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GOVERNOR"S RACE

Panel to probe anti-LePage phone calls

No ID of who was making call

By Susan M. Cover scover@mainetoday.com
MaineToday Media State House Writer

AUGUSTA -- State ethics officials are launching an investigation into a mysterious automated call that criticized Waterville Mayor Paul LePage for his stance on civil unions on the eve of the Republican gubernatorial primary.

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Paul LePage is apparently the victim of anonymous phonecalls.

Staff file photo by David Leaming

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Robert Stone, of Auburn, filed a complaint with the commission June 11 after receiving a call at home around 8 p.m. the night before the election.

The call seemed to indicate that LePage wasn't conservative enough on the issue of civil unions for gay and lesbian couples, Stone said.

"I felt it came from the right of Paul on the political spectrum," said Stone, a LePage supporter who is not affiliated with the campaign.

LePage, who handily won the seven-way election the next day, opposes same-sex marriage and civil unions but supports "civil law contracts" to define property rights, wills and power of attorney, campaign Chief of Staff John Morris said.

Stone said as he listened to the call, he waited for the mandatory disclosure to find out who paid for it or whether it was authorized by another candidate. But no such disclosure was offered.

If that's the case, it's a violation of Maine law, said Jonathan Wayne, executive director of the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices.

Stone, who ran for state Senate and describes politics as a hobby, said he immediately knew the call violated state law.

"Candidates and political action committees basically have very stringent rules to follow on these disclosures, and I just didn't think it was right to do that with a blatant disregard for the rules," he said.

The call ended with a statement similar to, "If we can't trust him on civil unions, how can we trust him to be governor of the state of Maine?" Stone said.

Stone said he then returned the call, dialing a number on his caller ID that was from Middlebury, Vt.

He got a voice mail message. When the Kennebec Journal called the same number Thursday, a recorded woman's voice came on and said, "The person you're trying to reach is not available. Please leave a message after the beep."

Stone has not received a call back. Neither did the Kennebec Journal.

Wayne told ethics commission members Thursday that at least two other concerned citizens contacted his office to complain about the call. He said he believed there was enough evidence to proceed with a full investigation.

"We think, given the content of the calls as related to us, we think there's sufficient evidence to believe a violation occurred," he said.

The commission voted 4-0 to authorize the investigation.

"It is very disturbing for me to see that this happened," Commission Chairman Walter McKee said. "That kind of call is exactly the kind of call that needs disclosure. It's completely unfair to Mr. LePage."

Morris, LePage's chief of staff, said he was unaware of the request for an investigation and that he did not want to comment on it.

"We're staying right out of it," he said.

Susan Cover -- 620-7015

scover@centralmaine.com