Our auditors at OpenTheBooks.com gave oversight to the governor's transition and inauguration committee -- the 50 donors who gave $255,000 through early January. 

 

Questions:

Description of the committee
Transition and inaugural activities; funding. A person may solicit and accept donations for the purpose of financing costs related to the transition to office and inauguration of a new Governor. A person who accepts donations for these purposes must establish a committee and appoint a treasurer who is responsible for keeping records of donations and for filing a financial disclosure statement required by this section. All donations received must be deposited in a separate and segregated account and may not be commingled with any contributions received by any candidate or political committee or any personal or business funds of any person. An individual who has served as a treasurer of any candidate committee or political action committee in the same election cycle may not serve as treasurer of a gubernatorial transition committee.

1. How did the donor's breakdown in terms of in-state vs. out-of-state?

So far, there's been $255,000 in donations disclosed and roughly $160,000 of the donations were from donors with businesses or addresses within Maine. Details.

2. How many of the donors were state vendors or companies with business before the state?

The committee raised $100,000 from 13 state of Maine vendors or companies with businesses before the state. Our auditors at OpenTheBooks.com found those 13 state contractors received an estimated $280 million in state payments over the past five years.

So roughly 40-percent of the dollars raised were from state vendors or companies with pressing state matters. Describe.

3. What were the largest or most interesting donors?

Discussion of largest/interesting donors and some of these come from the local area such as Pierce Atwood, Bernstein Shur, and Maine Health. Others across Maine: Anthem Health, Charter Communications, Irving Woodland LLC, Maine Northern Railway, Savilinx, Liuna PAC, etc. Discuss.

4. What reforms would you like to see?

Real time disclosure and transparency.
State vendor/contractor bar.
Final committee report due by January 31.