Maine Ethics Commission campaign finance records show that Hydro-Quebec Maine Partnership, a ballot question committee set up to oppose any initiatives to block the power line, spent $9.6 million between October 2019 and December of 2020. Another political action committee, Clean Energy Matters, fueled largely by donations from CMP and its parent Avangrid Service Company, part of the Spanish energy giant Iberdrola, spent an additional $12.6 million to support the corridor. Combined, the PACs shattered the $10 million record for ballot question spending.
Supporters of the bills noted repeatedly that the Canadian Parliament in 2018 passed a law prohibiting foreign entities from spending to influence elections. Maine’s law against foreign spending on candidate campaigns does not address ballot question campaigns.
Legislation that would silence foreign companies during Maine ballot campaigns gets first look
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Legislation that would silence foreign companies during Maine ballot campaigns gets first look
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