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A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 14 december 2023

Lawsuits target Maine referendum aimed at curbing foreign

influence in local elections

By DAVID SHARP Hydro Quebec, spent $22
Associated Press million to influence a proj-
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — ect on which it’s a partner
Two utilities and two me- in Maine.
dia organizations are su- That hydropower corridor
ing over a referendum in project ultimately moved
Maine that closed a loop- forward after legal chal-
hole in federal election law lenges.
that allows foreign entities But there are implications
to spend on local and state for Maine-based utilities,
ballot measures. too.
The three lawsuits take The law applies to Versant
aim at the proposal over- because it’s owned by the
whelmingly approved by city of Calgary in Alberta,
voters on Nov. 7 to address Canada, but it’s unclear
foreign election influence. whether it applies to Cen-
The Maine Association of tral Maine Power.
Broadcasters and Maine CMP’s corporate parent
Press Association contend Avangrid narrowly missed
the new law that goes into the cutoff by one measure.
effect on Jan. 5. imposes It is owned by a Spanish
a censorship mandate on company not the govern-
news outlets, which are go- ment and minority share-
ing to be required to police Supporters of “No CMP Corridor” attend a rally at the State Office Building on Feb. 3, 2020, in holders owned by foreign
campaign ads to ensure Augusta, Maine. governments, Norway’s
there’s no foreign govern- Associated Press central bank Norges Bank
ment influence. Government Ethics and who led the effort to put he said. and the government-
Meanwhile, Central Maine Campaign Practices is the proposal on the bal- The referendum, which was owned Qatar Investment
Power and Versant, the studying the federal com- lot, said Wednesday that approved by a margin of Authority, together fall be-
state’s largest electric utili- plaints filed Tuesday and the federal lawsuits “speak 86% to 14%, bans foreign low the 5% threshold.
ties, each filed separate consulting with the attorney volumes about what a de- governments or compa- But Qatar Investment Au-
lawsuits raising constitu- general, Jonathan Wayne, plorable state that we’ve nies with 5% or more for- thority also has an 8.7% mi-
tional challenges about the commission’s executive reached in our politics.” eign government owner- nority stake in Spain-based
the law they claim violates director, said Wednesday “This is something that Main- ship from donating to state Iberdrola, which owns
their free speech and en- in an email. ers are united about. Their referendum races. Avangrid and CMP, and
gagement on issues affect- The attorney general’s of- voices are being drowned The proposal was put on that’s part of the reason
ing them. fice declined comment. out by these people who the ballot after a Canadian CMP argues that the law is
The Maine Commission on State Sen. Rick Bennett, are bringing the lawsuits,” government-owned utility, unconstitutionally vague.q

‘Something catastrophic’ broke support rod on Rhode Island

bridge

By KATHY McCORMACK The bridge carries close to posed that created a kind Bridge, showing before- on the eastbound side for
and DAVID SHARP 100,000 vehicles every day. of catastrophic failure in and-after photos of the now. Bypass lanes for west-
Associated Press “Our engineers are telling these supports,” Peter Alviti damage. Travel conditions bound traffic on the east-
A review of state inspection us that very evidently there said at a news conference were improving Wednes- bound side will open this
reports of a critical Rhode was some kind of load im- about the Washington day after the sudden west- weekend, and the Trans-
Island bridge that was par- bound closure late Monday portation Department was
tially shut down over safety afternoon, which stranded working on setting up a fer-
concerns, resulting in ma- commuters for hours and ry service and a bus shuttle.
jor traffic headaches, led sent others veering off their Alviti warned of the
authorities to believe that normal path. Some schools bridge’s poor condition in
“something catastrophic” closed and held classes re- a 2019 grant application
happened since July that motely. to rehabilitate the bridge
broke a support rod, the “What’s normally a morn- and make improvements
state’s director of transpor- ing commute time of a to traffic flow, writing that it
tation said Wednesday. 40-to-45-minute drive was was “nearing a permanent
State authorities described 4 1/2 hours,” John Marion, state of disrepair.”
the problem as a critical executive director of Com- Constructed in 1969, the
structural failure. The bridge mon Cause Rhode Island, westbound portion of the
carries Interstate 195 over said of his commute Tues- Washington Bridge was
the Seekonk River from Construction crews work on the eastbound lanes of day. He was able to work rated as “poor” accord-
Providence to East Provi- the Washington Bridge in Providence, R.I., Aug. 4, from home on Wednesday. ing to the Federal Highway
dence and serves as a key 2007. Construction crews work on the eastbound lanes of the The repair work could take Administration’s National
gateway to Providence, Washington Bridge in Providence, R.I., Aug. 4, 2007. months. Traffic was being Bridge Inventory released
the state’s largest city. Associated Press redirected to two lanes in June.q