For Immediate Release
Contact: Jen Webber
Phone: (207) 939-0213
Email: jen@mainegop.com                                                                                                  October 30, 2008                

AUGUSTA, MAINE – The Maine Democratic Party withdrew its complaint with the Maine Ethics Commission against Maine House District 56 candidate, Julie Ann O’Brien, and the Maine Republican Party.  The complaint filed on October 26, 2008 unfairly and without evidence alleged that O’Brien acted unethically in her duties as Maine GOP Executive Director during the execution of recent independent expenditures in Maine House races.

Maine Republican Party Chairman Mark Ellis issued the following statement in response.

“The Maine Republican Party works hard to honor not only the letter of the Maine Clean Elections Act, but also its spirit.  We were well aware of the potential problems with having Julie Ann O’Brien involved with independent expenditures and we constructed a concrete process to prevent any conflict of interest. 

The evidence we prepared for consideration by the Ethics Commission clearly shows that our process worked.  The Democrats have seen the evidence and they have withdrawn their complaint as a result.

This action is the latest in a series of complaints filed by Maine Democrats against the Maine Republican Party.  These complaints have been frivolous, have been an unnecessary use of time for members of the Ethics Commission, have expended unnecessary and valuable taxpayer dollars, and have not resulted in any action against the Republican Party.  When added to the fact that Maine Democrats were fined $5,000 just last week for ethics violations, it is clear that, while they prosecute with the letter of the law, they certainly don’t operate within it.

Above all, the complaint filed by the Maine Democratic Party is an attempt to cast aspersions on Julie Ann O’Brien.  Julie is well-known and highly respected in her community and she poses a serious threat to the efforts of the Democrats to hold on to the House District 56 seat. 

At the very least, the Maine Democratic Party should publicly apologize to Julie O’Brien for the unfounded attack on her character and integrity.”

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For Immediate Release
Contact: Jen Webber
Phone: (207) 939-0213 
Email: jen@mainegop.com

October 29, 2008                      

“John McCain will be in Maine before Election Day to talk directly to Maine voters about his plans to lower our taxes, reduce wasteful government spending and get our economy back on track.”

AUGUSTA, ME -- “Other than Mr. Obama, himself, no other national Democrat leader better embodies the agenda of massive tax increases and redistribution of wealth than the big-government champion, Howard Dean,” said Maine Republican Party Chairman Mark Ellis.  “The tax-and-spend plans touted by Chairman Dean in Maine today clearly outline Barack Obama’s proposals for massive new government spending and higher taxes – which will only further stifle our lagging economy and kill more jobs.  John McCain will be in Maine before Election Day to talk directly to Maine voters about his plans to lower our taxes, reduce wasteful government spending and get our economy back on track.  The contrast couldn’t be more stark, and John McCain has real plans that will offer real help to Mainers, especially in these tough economic times.” 

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