Federal Fund g p-p L 3-0 0. r= Dear Mr. Norton: m 0. This Complaint is filed pursuant to 2 U.S.C..-__- 6 437g(a)(l) and 11 C.F.R. 0 111.4 by the --* J I -/ r&.e.. -: Republican State Parties of Hawaii.--~~~~;j-.b~ --._- - :and Rhode Island (collectively “Republican State Parties”) against Matt Brown for US Senate (“Brown Campaign”), the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Maine Democratic State Committee, and Massachusetts Democratic State Committee - Federal Fund. The information contained in this Complaint is based upon recent newspaper articles and information and belief. The newspaper articles are attached as Exhibit A. Introduction Matt Brown for US Senate is the principal campaign committee of MatthewaA Brown, a candidate for the Democratic nomination for US Senate from the State of Rhode Island. (See Exhibit B.) Richard Pelletier is the current field director for the Brown Campaign and the former Executive Director of the Maine Democratic Party. (See Exhibit A.) \ The Democratic Party of Hawaii (“HDP”) is the state party committee for the Democratic Party in the State of Hawaii. (See Exhibit C.) The Maine Democratic Party Committee (“ME Party”) is the state party committee for the Democratic Party in the State of Maine.
    [Show full text]
  • Mitchell, George J. Oral History Interview Don Nicoll
    Bates College SCARAB Edmund S. Muskie Oral History Collection Muskie Archives and Special Collections Library 8-9-2002 Mitchell, George J. oral history interview Don Nicoll Follow this and additional works at: http://scarab.bates.edu/muskie_oh Recommended Citation Nicoll, Don, "Mitchell, George J. oral history interview" (2002). Edmund S. Muskie Oral History Collection. 273. http://scarab.bates.edu/muskie_oh/273 This Oral History is brought to you for free and open access by the Muskie Archives and Special Collections Library at SCARAB. It has been accepted for inclusion in Edmund S. Muskie Oral History Collection by an authorized administrator of SCARAB. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Interview with George J. Mitchell by Don Nicoll Summary Sheet and Transcript Interviewee Mitchell, George J. (George John), 1933- Interviewer Nicoll, Don Date August 9, 2002 Place Northeast Harbor, Maine ID Number MOH 359 Use Restrictions © Bates College. This transcript is provided for individual Research Purposes Only ; for all other uses, including publication, reproduction and quotation beyond fair use, permission must be obtained in writing from: The Edmund S. Muskie Archives and Special Collections Library, Bates College, 70 Campus Avenue, Lewiston, Maine 04240-6018. Biographical Note George John Mitchell, Jr. was born in Waterville, Maine on August 20, 1933 to George J. Sr. and Mary Saad Mitchell. His mother was a factory worker, and his father a laborer. He graduated from Waterville High School at the age of sixteen and attended Bowdoin College, graduating in 1954 with a degree in European History. He then served as an officer in the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • The Evolution of the Digital Political Advertising Network
    PLATFORMS AND OUTSIDERS IN PARTY NETWORKS: THE EVOLUTION OF THE DIGITAL POLITICAL ADVERTISING NETWORK Bridget Barrett A thesis submitted to the faculty at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts at the Hussman School of Journalism and Media. Chapel Hill 2020 Approved by: Daniel Kreiss Adam Saffer Adam Sheingate © 2020 Bridget Barrett ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ii ABSTRACT Bridget Barrett: Platforms and Outsiders in Party Networks: The Evolution of the Digital Political Advertising Network (Under the direction of Daniel Kreiss) Scholars seldom examine the companies that campaigns hire to run digital advertising. This thesis presents the first network analysis of relationships between federal political committees (n = 2,077) and the companies they hired for electoral digital political advertising services (n = 1,034) across 13 years (2003–2016) and three election cycles (2008, 2012, and 2016). The network expanded from 333 nodes in 2008 to 2,202 nodes in 2016. In 2012 and 2016, Facebook and Google had the highest normalized betweenness centrality (.34 and .27 in 2012 and .55 and .24 in 2016 respectively). Given their positions in the network, Facebook and Google should be considered consequential members of party networks. Of advertising agencies hired in the 2016 electoral cycle, 23% had no declared political specialization and were hired disproportionately by non-incumbents. The thesis argues their motivations may not be as well-aligned with party goals as those of established political professionals. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES .................................................................................................................... V POLITICAL CONSULTING AND PARTY NETWORKS ...............................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Inside: Tower Candidate Forum...See /8 Ely Vball Advances
