Maine news, sports, weather | Kennebec Journal, Augusta, Maine

Bowing out of the race

Richardson ends gubernatorial campaign after irregularities in contributions for Clean Election funding brought to light

By Matt Wickenheiser mwickenheiser@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer

BRUNSWICK -- The field of Democratic candidates for governor shrank by one Monday, as John Richardson withdrew in response to a finding that his campaign workers didn't follow the rules for public campaign financing when they gathered contributions.

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John Richardson

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Richardson, 52, was one of five candidates in the June 8 Democratic primary. He announced his decision Monday to reporters and campaign supporters, detailing why he quit the race and the events leading up to it.

"This is the hardest decision I ever had to make," he said, his voice breaking with emotion. "Anyone who knows me knows that I do not run from a fight."

Political experts suggested that the change in the field may make it easier for the remaining candidates to get their messages out.

"There's one less voice out there now," said Mark Brewer, a political scientist at the University of Maine. "It may be easier for remaining candidates to get their message heard above the din."

Richardson planned to run with campaign funding through Maine's Clean Election Act.

Clean Election candidates had until April 1 to turn in at least 3,250 $5 contributions and supporting documentation, as well as proof that they had raised at least $40,000 in seed money. Richardson's campaign filed with the state Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices on April 1.

About two weeks ago, Richardson said, two of his roughly 200 volunteers told him that they may have made mistakes in the documentation. He said he immediately called the ethics commission to "self-report" the problems.

On Thursday, the commission's executive director, Jonathan Wayne, sent Richardson a 13-page letter denying him Clean Election funds. The letter detailed problems with four contribution collectors, whose names were not released.

"Every one of our circulators, every one of our volunteers, were given specific instructions either by me or senior staff as to how to collect contributions," Richardson said.

Richardson said the circulators "cut corners" on the documentation, and he acknowledged that he was accountable for whatever happened in his campaign.

He said that "in some cases, there may have been honest, stupid mistakes."

"In other cases, there may not have been," he said.

Richardson, an attorney, said he hasn't given much thought to what he will do next. "I never thought I would lose the race," he said. "I always thought I'd have a job to do after June 8."

Richardson's name still will appear on the Democratic ballot June 8 because ballots have already been printed and distributed. The state may encourage towns to post notices that Richardson is no longer a candidate, said Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap. His votes will not be counted.

Anthony Corrado, professor of government at Colby College, said the case highlights the high standards that are applied to the use of public campaign funding. Maine recently increased the requirements for public funding, he noted, and other candidates who seek it find the process laborious.

"The question will be whether we had a bar that was set too low before, and now we have raised the bar, and whether or not it's been raised too high," said Corrado.

Jim Melcher, a political scientist at the University of Maine at Farmington, said he expects Richardson's withdrawal to help Democratic candidates Steven Rowe, Pat McGowan and Elizabeth Mitchell -- "the candidates who've been in elected office."

Brewer, at UMaine, said that other candidates may drop out before the primary. Specifically, he said, privately funded candidates may decide they don't have a shot and choose to stop spending money.

Gubernatorial candidates had various responses to Richardson's withdrawal.

Rosa Scarcelli, of Portland, said the news was "stunning and unfortunate," and called Richardson an "able competitor."

"However, the report today by the ethics commission raises many disturbing questions. It cannot be the last word," said Scarcelli. "Maine people expect complete openness, transparency and accountability in its government."

Mitchell, of Vassalboro, said Maine voters "should be proud of the thorough work of the ethics commission. Clean Elections is about campaigning the right way and ensuring citizens have a voice in the process."

Mitchell qualified for Clean Election funding, as did McGowan.

McGowan, of Hallowell, said Richardson "had put the best interests of the people of Maine as his first priority -- just as all of the candidates in this race have done."

Rowe said the debate has been "richer for having John Richardson's voice in it, particularly his ideas for creating good-paying jobs in Maine."

Peter Mills, of Skowhegan, the only Republican who is running with public funding, said the process is difficult and, at times, frightening.

"You put your political life in the hands of a number of volunteers," he said. "If 99 percent of them are honest and well-meaning and one of them is not, it can really do you a lot of harm."

The Associated Press and Ethan Wilensky-Lanford of the Kennebec Journal contributed to this report.