AUGUSTA, Maine — The Maine ethics commission says a lobbyist for a proposed casino should have registered with the state sooner than he did.
The Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices also ruled Thursday that Peter Martin of Black Bear Entertainment, which wants to bring casino gambling to western Maine, failed to report he received a $50,000 payment. Together, the two violations could bring fines of about $5,000.
Black Bear has not decided whether to appeal the fines.
Martin says he didn’t think he passed the threshold requiring him to register as a lobbyist, but he filed after a complaint was filed by casino opponent Dennis Bailey. His lawyer also says not reporting the $50,000 payment was inadvertent. Voters will decide in November whether to allow the casino.