Monday, November 15, 2010

Thank you!!!

Hi Folks!

Thank for giving me your support during this past election and helping me to win another two terms in the Maine House of Representatives. The following is a letter I wrote to the local papers after the election:

Thoughts on This Past Election- can bet we haven’t seen the worst
from the Free Press

After what has been a very long and exhausting campaign season, I would like to take this opportunity to warmly thank all of the voters who gave me their support for another term in the Maine House of Representatives. As your rep, I promise to work even harder and keep the same level of communication as I have in the past. My door is always open, no matter what your political leanings.

I would also like to thank my opponent, Wendy Pelletier, for running a positive campaign based on ideas and not on misleading political attacks. She is a sincere, principled person, and she has my respect. I believe it is important to recognize that most of the mailers that folks received concerning the District 44 race did not come from either of our campaigns. Some came from the two major parties, and some were sent by various political action committees (PACs). Under Clean Elections laws, these groups are prohibited from coordinating their ads with the candidate they are supporting, which can be frustrating when you're trying to control the message of your own campaign.

Putting aside political affiliations, I believe I can speak for most Mainers when I say we are fed up with the negativity and untruths that have become an all too common theme of local elections. I was particularly disgusted with two inflammatory and frankly xenophobic mailers that were sent out from my own party attacking gubernatorial candidate Elliot Cutler, and his business dealings in China. Along with many others, I let the state party officials know my feelings. Hopefully, some serious soul searching is being done.

In my own race, almost $3,000 was spent just on negative mailings targeting me during the mandatory reporting period for third-party expenditures before the general election. However, one group sent out four separate attack mailings against me last fall, while another out-of-state PAC mailed a blast of negative ads the day before the mandatory reporting period to avoid reporting these expenditures to the Maine Ethics Commission. Under current law, these groups can spend as much as they want to tear down an incumbent and never have to disclose any information as long as the action is not done during that 35-day window before an election and they don't "expressly advocate" for or against a candidate. However, from the moment a lawmaker is sworn in, he or she is fair game for any big money group to send pictures of the legislator around the district with inflammatory and deceitful language like "job killer" and "baby taxer." Judging from the costs of the actual reported expenditures, I estimate that around $10,000 was spent on misleading attack ads directed toward me during the past year alone, but there is absolutely no way to get a definite figure or know who is really behind them.

The money spent in my small, rural district on negative ads was a pittance compared to the almost $400,000 spent by the Virginia-based Community Crossroads in five key state senate races in Maine. In this devastating recession when so many are struggling financially, I strongly believe that the sheer amount of money being spent on political advertising that serves no constructive purpose is making working folks question the wisdom behind such a system. The big question remains, where is this money coming from and why are they interfering in Maine elections?

With the Supreme Court's "Citizens United" decision giving the go-ahead, a record amount of money was spent during this year's election, and we can bet we haven't seen the worst. These groups wouldn't do it if it wasn't effective, but I don't think it's too much to ask for some transparency and accountability.

Rep. Andy O'Brien, Lincolnville