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 (2025-01-29): Request for Penalty Waiver – Steven Bishop
Rep. Steven Bishop, a candidate for the Maine House, was required to file a 24-Hour Report on October 29, 2024. The report was filed on December 11. Rep. Bishop requests a waiver of the preliminary penalty of $2,707.62, explaining that the campaign did not know a report was due because of a failure in communication. Staff recommendation: the Commission staff recommends reducing the combined penalty to $300. The motion: “To find the report was filed late and reduce the penalty to $300” Vote: 5-0.
What to check- The Commission's decision, in the motion and the minutes
The Commission's meeting of 2025-01-29The 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 $32,877 for or against them, more than their campaign's $18,135
Independent expenditures: $23,665 supporting and $9,212 opposing. The largest: Lead Maine Action $12,765 (for); Mainers for Economic Opportunity $10,788 (for); MAINE DEMOCRATIC STATE COMMITTEE $6,553 (against); REBUILD MAINE $2,659 (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
Named in lobbyists' reports
Events and spending on officials that lobbyists reported to the Ethics Commission since 2024 and whose list of officials names Steve Bishop: 10 from 8 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 Legislative Breakfasts · January 2026 · names 17 members | $817.73 |
| Event: Legislative Forestry Expo · March 2025 · names 29 members | $771.57 |
| Event: Legislative Breakfast · February 2025 · names 25 members | $720.50 |
Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast
Dana Doran | Event: Legislative Breakfast · February 2026 · names 43 members | $1,933 |
Appalachian Mountain Club
Elizabeth Townsend | Event: reception · February 2026 · names 15 members | $1,902.59 |
DraftKings Inc.
Michael Saxl | Event: Lunch and Learn Re: LD 1164 · June 2025 · names 98 members | $1,676.92 |
Maine Center for Economic Policy
Maura Pillsbury | Event: Luncheon presentation · May 2025 · names 26 members | $262.50 |
Maine Association of REALTORS
J. Andrew Cashman | Event: Meet & Greet · February 2025 · names 19 members | $3,768.17 |
Retail Association of Maine
Curtis Picard | Event: Legislative Breakfast · January 2025 · names 7 members | $334.60 |
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: Representative · Traditionally financed
$18,530raised to date (the Commission's list, October 17, 2026); $6,569 spent
$18,135itemized in 2025 and 2026, 45 contributions
$5,570raised before 2026 (their 2025 reports)
$0from the candidate (incl. loans)
$11,960cash on hand on September 15, 2026 (42 Day Pre General Report)
Where their contributions come from
59%17%22%
IndividualsBusinessesTrade, professional and issue groupsLabor unionsTribal nationsPolitical partiesOther candidates and officeholders
Compare with all 2026 candidates →
How it was spent: $6,569
Palm cards, signs, stickers$4,046
Social media and online ads$1,061
Apparel$570
Other$500
Not coded$222
Bank and other fees$171
Largest payees: Spectrum Marketing $5,107 Palm cards, signs, stickers · Penny's Custom Embroidery $570 Apparel · Pike Industries $500 Other · Anedot $333 Bank and other fees · Camden National Bank $60 Not coded
Payments in 2026, by the Ethics Commission's expenditure codes.
| Top contributors | Type | Total |
|---|
John Quirk III
automotive industry · Quirk Auto · Bangor | Person | $1,000 |
Robert Jones
Information Requested · Holden; | Person | $1,000 |
Wardwell's Construction
Orland | Business | $1,000 |
Fight for Freedom
Auburn | PAC | $1,000 |
Still Fed Up with Taxes
Turner | PAC | $1,000 |
Dirigo PAC
Alexandria | PAC | $1,000 |
Pike Industries
Belmon | Business | $1,000 |
John Darling
Retired · Retired · Dedham | Person | $1,000 |
Shawn Moody
Automotive Industry · Self Employed · Gorham | Person | $1,000 |
Thomas Quirk
Automotive Industry · Quirk Auto Park · West Enfield | Person | $1,000 |
David Sukeforth
Automotive Industry · Self employed · Bucksport | Person | $1,000 |
Patriot Consulting LLC
Cumberland | | $1,000 |
Scott Hatch
Information Requested · Saco | Person | $500 |
On the Road to Maine's Future
Augusta | PAC | $500 |
Andrew Osborne Sr.
automotive industry · Osborne's Towing · Bucksport | Person | $500 |
Bishop, Steven Matthew 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.