Baldacci taps McKee for Ethics Commission

Gov. John Baldacci has recommended Hallowell attorney Walter McKee to fill a vacancy on the Maine Ethics Commission. He has also recommended that sitting commissioner Ed Youngblood be reappointed.

Baldacci chose McKee from names provided by Maine Speaker of the House Glenn Cummings. Youngblood was recommended by Senate Republican Leader Carol Weston.

McKee will replace Commissioner David Shiah, who resigned from the commission last month.

In a release, Baldacci’s office provided the following biography for McKee:

McKee “currently works as an attorney at Lipman, Katz & McKee in Augusta, where he practices personal injury, criminal defense and general litigation.  He is a graduate of the University of Maine, and received his law degree from the University of Maine School of Law.  McKee served as a Judge Advocate General officer in the Maine Army National Guard from 1996 to 2004.”

The commission oversees Maine’s campaign finance laws, the Clean Election Act and the lobbyist disclosure law. They also advise and conduct investigations on legislative ethics.

The nominations will go first before the Legislature’s Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee, and then the state Senate on Aug. 20 for confirmation.