    Inside: Tower candidate forum...See /8 Ely vball advances... See /1B Deer Season...See /4B the T VOL.IMBERJAY 29, ISSUE 43 November 2, 2018 $100 ELECTION 2018 Stauber sought political help through county emails St. Louis County officials compelled to release records under court order by MARSHALL HELMBERGER Stauber may have used his advice from GOP operatives tentious race with DFLer Stauber and Commissioner Managing Editor official office to advance his and opposition research Joe Radinovich. Keith Nelson made to run for Congress. on current Eighth District While Stauber’s emails Washington, D.C. apparent- REGIONAL— St. Stauber’s email com- Congressman Rick Nolan, don’t appear to contain a ly representing the county. Louis County officials, on munications with repre- who had indicated early “smoking gun,” they do The emails also suggest that Tuesday, complied with a sentatives of the National on that he intended to show Stauber relying on Stauber’s office assistant judge’s order, releasing a Republican Congressional seek re-election, but later the NRCC for political played at least some role in slew of emails that suggest Committee show the com- changed his mind. Stauber messaging and logistical County Commissioner Peter missioner seeking political is currently locked in a con- arrangements for a visit that See...EMAILS pg. 9 Pete Stauber ELECTION 2018 ELECTION 2018 Voters to Halloween 2018 Mental health go to polls headlines next week final debate Retirements make for many for county hotly-contested commissioner regional races by MARCUS WHITE by MARCUS WHITE Cook/Orr Editor Cook/Orr Editor COOK— Addressing mental illness proved a hot topic during the final candi- REGIONAL - Hotly date forum between retired deputy sheriff contested races across the Bernie Mettler and region and state will go to longtime educator the voters next Tuesday.
    [Show full text]
  • Ed Muskie, Political Parties, and the Art of Governance
    Maine Policy Review Volume 29 Issue 2 Maine's Bicentennial 2020 Ed Muskie, Political Parties, and the Art of Governance Don Nicoll [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mpr Part of the American Politics Commons Recommended Citation Nicoll, Don. "Ed Muskie, Political Parties, and the Art of Governance." Maine Policy Review 29.2 (2020) : 34 -38, https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mpr/vol29/iss2/5. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. ART OF GOVERNANCE Ed Muskie, Political Parties, and the Art of Governance by Don Nicoll creating parties, recreating them, dumping Abstract some and building others, and struggling In its 200-year history as a state, Maine has gone through three major political for power continues today, with credible realignments and is now in the midst of a fourth. The Jefferson Democratic Re- fears about the viability of our representa- publicans supplanted the Federalists to achieve statehood. The Republican Par- tive democracy. ty dominated state politics from the eve of the Civil War until 1954. The Maine The year 2020, the bicentennial of Democratic Party, under the leadership of Edmund S. Muskie and Frank Coffin, the creation of the state of Maine, may be transformed it into a competitive two-party state. Now the goals of open, re- another seminal year in the political life of sponsive, and responsible governance that Muskie and Coffin sought through the United States and the survival of healthy competition and civil discourse are threatened by bitter, dysfunctional representative democracy.
    [Show full text]
  • Candidate Pacs: Follow the Money
    LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF MAINE Candidate PACs: Follow the Money By Ann Luther with the LWVME PAC Study Committee Background The Maine Clean Election Act, passed by citizen initiative in 1996, went into effect in the year 2000 and eliminated large donations to the campaigns of candidates for state office. However, the laws governing political action committees (PACs) were not changed when the Maine Clean Election Act was passed into law. Maine is now one of only fourteen states, and the only one in New England, which has no limits on the amount or source of contributions to PACs. Questions have been raised about the effects of allowing unlimited contributions to PACs that play a role in candidate elections. Do large PAC donors exert undue influence over Maine’s elected officials? Do unlimited contributions to PACs undermine the goals of our publicly funded system? Is there a conflict when publicly funded candidates, who pledge not to accept contributions for their own campaigns, are allowed to raise unlimited funds for PACs which they organize or control? In an effort to answer some of these questions, the League of Women Voters of Maine undertook a comprehensive study of candidate PACs beginning in 2007. This is the fourth in a series of six briefing papers from that study intended to inform League members and the public about the issues involved with candidate PACs. (This and the previous three papers are available at the League of Women Voters of Maine web site at www.lwvme.org .) The portion of the League study presented in this paper examines contributions to and expenditures by candidate PACs in the 2006 general election.
