Ethics issue erupts in campaign

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Thursday, May 22, 2003 | 9:49 a.m.

PORTLAND, Maine -- The Casinos No! anti-casino group has asked the Maine Ethics Commission to examine the campaign finance reports filed by the political action committee seeking to bring a casino to Maine.

Roy Lenardson, campaign manager of Casinos No!, is questioning why the Think About It PAC has been reporting all its contributions and expenditures as "in kind."

"The fact is, we don't know why Think About It has resorted to this curious form of campaign accounting," Lenardson wrote in a letter to Ethics Commission Director Jonathan Wayne. "Given that the group has just paid more than $200,000 for two week's worth of television advertising a full six months before the election, a careful examination of who is funding this campaign and how the money is accounted for appears warranted."

Erin Lehane, spokeswoman for Think About It, said Casinos No! is attempting to "distract the voters of Maine from the real issues: job creation and economic development."