PAC attack in Paris

PARIS — Regardless of where one falls on the issues, when it comes to stirring the pot, one has to give credit to Greg Harris.

The auto-body man from Paris has waded hip-deep in the political permutations of Paris these past few months, leading petition drives and trying to push public opinion on his website.  He freely admits that he takes great joy in exploiting loopholes in the law, and this week, he found a new way to pester his public-policy rivals.

On January 1, Harris registered a political action committee (PAC) with the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices.  It's no coincidence the name he chose, “Paris Citizens for Responsible Government” (PCRG), is identical to one used in local advertising by a rival group of citizens.

The registration, Harris said Tuesday, is a direct response to action taken at the December 28 selectboard meeting, when town fathers removed an article from the warrant for a special town meeting, scheduled for tonight, January 7.

That article was initially included at the request of another Paris resident, and some-time Harris ally, Rick Jackson.

In October, Jackson asked selectmen to adopt Maine's Campaign Reports and Finances Law as a local measure.  That law, applicable to candidates for state and county offices, and local boards in towns with more than 15,000 people, requires disclosure of most campaign contributions and expenditures.

State law requires that political action committees (PACs) in applicable jurisdictions register and report activities, if its purpose is “to influence the outcome of an election or referendum vote,” if it creates a fund for that purpose, or if it spends more than $1,500 to achieve its aim.  Groups not specifically formed to lobby voters must also disclose political activity if they spend more than $5,000 for that purpose.

Because Paris' current population stands at just 4,962, the state will not enforce its PAC rules, even if the town does adopt those standards as a local measure.  If that were to happen, enforcement would fall to the town.  Because of that, Harris could not claim the PCRG name until he listed his legislative races and statewide issues among his PACs interests.

Only one town in Maine with a population of less than 15,000 — Standish — has chosen to subject itself to the state campaign finance laws.  However, it only requires disclosure of political activity related to referendum votes, leaving local elections unfettered.

Jackson said his request to have Paris follow Standish's lead was prompted by political advertising attributed to PCRG.  He pointed out that the treasurer for that group, John “Jack” Richardson, is chairman of Paris' policy and procedures committee, the group which drafted the town's current recall ordinance.  He also pointed out that Richardson and his wife, Kathleen, appear to have been among the folks who submitted recall petitions targeting Selectmen Troy Ripley and David Ivey, three days after the recall ordinance was adopted by voters.

Harris followed up that effort by soliciting signatures and submitting recall petitions of his own, targeting selectmen Ray Glover and Skip Herrick.

Richardson admits PCRG was formed to influence voters, but denies that it qualifies as a PAC, or that there is any cross-over influence with his policy committee work.  He also has declined to name its members or contributers, or to say how much it has in its coffers.

“There's no formal, within-the-walls group,” he said, in a recent interview.  “I am designated treasurer, yes, but if you want to get serious about it, PCRG consists of me, because I'm the only person that's named anywhere.  There are no officers.  There's no members list. 

“PCRG was just a name to put on the Post Office box and a name to put on the bank account,” said Richardson.  “The only reason it exists is so people of like mind can express their political opinion.”

PCRG has placed ads in support of certain candidates, but has not taken an active part in their campaigns, says Richardson.  Its favorite sons, Herrick and Glover, who won their races in 2008, as well as Rick McAlister, who lost in 2009, each paid out-of-pocket for campaign signs, as a “stipulation” of PCRG media support, said Richardson. 

At the December 28 selectboard meeting, Jackson's suggestion that the town adopt Maine's campaign report rules appeared on the town meeting warrant to be signed that night.  Both Glover and Herrick refused to vote for the warrant on that account.  Although the remaining selectmen had the three votes needed to put the warrant before voters anyway, they appeared to want a consensus.  After nearly 30 minutes of debate, Jackson's article was thrown off the warrant, while Harris' proposal for a rewrite of the recall ordinance was included.

Harris said Tuesday that while he's glad voters got a chance to measure his recall proposal against current rules, he really wanted them to weigh in on Jackson's proposal as well.

That's when he decided to do an end run on Richardson.

“I'm not going to complain,” he said, “I'm just going to lead by example.”

So, on January 1, Harris registered Paris Citizens for Responsible Government (PCRG) with the state as a political action committee.  He then appeared at offices of both the Advertiser Democrat and the Sun Journal to request that any advertising submitted under that name, by anyone other than himself, be denied.

Deb Vines, office manager for the Advertiser, said Tuesday that while ads will not necessarily be refused, she would feel compelled, having reviewed Harris' PAC application, to ask Richardson to pick some other name to accompany his ads.

On Tuesday, Richardson declined to say if his group had planned any media buys in conjunction with recall votes slated for February 1 and February 5.

Harris, he said, is welcome to the PCRG name, although it's unclear what impact that will have on the checkbook Richardson keeps.

“I don't know, maybe you can tell me,” he said.  “But I hope he enjoys the name.  I hope it works out well for him.”

Harris vows it won't end there.  Until Richardson registers his group as a PAC, he says, he'll claim jump any name under which they try to operate.

“It doesn't cost anything to register a PAC,” he said, “and the state's told me they don't care, I can have 1,000 of them if I want.”

Richardson declined to say what the group formally known as PCRG might do next, other than to promise that it won't allow itself to be drawn out onto the dance floor by Harris.

“I don't see myself playing any games,” said Richardson.  “I have no comment other than that.”