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 Lobbyists' money
1 contribution ($150) dated during a legislative session from a giver registered as lobbying that year
The campaign reported $150 from Linda Conti on 2026-03-11, during the Second Regular Session (lobbyist that lobbying year).
What to check- Whether the giver is the registered lobbyist or employer, not someone else with the same name
- Whether the money was the giver's own (the law exempts money given on behalf of someone else)
- Whether the campaign returned it (a return is listed above when the campaign reported one)
| Date | From | Registered as | Amount |
|---|
| 2026-03-11 | Linda Conti (Mount Vernon) | lobbyist | $150 |
Rule: Contribution from a lobbyist, lobbyist's employer or lobbying firm during a legislative session
“The Governor, a member of the Legislature, a constitutional officer or the staff or agent of these officials may not intentionally solicit or accept a contribution from a lobbyist, lobbyist associate, employer of a lobbyist or lobbying firm during a legislative session.”1 MRSA §1015-A(2)(A) ✓ quoted from the saved copy · how this rule works
Context Outside spending
Outside groups spent $36,241 for or against them, more than their campaign's $16,299
Independent expenditures: $23,400 supporting and $12,841 opposing. The largest: Strong Maine Communities PAC $8,740 (for); Win Back Maine $8,250 (against); PLANNED PARENTHOOD MAINE ACTION FUND PAC $5,712 (for); REBUILD MAINE $5,472 (for).
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
Named in lobbyists' reports
Events and spending on officials that lobbyists reported to the Ethics Commission since 2024 and whose list of officials names Sharon Frost: 15 from 11 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) |
|---|
Maine Forest Products Council
Krysta West | Event: Timber Talk: State of the Forest Products Industry · February 2026 · names 14 members | $337.01 |
| Event: Legislative Breakfast · February 2025 · names 25 members | $720.50 |
| Event: Legislative Breakfast · January 2025 · names 23 members | $720.50 |
Appalachian Mountain Club
Elizabeth Townsend | Event: Lunch & Learn On Land for Maine's Future; costs divided among 3 organizations · March 2026 · names 29 members | $528 |
| Event: informational reception · January 2025 · names 26 members | $1,726 |
Maine Center for Economic Policy
Maura Pillsbury | Event: luncheon briefing · January 2026 · names 35 members | $505.19 |
| Event: Luncheon presentation · May 2025 · names 26 members | $262.50 |
Maine Council on Aging
Jessica Fay | Event: Caucus on Aging - Lunch and Learn · March 2026 · names 28 members | $335 |
Maine Conservation Alliance
Sarah Woodbury | Event: Legislative Briefing on Tribal Sovereignty and Lake and Farmland Funding · March 2026 · names 7 members | $325.14 |
Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast
Dana Doran | Event: Legislative Breakfast · February 2026 · names 43 members | $1,933 |
Maine Audubon
Francesca Gundrum | Event: Educational Event - Land for Maine's Future (LMF) Briefing and Lunch - cost of event was split three ways between Natural Resources Council of Maine, Appalachian Mountain Club, and Maine Audubon (individual org cost for event = $184.10) · February 2026 · names 31 members | $553 |
Natural Resources Council of Maine
Pete Didisheim | Event: LMF Lunch and Learn · February 2026 · names 29 members | $530.93 |
Maine State Chamber of Commerce
Linda Caprara | Event: MSCC Board Appreciation · November 2025 · names 7 members | $2,868 |
AARP
Noel Bonam | Event: Pastry and Policy Breakfast to highlight the importance of the Older Mainers Act · May 2025 · names 14 members | $695.54 |
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 |
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: Representative · Traditionally financed
$16,178raised to date (the Commission's list, October 17, 2026); $4,406 spent
$16,299itemized in 2025 and 2026, 81 contributions
$900raised before 2026 (their 2025 reports)
$0from the candidate (incl. loans)
$11,772cash on hand on September 15, 2026 (42 Day Pre General Report)
Where their contributions come from
66%31%
IndividualsBusinessesTrade, professional and issue groupsLabor unionsTribal nationsPolitical partiesOther candidates and officeholders
Compare with all 2026 candidates →
How it was spent: $4,406
Social media and online ads$1,857
Postage$906
Other$866
Palm cards, signs, stickers$544
Not coded$212
Website$20
Largest payees: FRAME Media Strategies LLC $1,857 Social media and online ads · United States Postal Service $906 Postage · Steven Buchsbaum $500 Other · Anedot $387 Other · SBS Carbon Copy $249 Palm cards, signs, stickers · Dale Rand Printing Co $226 Palm cards, signs, stickers · Squarespace $212 Website · Staples $70 Palm cards, signs, stickers
Payments in 2026, by the Ethics Commission's expenditure codes.
| Top contributors | Type | Total |
|---|
Maine Education Association
Augusta | Nonprofit | $1,000 |
Fecteau for Leadership PAC
Biddeford | PAC | $1,000 |
PAC to the Future
Portland | PAC | $1,000 |
Maine Opportunity PAC
Westbrook | PAC | $1,000 |
Steven Buchsbaum
retired · Belgrade | Person | $1,000 |
Cathy McKelway
retired · Belgrade Lakes | Person | $500 |
Janet Beach
retired · Belgrade | Person | $500 |
Scott Harriman
Landlord · Scott Harriman · Lewiston | Person | $500 |
Christopher Beach
retired · Belgrade | Person | $500 |
Deirdre Giblin
attorney legal · Massachusetts Law Reform Institute · Winchester | Person | $500 |
Strong Maine Communities PAC
Biddeford | PAC | $500 |
The Cigna Group Employee PAC
Philadelphia | PAC | $500 |
Pine State Trading Co
Gardiner | Business | $500 |
Kelly Hutchinson
Office And Administrative Occupations · Discovery Senior Living · Bonita Springs | Person | $500 |
Rebecca Seel
retired · Belgrade | Person | $408.65 |
Frost, Sharon C. 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.