Dear Editor:

Elizabeth Printy’s letter in this paper (Aug. 20) disparaging Sen. Chris Johnson’s campaign for “spending $215,000 ... with $190,000 coming from outside sources a policy which he has clearly stated he opposes” is short on facts, all of which are publicly available.

First, Sen. Johnson did not “spend” any more than the $25,000 he raised. None of that money was spent on negative campaigning.

Second, the additional $190,000 that was spent on this campaign came from “outside money” (PACs) from both Republican and Democratic sources. All the negative advertising came from this money, which by law, is outside of the control of either candidate.

Third, in Ms. Printy’s position as local Republican Chairwoman (which she does not disclose in her letter) she must be aware that the scourge of “outside money” is a Republican invention. In a series of conservative decisions, beginning with Citizen’s United, judges and lawmakers have neutered the Clean Election policy at the federal and state level. Most Republicans applauded these decisions and undermined action to over turn them since “corporations are people.” In Maine, Republicans have called for a referendum repealing Clean Elections.

It is true that most of the outside campaign money went to attacking the Republican candidate. One would presume that had Sen. Johnson been a Republican, Ms. Printy would be praising such corporate free speech for a job well done. But, he’s not, so she’s upset.

It does seem that Ms. Printy agrees with the senator on one point: PAC spending is a waste of money. She writes: “Hey, that outside money really helped with attacking his opponent! ... His challenger did not lose by very many votes.” Most voters trying to watch television during an election season would readily agree with her.

Returning to elections that focus on balanced debate on merit requires rule changing. This is not lost on Sen. Johnson, nor should it be on his opposition. Local Republicans should concede this as fact, join his call to end outside money by law, and return us to a world where only voters are “people.”

Tom Myette

Independent

Southport