In the Merrimack Valley Part Two: Dust-Up in Andover-Lawrence-Tewksbury’s 17th Essex Rep Race

November 28, 2010 by Marie Posted in Politics, Greater Lowell 4 Comments

On the GOP side – State Representative-elect Paul Adams is also under the scrutiny of the Eagle-Tribune. As noted in today’s Keith Eddings article – there’s a question as to the source of his campaign funds:

None of the 338 candidates who ran for the Massachusetts House of Representatives this year spent more of their own money on their campaigns than Andover Republican Paul Adams, financial disclosure forms show.

Adams infused his race for the 17th Essex seat with $50,000 of his own cash, 10 times what his Democratic opponent, Patricia Commane, spent from her savings. Although Commane collected more from contributors, Adams’s hefty personal investment allowed him to outspend her by more than 2-to-1, giving him a clear financial advantage that helped him pile up nearly 56 percent of the vote in the Nov. 2 election.

What’s less clear is where the $50,000 came from.

The question is rooted in the information provided in financial disclosures and claims about employment history and college studies that Adams made in his campaign literature, on his campaign Facebook page, in official disclosure forms and in interviews with The Eagle-Tribune. Eddings notes they “do not appear to add up.”

Claims of college honors, paid professional political jobs, paid consultant work for the Coalition for Marriage and Family group appear to be undocumented. Also, the $50,000 contribution might have him in hot water with the Campaign and Finance regulations:

Adams also may have run afoul of a third campaign finance law, which bars House candidates from lending their campaigns more than $30,000 in a primary and a similar amount in a general election. Of the $50,000 Adams lent his campaign, $35,000 came in the primary, his disclosure forms show.

It turns out that his employment as a $61,440 a year state representative “may be his first real job” – notes Pat Commane. Adams appears to be starting off his new job on shakey footing. He’s clearly in the sites of  local and state activist Democrats as well as local media even before his swearing-in in January.

Read the full Eagle-Tribune article here.

For full disclosure: I am a member of the Massachusetts Democratic State Committee representing the Second/Essex Middlesex District and I live in Tewksbury in the 17th Essex Rep District.

4 Responses to In the Merrimack Valley Part Two: Dust-Up in Andover-Lawrence-Tewksbury’s 17th Essex Rep Race

  1. Publius says:

    Many people in the private sector would not consider a state rep as a “real job”, The question as where the money came from is a red herring. I never knew that it had to be “documented” except for Democrats who gripe when Massachusetts Republicans occassionally win,

    Regarding the timing of the contributions to the campaign, Marie why don’t you talk about Barry Finegold’s many violations of campaign regulations are doyou just save your criticsms for Republicans.

  2. Marie says:

    Aah Publius! As my good friend Pat McCarthy likes to tell me – I just observe and report on the news stories of others… The research on this story was done by the E-T reporter. However, like it or not, candidates do need to file information with the OCPF and follow the General Laws . That disclosure and other personal information disclosed in any media and/or campaign materials is fair game for analysis – no matter the candidate or their party. Let the chips fall where they may!

  3. Renee Aste says:

    I know during the election, Tom Duggan of the Valley Patriot took caution and raised alert when the Mayor of Lawrence (Democrat) endorsed him. I know we want successful and established candidates in their professional life to run, but the need to self-finance is a detriment that many otherwise good candidates couldn’t do.