No additional investigation is needed into allegations that Senate President Troy Jackson violated state campaign finance laws by living outside of his district, the state ethics commission voted Wednesday.
The five-member, bipartisan panel unanimously agreed with a staff recommendation that there’s not enough evidence to show Jackson, a Democrat, is living outside of his hometown of Allagash.
Ethic Commission Chairman William Schneider, who served as attorney general under former Republican Gov. Paul LePage, said he believes the evidence is conclusive that Jackson is a resident of Allagash, despite spending much of his time living in Augusta.
“In evaluating the evidence that’s been presented to us and our jurisdiction in the matter, I conclude that you are a resident for purposes of state of Maine law and areas we’re supervising, of Allagash,” he said.
Rep. John Andrews (R-South Paris) filed a complaint with the commission in September accusing Jackson of living outside his district in violation of the Maine Constitution.
The accusation is based on reporting by the Maine Wire, a conservative news outlet run by the Maine Policy Institute.
The story, first published by the Maine Wire Aug. 29, states that Jackson signed a federal mortgage contract saying that a property he purchased in Augusta in 2019 would serve as his primary residence.
Jackson told the commission Wednesday that he did sign the loan paperwork saying that the home would be his primary residence because as a member of legislative leadership, he spends the majority of his time in Augusta.
But Allagash is his home, he said.
“It’s where I vote,” he said. “It’s where my parents grew up. It’s where my grandparents grew up. It’s when my children grew up. It’s where I’m going to go back. Whatever happens in the future, that’s always going to be home to me.”
Jackson, 55, is currently serving his fourth consecutive term in the Senate and his third term as Senate President, the second highest ranking political position in Maine behind only the governor.
He is ineligible to run for another Senate term next November because of term limits. Next year will be his 20th year in the Legislature.
The Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices staff considered whether Jackson “submitted false information concerning his residence to the Commission in 2020 when he ran for re-election and split his time between Allagash and Augusta,” according to the staff memo recommending against further investigation.
The investigation by the commission staff referenced advice from the attorney general’s office that dates to the 1970s that indicates “legislators may live temporarily outside their district, provided that they have sufficient ties to the district and intend to return there.”
After the vote, Jackson told reporters that he worries these allegations will make it harder for rural legislators to do their jobs.
“People need government to work for them,” he said. “I truly believe that. These type of accusations and claims just get in the way. It’s unfortunate this is where we are now in Maine. It’s certainly going to hurt the institution.”
Andrews said after the meeting that he’s glad the commission clarified that they believe Jackson’s home is Allagash, because he continues to believe that proves Jackson lied on the mortgage forms saying that his primary residence is in Augusta.
He plans to take the issue to U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee in hopes she will investigate.
“I would really welcome her taking a look at this,” he said.