Former Democratic state representative sentenced to 3 days in jail

Democratic Rep. Clinton Collamore, of Waldoboro, addresses media outside Lincoln County Superior Court shortly before he resigned his seat in February. On Monday, he pleaded guilty to 11 counts of unsworn falsification and one count of violating the Maine Clean Election Act. He maintains that he had no intent to defraud the program. Ben McCanna/Staff Photographer

Former state Democratic Rep. Clinton Collamore, of Waldoboro, will serve 72 hours in jail and be required to perform 100 hours of community service on 11 counts of unsworn falsification and one count of violating the Maine Clean Election Act.

Collamore pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor charges during an appearance Monday at the Lincoln County Courthouse in Wiscasset, the Office of the Maine Attorney General said. Unsworn falsification is a Class D misdemeanor and the Clean Election Act violation is a Class E misdemeanor.

Danna Hayes, spokesperson for the attorney general’s office, said in an email Thursday that 20 additional charges of aggravated forgery (a Class B felony-level crime) were dismissed by state prosecutors as the result of a plea deal reached Monday.

Hayes said the deal will require that Collamore serve three days in jail in October in a first Offender Alternative Sentencing Program in addition to performing 100 hours of community service. Collamore previously paid $14,274 in public campaign funding back to the Maine Ethics Commission, Hayes said.

Collamore, a lobster fisherman and former machinist and union official at Bath Iron Works, was elected to the House District 45 seat in November 2022 after defeating Republican Lynn Madison of Waldoboro. The district includes the towns of Bremen, Friendship, Louds Island, Waldoboro, and Washington.

But on Dec. 15, Collamore was indicted on 33 charges alleging that he signed the names of other people on forms to qualify for taxpayer-funded campaign money. The Maine Clean Elections Act provides funds to candidates who collect $5 minimum contributions and signatures from at least 60 registered voters in their district.

About 200 legislative candidates receive Clean Election Act funding each election year, the commission said.

At his arraignment in February, Collamore pleaded not guilty to all 33 charges. He resigned his seat in the House in February and returned his Clean Action Act campaign funds, along with his salary.

Collamore and his attorney, Richard Elliott of Boothbay Harbor, have maintained throughout that Collamore had no intent to defraud the program.

“I’m human, I made a mistake, and I’m very sorry,” Collamore said at Monday’s court appearance, the Lincoln County News reported.

Collamore’s lawyer said that his client submitted enough valid forms to qualify for funding and that those that were not properly filled out were less than half of the forms he submitted.

In a special election held Tuesday, Republican Abden Simmons defeated Democrat Wendy Pieh for Collamore’s vacant House seat. Simmons, a commercial fisherman, received 52.2% of the vote.

Simmons’ victory will give Republicans one more vote in the House, but Democrats still hold 81 of the 151 seats.