"Clean Election violators face $50,000 penalty"

This one makes me really frustrated since it's a member of my own party who is in trouble. Not to mention I really love that we have clean elections and would hate for the people who are always trying to scrap it to gain new ammo for their cause.

AUGUSTA - Staff investigators at the state ethics commission are recommending restitution and penalties of nearly $50,000 in response to numerous election law violations by two legislative candidates and their purported political advisers.

One of the violators, Daniel Rogers of Auburn, who acted as a political consultant for the two candidates, faces potential fines of $17,500.

The state's Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices is scheduled to conclude its lengthy investigation into the abuses and consider the potential penalties on Dec. 16. Since June, the commission has been gathering information and hearing testimony to determine whether $40,000 given to two western Maine legislative candidates in 2004 under the state's Clean Election Act actually was spent on political campaigns.

Among the staff conclusions that will be presented to the commission are that the candidates and-or their advisers:

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