Lawyer To State: Release Public Campaign Funds, Despite Typo

AUGUSTA, Maine - A lawyer says a typo in a state budget shouldn't hold up $3 million in public campaign funds owed to over 100 legislative candidates.Maine Citizens for Clean Elections lawyer John Brautigam is set to make his case Thursday before state ethics commissioners.
 
Republican Gov. Paul LePage's administration recently agreed to comply with a judge's order to release over $1 million in public campaign funding that LePage held up by refusing to sign routine financial orders.
 
Brautigam says that same logic should apply to $3 million in public campaign funds held up because of a drafting error in last year's budget.
 
Brautigam says the judge was clear the Legislature and governor shouldn't be involved with distributing campaign funds. Brautigam says his group could ask the courts to weigh in.