Findings
Prompts to look closer at the public records, each with the rule and the law it rests on. None is a finding of wrongdoing. All findings
Worth a look Ethics Commission
Before the Ethics Commission (2024-12-18): Request for Penalty Waiver – Hon. Scott Cyrway
Rep. Scott Cyrway, a candidate for the Maine Senate, was required to file a 24-Hour Report on October 29, 2024. His treasurer, Allan Rowe, filed the report one day late. Mr. Rowe requests a waiver of a preliminary penalty of $43.98. In the waiver request, Mr. Rowe stated that failing to file the report after entering the transactions was a one-time oversight. Staff recommendation: the staff recommends not reducing the preliminary penalty because it is already below the range of penalties usually assessed when a report is filed late. The motion: “To find the report was filed late and access a penalty of $43.98” Vote: 4-0.
What to check- The Commission's decision, in the motion and the minutes
The Commission's meeting of 2024-12-18The staff memo
Rule: Late-filing penalty before the Ethics Commission
“A campaign finance report is not timely filed unless a properly signed or electronically submitted copy of the report, substantially conforming to the disclosure requirements of this subchapter, is received by the commission by 11:59 p.m. on the date it is due.”21-A MRSA §1020-A(2) ✓ quoted from the saved copy · how this rule works
Context Outside spending
Outside groups spent $152,800 for or against them, more than their campaign's $38,741
Independent expenditures: $24,000 supporting and $128,800 opposing. The largest: MAINE DEMOCRATIC STATE COMMITTEE $89,614 (against); Maine Senate Republicans $24,000 (for); MAINE CONSERVATION VOTERS ACTION FUND $23,883 (against); REBUILD MAINE $12,250 (against).
What to check- Who funds the largest spenders (their own reports to the Commission)
Rule: Outside spending larger than the campaign
“"independent expenditure" means any expenditure made by a person, party committee or political action committee that is not made in cooperation, consultation or concert with, or at the request or suggestion of, a candidate”21-A MRSA §1019-B(1) ✓ quoted from the saved copy · how this rule works
In the Legislature
Senate District 16 · 131st Legislature (2023–24), 132nd Legislature (2025–26) · 703 recorded votes, 0% not voting
Bills they sponsored: 16 (8 became law) — LD 28, LD 120, LD 123, LD 197, LD 1135, LD 903, LD 1455, LD 1815, LD 95, LD 96, LD 1832, LD 347, LD 1087, LD 2122 …
Named in lobbyists' reports
Events and spending on officials that lobbyists reported to the Ethics Commission since 2024 and whose list of officials names Scott Cyrway: 6 from 6 clients. The cost is the whole event's or item's, shared by everyone it names, not what was spent on them.
| Client (lobbyist) | What, when | Cost (all named) |
|---|
ModivCare
Michael Saxl | Event: Non-emergency Transportation Lunch and Learn · March 2026 · names 22 members | $420.75 |
Maine Forest Products Council
Krysta West | Event: Lunch & Learn Panel Discussion · February 2026 · names 27 members | $499 |
Unitil
James Cohen | Event: Lunch and Learn on Natural Gas · April 2025 · names 11 members | $407.28 |
Summit Utilities, Inc.
Mark Gallagher | Event: Lunch and Learn on Natrual Gas · April 2025 · names 12 members | $407.28 |
Healthcare Purchaser Alliance of Maine
Lisa Nolan | Event: Legislative Luncheon on Exploring employer and consumer perspectives on healthcare affordability in Mainehealthcare affordability · January 2025 · names 17 members | $1,740.16 |
Maine Aggregate Association
Tim Walton | Event: Meet & Greet · January 2025 · names 16 members | $1,100 |
Matched by name and title (“Rep. Bell”, “Senator Brad Farrin”); a name that fits two members isn't counted. Check the reports on the lobbying system.
Campaign money: Senator · Clean Election
$38,741raised to date (the Commission's list, October 17, 2026); $6,373 spent
$3,000itemized in 2025 and 2026, 39 contributions
$800raised before 2026 (their 2025 reports)
$35,741Clean Election funding paid this year
$0from the candidate (incl. loans)
$32,368cash on hand on September 15, 2026 (42 Day Pre General Mcea Report)
Where their contributions come from
100%
IndividualsBusinessesTrade, professional and issue groupsLabor unionsTribal nationsPolitical partiesOther candidates and officeholders
Compare with all 2026 candidates →
How it was spent: $6,373
Mail house$1,997
Palm cards, signs, stickers$1,593
Social media and online ads$1,000
Newspaper and print ads$850
Apparel$670
Postage$234
Bank and other fees$29
Largest payees: Spectrum Marketing Companies $4,090 Mail house · What About Maine $800 Newspaper and print ads · BB Customize $670 Apparel · Red Claw Media, LLC $500 Social media and online ads · United States Postal Service $234 Postage · Somerset County Republican Commitee $50 Newspaper and print ads · Bangor Savings Bank $29 Bank and other fees
Payments in 2026, by the Ethics Commission's expenditure codes.
| Top contributors | Type | Total |
|---|
Scott Bond
retired · Winslow | Person | $100 |
Paul Boudreau
financial investment · Paul Boudreau & Associates · Waterville | Person | $100 |
Robert B Charles
government civil · Candidate for Governor · Leeds | Person | $100 |
Cathy Bond
retired · Winslow | Person | $100 |
Lucilio Medeiros
retired · Albion | Person | $100 |
Mary L Rounds
retired · Albion | Person | $100 |
Jillian Jolicoeur
healthcare medical · Assistance Plus · Belgrade | Person | $100 |
John Butler
healthcare medical · Assistance Plue · Winslow | Person | $100 |
Vicki Butler
healthcare medical · Assistance Plus · Winslow | Person | $100 |
Matthew J Nale
attorney legal · Nale & Nale · Winslow | Person | $100 |
Christopher Bolduc
not currently employed · Clinton | Person | $100 |
Johnna Bowen
healthcare medical · Assistance Plus · Winslow | Person | $100 |
Jessica Chabot
not currently employed · Clinton | Person | $100 |
Robert Bowen
retail sales · Frito Lay · Benton | Person | $100 |
Kimberly Bowen
healthcare medical · Mid Maine Medical Center · Benton | Person | $100 |
Cyrway, Scott W. on the Ethics Commission's campaign finance search. Itemized transactions: 2026 from the Commission's files as posted October 17, 2026, and 2025 from the campaign's own reports.