Here in Maine, I firmly believe that we’re at a crossroads in our policy process, specifically in elections and how we govern ourselves. Over the last two years, our state experienced something that, to my knowledge, has never happened before: a foreign government, through a Connecticut-based subsidiary,   launched a political action committee (PAC) to influence the outcome of a referendum that was initiated by   more than 80,000 registered Mainer voters and citizens.

The referendum campaign waged here in Maine over the past year by taxpayers of another country resulted in a political battle that was negative, deceptive and   more costly than any other referendum in our state’s history.