    [Show full text]
  • January 25, 2018 Jonathan Wayne Executive Director Maine
    Katherine Knox (207) 228-7229 [email protected] Isabel Mullin (207) 228-7336 [email protected] January 25, 2018 Jonathan Wayne Executive Director Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices 135 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333 Re: Addendum to Request for Investigation into Campaign Finance Violations by the Maine Examiner and Maine Republican Party Dear Mr. Wayne: On January 23rd, on behalf of our client, the Maine Democratic Party, we filed a request for investigation pursuant to 21-A M.R.S. § 1003(2) and 94-270 C.M.R. ch.1, § 4(2)(C). We now write to provide additional documentation of coordination between the Maine Examiner and the Maine Republican Party (“The Party”). This information combined with that previously submitted, provides the Commission with evidence that the above- referenced parties likely violated campaign finance law, and we ask that an investigation be immediately commenced. ADDITIONAL SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION Since filing the request for investigation, evidence has come to light that the Executive Director of the Party, Jason Savage, is directly involved with the Maine Examiner’s 1 operations. (Attachments GG, HH, II, & JJ.) First, metadata indicates that the 1 “Metadata” is defined by Merriam-Webster as “data that provides information about other data.” (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metadata?src=search-dict-hed.) Metadata is sometimes referred to as a digital fingerprint. In this case, the metadata provides information about “author” of the digital pictures included in the Maine Examiner articles as well as the date the pictures were “taken” by the author. The Attachments provide screenshots of the Jonathan Wayne January 19, 2018 Page 2 Executive Director—or someone using his computer—provided the Maine Examiner with the pictures of Ben Chin that were included in the seven stories published between December 3rd and 10th, 2017.
    [Show full text]
  • Interview with Gordon Weil by Andrea Lâ•Žhommedieu
    Bowdoin College Bowdoin Digital Commons George J. Mitchell Oral History Project Special Collections and Archives 8-17-2009 Interview with Gordon Weil by Andrea L’Hommedieu Gordon L. Weil Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.bowdoin.edu/mitchelloralhistory Part of the Law and Politics Commons, Oral History Commons, Political History Commons, and the United States History Commons Recommended Citation Weil, Gordon L., "Interview with Gordon Weil by Andrea L’Hommedieu" (2009). George J. Mitchell Oral History Project. 8. https://digitalcommons.bowdoin.edu/mitchelloralhistory/8 This Interview is brought to you for free and open access by the Special Collections and Archives at Bowdoin Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in George J. Mitchell Oral History Project by an authorized administrator of Bowdoin Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. George J. Mitchell Oral History Project Special Collections & Archives, Bowdoin College Library, 3000 College Sta., Brunswick, Maine 04011 © Bowdoin College Gordon L. Weil GMOH# 132 (Interviewer: Andrea L’Hommedieu) August 17, 2009 Andrea L’Hommedieu: This is an interview for the George J. Mitchell Oral History Project at Bowdoin College. The date is August 17, 2009, and we’re in the H-L [Hawthorne Longfellow] Library at Bowdoin College. Today I’m here with Gordon Weil, and this is Andrea L’Hommedieu. Gordon, could I have you just start by giving me your full name. Gordon Weil: My name is Gordon Lee Weil. AL: And where and when were you born? GW: I was born on March 12, 1937, in Mineola, New York. AL: Now Gordon, at what point did you come to Maine? GW: I came to Maine in February 1954, for a sub-freshman weekend at Bowdoin College, that’s the first time I set foot in the state.
    [Show full text]
  • Midterm Election Analysis
    2018 MIDTERM ELECTION ANALYSIS PRIME POLICY GROUP | PSB RESEARCH | BCW | DIRECT IMPACT Production Credits Analysis and Commentary The leading bipartisan government affairs firm in Washington. Prime solves problems and builds brands with powerful relationships, policy expertise, and capabilities on Capitol Hill and beyond. Pioneers in the bipartisan approach to problem solving, we have earned a unique reputation for shaping public affairs. prime-policy.com Polling Data With roots in innovative political campaign strategy, PSB Research is a full- service strategic insights consultancy engaging blue-chip organizations across all sectors. PSB has over 40 years of experience using research to help Fortune 500 companies navigate their most difficult business challenges. psbresearch.com Design Founded by the merger of Burson-Marsteller and Cohn & Wolfe, Burson Cohn & Wolfe is one of the world’s largest full-service global communications agencies. BCW delivers digitally and data driven creative integrated communications programs grounded in earned media and scaled across all channels. bcw-global.com Field Insight BCW’s grassroots arm, delivers unparalleled grassroots campaigns across the U.S. through an extensive field network, along with targeting technology, to build influence in the communities that matter most to our clients. directimpact.com Table of Contents 2 Production Credits 3 Table of Contents 4 Overview 6 House of Representatives 9 Senate 13 Governors and State Legislatures 14 Lame Duck Agenda 17 Bios for Newly Elected Officials 41 Committee Changes Overview Results and Implications The 2018 midterm elections played out largely as expected: not quite the “Blue Wave” that some Republicans privately feared, but certainly not a disappointment for Democrats either.
    [Show full text]