Maine: Dan Billings

A state representative running unopposed has brought an ethics complaint against a state Senate candidate Valerie Carr-Winocour (R-Old Town) for a flier she sent out attacking her, the candidate’s opponent and another state representative.

Democratic state House candidate Alex Cornell du Houx said that his appearance in a new third party ad against U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Bangor) won't conflict with the Maine Clean Elections Act.

Legislative Democrats were quick to point out that history appeared to be repeating itself after the Republicans proposed a special session without pay for legislators last week.

In 2004, the Democrats had approved retroactive legislation to waive pay for lawmakers in a special session that dovetailed the regular session. Republicans sued, won, and back pay was awarded.

The circumstances, however, were vastly different.

Click here for a previous report on the issue.

In the last legislative session, state lawmakers approved measures that made it 30 percent harder for candidates for governor to qualify for public financing. They also required all gubernatorial candidates to be audited by the Ethics Commission.