The socialist activist and former Portland mayor who filed an objection to former President Donald Trump’s ballot eligibility in Maine is using Secretary of State Shenna Bellows’ Thursday ruling to raise money for an alleged nonprofit organization.
The activist, Ethan Strimling, has asked subscribers to the “Swing Hard, Turn Left” email list to contribute money to his efforts via Act Blue, but it’s unclear exactly where contributions to the link in that email will end up.
The organization — “Swing Hard, Turn Left” — appears to have failed to file a Form 990 tax report with the IRS in recent years, apart from a 2020 filing. Such reports are an annual requirement of 501(c)4 organizations that receive donations.
[RELATED: Bellows Boots Trump, Biden’s Top GOP Foe, from Maine’s Primary Ballot…]
In 2020, the last year for which Strimling’s Form 990 filing is publicly available, he reported $46,857 in contributions from anonymous donors. According to the filing, $10,500 of that money was paid out in salaries, with $10,100 of that money going directly to Strimling.
It’s unclear what exactly the group does other than raise money for Strimling’s salary, what activities that salary supported, or where the rest of the money went.
The “Swing Hard, Turn Left” YouTube channel is dormant, has only five subscribers, and typically received tens of views per episode when it was active.
Strimling also appears to have let the registration for his website –SwingHardTurnLeft.com — expire.
Nonetheless, Strimling sent out an email Thursday night to solicit donations, claiming that the money he receives will help “keep Trump off the ballot in 2024”.
“Will you help us defend this monumental decision? Will you help us keep Trump off the ballot in 2024?,” Strimling asks.
Adding to the lack of clarity around how donations to Strimling will be used is his acknowledgement that the attorneys representing him are doing so pro-bono.
Further, any potential challenge from the Maine Republican Party in Maine Superior Court will involve the Secretary of State, whose lawyers will be paid for by Maine taxpayers.
Strimling, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, filed a claim that Trump was ineligible to hold office because he violated Article III of the 14th Amendment, which prevents someone who participated in a rebellion or insurrection from holding office in future.
The complaint claimed that Trump incited an insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, when protestors entered the U.S. Capitol Building.
Trump has previously been impeached for that incident by the U.S. House of Representatives — and was acquitted by the U.S. Senate — but Bellows sided with Strimling.
Strimling served one-term as mayor of Portland, but his tenure was mired in controversy, beginning with the revelation that he had carried on an extramarital affair with his campaign manager, Stephanie Clifford, and was divorcing his wife of ten years just months into his term.
In that election, Strimling won with 9,162 votes, but voters apparently soured on the then-Democrat politician.
In 2019, Strimling lost his re-election bid handily, garnering just 4,575 votes compared to 7,119 for winner Kate Snyder and runner-up 5,110 Spencer Thibodeau.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="24277 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=24277">11 Comments
Ethan Strimling: theater major, philanderer, evicted tenant, Director of a non-profit, violator of campaign finance laws, tried to steal a city council seat, failed 1st District Congressional candidate, Green New Deal advocate and all-around grifter. The perfect embodiment of a Democratic Socialist.
Better to be a socialist than a Nazi – which is what all Republicans are
Yes, Mike. Keep posting your brilliant and insightful thoughts.
You summarized Ethan well, ME Infidel! Thank you!
Swing Hard, Turn Left, great another Klaus Schawb tax free destroy America device. Btw the nazi were socialists
Mike Nazi stands for Nationalist SOCIALIST Party — try not to be stupid. Read a. book
I hooked up with a dude last night that looked a lot like Jussie Smollet. I am walking with a limp today
I’m just kidding. I don’t remember what he looked liked. I was passed out drunk in deering oaks park again and woke up with an enlarged prostrate and a citation for prostitution stuffed in my swollen rear end.
Stremling is responsible for the influx of immigrants.
“The Deceptive Art Of Being A Leach To The Desperate And Gullible Masses” by Ethan Strimling. (forward by Chelli Pingree)
How gay is that photo??? I heard Aidan Maese-Czeropski has a photo of Ethan in his wallet that he keeps in his “back pocket” near and dear to his male love nest. Also, Ethan and Sam Brinton have been corresponding and swapping womens panties. hubba hubba!