LD 1610 will stop foreign government spending in Maine elections. We support this one. It could have its votes in the chambers as soon as tomorrow, June 20. Now is the time to take action. We'll need this bill to pass with 2/3 support of the Legislature to prevent the possibility of a Governor's veto. If it fails to receive 2/3 support and the Governor decides to veto it, then this issue goes to the ballot, and voters will decide its future.
It is important that we work to insulate our elections from foreign influence, and this bill is an important step towards returning Maine elections to Mainers.
This legislation will prohibit donations and disbursements by foreign governments, foreign government-owned entities, and foreign government-influenced entities in ballot measures and candidate campaigns. This evolved from a bill that we supported in the 130th Legislature, which narrowly failed to override the Governor’s veto.
This concern is based on the belief that our system of self-government should place political control in the hands of the sovereign people, and concerns that foreign interests will meddle with that process to leverage their influence or achieve results they cannot win through diplomacy.