Throughout the signature-gathering process for the referendum to stop the Central Maine Power corridor, I heard accounts of volunteers who were harassed by a sharp-dressed man while out collecting signatures. One young woman told me she was followed while delivering petitions to town offices for certification. And now, CMP has revealed that they hired a private investigator to dig up dirt on project opponents in an effort to discredit the hard work of hundreds of volunteers.

This is a shocking and frightening revelation. CMP filed these findings with the Secretary of State’s Office in an attempt to cast shade on our momentous effort to give the voters of Maine a say on this project. But all CMP showed was how low they will stoop to make this $1 billion corridor a reality.

This is a horrifying new low in Maine politics. CMP has crossed a red line. Maine’s voters, legislators and regulators cannot stand for this type of intimidation. For many corridor opponents, we are truly jarred by this news. We don’t know how far CMP will go. Our families and friends are involved and we have plenty of anecdotal evidence of volunteers around the state feeling as if they were followed or watched.

Regardless of where you stand on the referendum, CMP must not be allowed to get away with this unethical behavior. This is not politics as usual: It is harassment, plain and simple. This is another example on a long list of why Mainers don’t trust CMP.

Sandra Howard

director, Say NO to NECEC

Caratunk

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