Diamond, Mitchell lead in individual PAC money

When it comes to leadership political action committees, two state senators have far more in their coffers than their colleagues.

Bill Diamond (D-Windham) had $31,722 in Diamond PAC, and Libby Mitchell (D-Vassalboro) had $19,657 in the Mitchell Leadership Fund, both as of the last filing period July 22.

Diamond said he will put the PAC money toward his re-election bid and community action programs such as Neighbors Helping Neighbors.

Diamond is running for re-election this year, but denied rumors that he will run for governor in 2010, stating that it is too soon to make any decisions and he is focusing on his current race. The former secretary of state is known around the Senate as a moderate who will sometimes cross party lines.

Mitchell said most of the money in her PAC will go to the Senate Democratic Campaign Committee. Democrats currently have a one-seat advantage in the State Senate. Mitchell serves as Senate majority leader and will likely be the next Senate president if the Democrats maintain the majority. She is a former speaker of the House.

Mitchell gave $10,000 to the SDCC on June 3.

Looking at partisan leadership PACs coming out of the primaries, the Democrats had a greater edge over the Republicans. On July 22, the Senate Democratic Campaign Committee had $124,626 and the Maine Senate Republican Committee had $68,660.

On the House side, the House Democratic Campaign Committee had $58,675, whereas the House Republican Committee had $25,053

A closer look at Diamond’s PAC activity, contributions and expenditures under $100 not listed:

May 28 to July 15, 2008

Contributions: None

Expenditures: $250 to his campaign, $250 for Rep. Steve Hanley’s (D-Gardiner) reelection bid; three charitable donations of $400, $200 and $371

April 1 to May 27, 2008

Contributions: $500 from Pfizer Inc., a New York pharmaceutical company

Expenditures: One $500 charitable contribution; $500 registration fee for the Council of State Legislatures conference

January 6 to March 31, 2008

Contributions: None

Expenditures: Two $500 donations to local Democratic committees; Several campaign expenses totaling more than $1,000, one $200 charitable contribution

Oct. 1, 2007 to January 5, 2008

Contributions: $2,500 from Altria Corporate Services; $1,000 from Kraft Foods Global; $2,500 from Reynolds American; $1,000 from FPL Energy Maine; $1,000 from the Food Products Association; $500 from McCain Foods (Illinois); $1,500 from Miller Brewing Co.; $4,000 from the Maine Assn. of Realtors; three other contributions less than $500.

Expenditures: $5,000 to the Senate Democratic Committee; $1,000 to Ethan Strimling for Congress; $550 to send himself to the legislative summit on prison sentencing

July 7 to Sept. 30, 2007

Contributions: $500 from Feld Entertainment; $500 from Anheuser-Busch; $500 from Cigna PAC; $500 from Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield; $500 from Monsanto; $500 from Pharmaceutical research and Manufacturers of America; $1,000 from Aetna, $500 from Miller Brewing Company; $500 from the National Rifle Assn. of America; $1,000 from the Bangor Historic Track, Inc.; $500 from Somerset Associates

Expenditures: $250 to state Sen. Nancy Sullivan (D-Biddeford); $303 for printing costs; $862 to the Augusta Country Club

A closer look at Mitchell’s PAC activity, contributions and expenditures under $100 not listed:

May 28 to July 15, 2008

Contributions: $1,300 from Wyeth Good Government Fund

Expenditures: $10,000 to the Maine Senate Democratic Campaign Committee; $350 to the Maine Democratic Party

April 1 to May 27, 2008

Contributions: Three $100 and three $250 individual contributions

Expenditures: $727 for travel

January 6 to March 31, 2008

Contributions: None

Expenditures: $250 to Equality Maine

Oct. 1, 2007 to January 5, 2008

Contributions: $1,000 from Wellpoint Inc., a health benefits company; $1,000 from the Maine Health Care Assn. PAC; $500 from Pineau Policy Associates; $1,000 from James F. Mitchell Company, Inc.; $500 from First Atlantic Healthcare; $1,500 from Drummond, Woodsum and MacMahon; $500 from Hollywood Slots at Bangor; $1,000 from Verrill Dana; $500 from Citizens for Justice in Maine; $1,000 from Maine Governmental Relations; $1,000 from Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC; $1,000 from Verizon Communication Corp., Maine; $1,000 from Schaller Anderson Med Administration; $1,000 from Diageo North America, Inc.; $1,000 from Philip Morris USA; $1,000 from Medco Health Solutions, Inc.; $2,000 from Food Products Assn.; $500 from McCain Foods; $500 from John Orestis, President of North Country Associates; $1,000 from AT&T Services; $1,000 from Bernstein Shur Government Solutions; $1,000 from Miller Brewer Company; $1,000 from Abbott Laboratories Employee PAC; $1,000 from FPL Energy Maine; $500 from Eli Lilly and Company; $1,000 from Waste Management; 10 corporate and PAC contributions under $500; seven individual contributions between $200 and $300; 36 $100 contributions

Expenditures: $10,000 to the SDCC; $1,123 for two separate fundraisers; $332 for travel; $163 for printing; three entries under $100

July 7 to Sept. 30, 2007

Contributions: $1,000 from McTeague, Higbee, Case, Cohen, Whitney and Toker; $500 from the Telephone Assn of Maine; $500 from Maine TruckPAC; $500 from Rite Aid; $1,000 from the Maine Beer and Wine Wholesalers Assn.; $500 from Pierce Atwood; $200 from Nona Boyink, Vice President of Maine General Health; Three contributions $100 or less

Expenditures: $180 for photo expenses, two expenditures less than $100

Other legislative leadership PACS:

Note: These were the candidate PACs PolitickerME could identify from the Ethics Commission Web site. Did I miss one? Please leave a comment or e-mail me.

Other active candidate PACs with more than $1,000 as of July 22, the last filing deadline: Berry for Maine $1,345 (Rep. Seth Berry, D-Bowdoinham); Bromley Leadership Maine $1,724 (Sen. Lynn Bromley, D-South Portland); Damon ’08 $1,985 (Sen. Dennis Damon, D-Trenton); Pingree Leadership Fund $4,473 (Hannah Pingree, D-North Haven, candidate for Speaker of the House); Cummings Leadership Fund $5,558 (Rep. Glenn Cummings, D-Portland, outgoing Speaker of the House); and Edmonds Leadership PAC $8,090 (Sen. Beth Edmonds, D-Freeport, outgoing Senate President).

Edmonds has said that funds from her PAC will go to help Senate Democrats.