Maine Speaker’s Fundraising Committee Faces Deficit After Spending Thousands on Overseas Travel, Restaurants

The leadership Political Action Committee (PAC) led by Maine House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross (D-Portland) ended 2023 in a deficit after spending tens of thousands of dollars on overseas travel and meals at various restaurants, according to filings with the Maine Ethics Commission.

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Under Ethics Commission rules, leadership PACs — committees led or controlled by a current member of the Legislature — are not restricted in how they spends their funds, except for a prohibition on compensating the legislator or members of their immediate family.

Leadership PACs are allowed, however, to reimburse legislators’ travel expenses incurred while performing their duties and volunteering for the PAC.

According to the Maine Ethics Commission, Rachel Talbot Ross’ “A House United” leadership PAC has collected just over $64,000 since its formation in 2021, and finished 2023 with a deficit of $61.17 after spending $38,000 throughout the year, almost entirely on food and travel expenses.

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Talbot Ross’ PAC raised just $4,200 in contributions in 2023, the majority of which ($2,500) came from Dawud Ummah, who the House Speaker lists as an immediate family member on her most recent personal income disclosure with the Ethics Commission.

In 2023, A House United spent a total of $14,948 on food and $19,148 on travel, while directing only $1,045 to campaign and fundraising events.

Quarterly filings with the Ethics Commission show A House United expended thousands of dollars in 2023 on the top House Democrat’s travel to destinations including France, Canada, Ireland, Puerto Rico, Brazil, and the U.K.

In July 2023, Talbot Ross’ PAC paid for trips to various restaurants, transportation and lodging around Paris, France — totaling $578.

In September, the Speaker’s trip to Puerto Rico cost the PAC $175 in food and travel expenses.

Nearly $2,000 was charged to Talbot Ross’ PAC on her various overseas trips for restaurants, taxis and hotels.

The largest single expenditure by A House United in 2023 was $2,017 for a stay at the four-star luxury Beacon Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Throughout all of 2023, the House Speaker’s PAC spent $13,303.51 on 134 trips to restaurants, cafes, bars and grocery stores around Maine, including $918 on sushi restaurants alone.

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Rachel Talbot Ross told the Portland Press Herald, the first outlet to report on her committee’s expenditures, that her overseas travel was for conferences organized by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), the Council on State Governments (CSG) and the Center for Black Health and Equity.

“As Speaker, I am invited to represent Maine at a number of events both nationally and abroad,” Talbot Ross said in an email statement to the Press Herald. “These conferences were also attended by my colleagues in both the House and the Senate, Maine leaders, and legislators and leaders from around the country. I raise private funds through my leadership PAC, as have all other leaders, to offset some of these expenses.”

“I also raise funds to help other legislators access events and learning opportunities that would otherwise be completely unaffordable,” she wrote. “And, of course, I raise money to support the caucus, legislators and candidates throughout the state.”

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Talbot Ross spokesperson Mary-Erin Casale outlined the House Speaker’s 2023 foreign travel itinerary to the Press Herald:

• July 16-21: Paris, France for NCSL’s executive leadership program annual conference;
• Aug. 18-22: Toronto, Canada for CSG’s Eastern Regional Conference;
• Aug. 23-27: Dublin, Ireland for NCSL’s legislative study tour;
• Sept. 5-9: San Juan, Puerto Rico for the State of Black Health 2023 National Conference;
• Sept. 19-23: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the NCSL leaders symposium.

Talbot Ross will be termed out of the House after the close of the second session of the 131st Legislature, and in January registered to run for State Senate in District 28, a seat representing part of Portland and Long Island currently held by Democratic Sen. Ben Chipman.