PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: January 7, 2016
Contact: Jason Savage, [email protected]

MCPIR EXPOSES MAINE DEMOCRAT PARTY FUNNELING
DONATIONS FROM WEALTHY CLINTON DONORS TO NATIONAL GROUP DESPITE CLAIMS BY DEMOCRAT LEADERSHIP
TO OPPOSE SUCH BEHAVIOR

​AUGUSTA – The Maine Republican Party today is highlighting the hypocrisy of Maine Democratic Party leaders in light of a Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting report showing how the Maine Democratic Party has funneled nearly $100,000 from wealthy out-of-state Hillary Clinton donors to their national umbrella organization to bypass donation limits.

“Just weeks ago, leading Maine Democrats were telling anyone that would listen how wealthy individuals are corrupting our political process and taking away the voice of everyday Maine voters,” said Maine GOP Chairman Richard Bennett. “They put Maine taxpayers on the hook for millions in additional state spending to supposedly fight this sort of activity. But just this morning we learned how they have been funneling donations from wealthy Hillary Clinton donors back to the DNC to circumvent campaign contribution limits.”

“The fact that the Maine Democratic Party is, at the same time, pretending to oppose big money in politics while laundering tens of thousands of dollars from foreign agents and Chicago billionaires is stunning. There is no greater hypocrisy to be found in Maine politics,” said Mr. Bennett.

From MCPIR:
“AUGUSTA, Maine — A Cuban-born sugar tycoon. A California-based registered foreign agent for the government of Sri Lanka. A Chicago billionaire.

All of them are recent large donors to the Maine Democratic Party via a complex fundraising s cheme called the Hillary Victory Fund. The fund exploits recent court decisions and weakened campaign finance laws to maximize political contributions and funnel them to the Democratic National Committee.

Among contributors to the Maine Democratic Party via the Hillary Victory Fund is Chicago billionaire and Hyatt Hotel heir J.B. Pritzker, who gave $10,000 in September. His wife, Mary Kathryn, also gave $10,000.”

The MCPIR report comes amid a competitive primary contest between Hillary Clinton, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, and Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley.
In contrast to the Maine Democratic Party working to funnel Clinton donor money back to the DNC, the Maine Republican Party pointed out that they are not putting their thumb on the scale of the competitive Republican nominating contest.

“Last year, Bernie Sanders rallied thousands of Maine Democrats with his sincere calls to get money out of politics,” said Jason Savage, executive director of the Maine GOP.

“But it looks like Maine Democratic Party leadership just abandoned any pretense that their nomination process will be fair,” continued Mr. Savage. “The question now is not if Maine Democratic Party HQ has followed the DNC’s lead in anointing Hillary Clinton their nominee before a vote is cast, but when did the Maine Democratic Party HQ become a Clinton campaign office, and how much money were they promised to make it happen?”

The full Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting article can be found here: http://pinetreewatchdog.org/maine-democrats-play-middleman-between-wealthy-clinton-donors-and-national-party/