The Maine Wire
  • News
  • Commentary
  • The Blog
  • About
    • Contact
  • Investigations
    • Data
  • Donate
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending News
  • Cumberland County DA Weighs In to Defend Corrections Officer Who Allegedly Overstayed His Visa
  • Susan Collins Defends Her Position on Congressional Oversight of Nation’s Capital after Ted Cruz Charge
  • Maine Think Tank Urges Janet Mills to Stick to Her 2017 Position and Veto Expansion of Ranked Choice Voting
  • Border Patrol Busts 3,000 Foot Cartel Tunnel Connecting Mexico and San Diego
  • New Details on Portland Woman Identified as a Member of Antifa “Militia,” Threatened Agents
  • Westbrook Police Nab Gray Man Suspected Accused of Stealing Tools from Local Business
  • Bipartisan Bill Barring Maine Legislative Staff from Lobbying for One Year Signed into Law
  • Trump Admin Closes Biden-Era Loophole That Let China Scoop Up Americans’ DNA
Facebook Twitter Instagram
The Maine Wire
Saturday, June 21
  • News
  • Commentary
  • The Blog
  • About
    • Contact
  • Investigations
    • Data
  • Donate
The Maine Wire
Home » News » News » Paris Lawmaker Wants New Regs on Lawmaker, Lobbyist, Non-Profit Revolving Door
News

Paris Lawmaker Wants New Regs on Lawmaker, Lobbyist, Non-Profit Revolving Door

Sam PattenBy Sam PattenMarch 3, 2023Updated:March 3, 2023No Comments3 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Email LinkedIn Reddit
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email

Unlike its twin in Georgia, Augusta, Maine doesn’t have a literal swamp. But an increasing number of Mainers are concerned it’s becoming a figurative one where the boundaries between lawmaker and lobbyist are too thin, and where non-profits which receive state funds and often advocate on policy issues have too little oversight.

In 2021, lobbyists in Augusta raked in $4 million in fees (in 2019 it was $4.5 million), according to disclosures. Many legislators become lobbyists almost immediately after completing their elected mandates, as do key staff and appointed officials.

“They are the ones who have been sticking around through the different legislatures, the different governors. As a result, they are the ones with the institutional knowledge,” then freshman Rep. Chris Kessler (D-Portland) told the Maine Beacon in 2021. “You have your legislators who are perennials like John Martin, or those who served for a long stretch, took a couple years off and then go back at it like Seth Berry. But I didn’t understand how much influence the lobbyists in Augusta actually have.”

Rep. John Andrews (R-South Paris) has introduced two bills that create a longer cooling-off period for lawmakers before they can lobby their former colleagues. At the federal level, that is usually at least one year, which is also the practice in Maine since 2013, though through his bill LD 521, Andrews seeks to expand that period.

“This bill prohibits a Legislator from being employed by a state agency or a nonprofit corporation that directly or indirectly receives state funds for a period of 4 years after the Legislator’s term ends,” Andrews said when testifying in support of his bill this week, adding: “For too long there has been a revolving door in Augusta where legislators receive well paying government jobs shortly after their term ends. This gives the appearance of reward for voting for or sponsoring legislation that benefits a state agency or the government as a whole.”

Another Andrews’ bill, LD 514, would have the state audit non-profits that receive public money, which surprisingly is not the current practice.

“Maine has a deep and vibrant non-profit sector. This is a good thing and they do a lot of good work.  However, it is concerning to me that the State of Maine allocates large portions of money to non-profit organizations with little to no oversight of these tax payer funds,” he stated in favor of his proposed audit requirement. “In some cases, we may not know if the money they receive gets used for what it is intended for, with no data it is extremely hard to gauge the success of programs being funded.” 

Without any metric of performance or efficiency, it is difficult for the state to determine whether taxpayers money is best spent on one non-profit or another, Andrews argued.

Andrews is not alone in seeking to put new curbs on the influence industry in Augusta. One bill now before the legislator would prohibit those who donate to a governor’s inauguration committee from lobbying the same administration.

Both Andrews’ bills now sit for consideration by the legislature’s Committee on State and Local Government, chaired by Sen. Tim Nagle (D-Cumberland) and Rep. Holly Stover (D-Boothbay).

Previous ArticleLandlocked Congressman Targets Maine’s Lobstermen Over Whales
Next Article MAINE WIRE POLL: Most Maine Voters Say Schools Should Get “Back to Basics,” Ditch DEI and Gender Programming
Sam Patten

Patten is the Managing Editor of the Maine Wire. He worked for Maine’s last three Republican senators. He has also worked extensively on democracy promotion abroad and was an advisor in the U.S. State Department from 2008-9. He lives in Bath.

Subscribe to Substack

Related Posts

Cumberland County DA Weighs In to Defend Corrections Officer Who Allegedly Overstayed His Visa

June 20, 2025

Susan Collins Defends Her Position on Congressional Oversight of Nation’s Capital after Ted Cruz Charge

June 20, 2025

Maine Think Tank Urges Janet Mills to Stick to Her 2017 Position and Veto Expansion of Ranked Choice Voting

June 20, 2025

Leave A Reply

Subscribe to Substack
Recent News

Cumberland County DA Weighs In to Defend Corrections Officer Who Allegedly Overstayed His Visa

June 20, 2025

Susan Collins Defends Her Position on Congressional Oversight of Nation’s Capital after Ted Cruz Charge

June 20, 2025

Maine Think Tank Urges Janet Mills to Stick to Her 2017 Position and Veto Expansion of Ranked Choice Voting

June 20, 2025

Border Patrol Busts 3,000 Foot Cartel Tunnel Connecting Mexico and San Diego

June 20, 2025

New Details on Portland Woman Identified as a Member of Antifa “Militia,” Threatened Agents

June 20, 2025
Newsletter

News

  • News
  • Campaigns & Elections
  • Opinion & Commentary
  • Media Watch
  • Education
  • Media

Maine Wire

  • About the Maine Wire
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Submit Commentary
  • Complaints
  • Maine Policy Institute

Resources

  • Maine Legislature
  • Legislation Finder
  • Get the Newsletter
  • Maine Wire TV

Facebook Twitter Instagram Steam RSS
  • Post Office Box 7829, Portland, Maine 04112

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.