Ethics commission looking into anti-LePage calls, gay marriage repeal funding

AUGUSTA, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- The Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics is looking into two cases having to do with recent elections.

First, the commission has agreed to investigate automated phone calls placed to homes in maine a day before the june primary, in which the person in the recording seemed to be asking voters not to vote for Republican Paul LePage.

LePage actually ended up winning the primary by a substantial margin.

Also, the commission says the "National Organization for Marriage," which funded ads for a 2009 referendum question here in Maine that overturned the same sex marriage law passed by the legislature and signed by the governor, must turn over its list of donors.

The commission wants to know if people who contributed to the organization donated money specifically for the Maine campaign.

If so, those names would have to be made public, according to Maine law.

The organization argues its donors would be subject to harassment if their names were made public -- and that it is not required to turn over that list.

It is fighting the inquiry in court.

The suit was brought about by the group Californians Against Hate.