Right to know who influences the vote

The National Organization for Marriage (just not yours) has a long record of spending huge amounts of money to defeat marriage equality ballot campaigns. Fortunately, their string of victories ended a couple years ago. As part of their method of operation they have consistently refused to reveal their donors (rumored to be two or three deep pockets, spoiling their illusion of being a grass-roots organization) and defying state laws when necessary to do so.

Yes, they've been taken to court and each stage of the battle has gone against them. So far, though, names have not been released. The latest news of the skirmish comes from Maine and that state's equality battle in 2009 (it was the redo in 2012 that allowed gays to marry there). The Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices had found NOM guilty of money laundering and failure to file necessary campaign forms. The penalty is a fine of over $50K and a release of their donor names. NOM, of course, remains defiant. It now goes up the legal hierarchy. Similar investigations are underway in Iowa, New Hampshire, and (I think) Washington state.

The Bangor Daily News praises the ruling by the Ethics Comission, saying voters have a right to know who tries to influence a vote. Alas, BDN has something strange in their website -- one must answer a couple advertising related questions (Do you know this brand?) to read beyond the first paragraph. My one sentence summary is probably enough.