Maine Ethics Commission to investigate website attacking gubernatorial candidate Ben Midgley

Maine's Ethics Commission will investigate an attack website targeting GOP gubernatorial candidate Ben Midgley, just weeks before the June 9 primary. Midgley's campaign alleges opponent Bobby Charles is tied to the site, citing a payment for domain services on the day it was registered. The Charles campaign denies involvement via a sworn affidavit, but its consultant admitted to creating two other negative websites against primary rivals.

Maine Ethics Commission investigation

• ▪The Maine Ethics Commission agreed on May 27, 2026, to investigate a website attacking Republican gubernatorial candidate Ben Midgley.
• ▪The investigation was launched less than two weeks before the June 9 Republican primary election.
• ▪The commission's investigation is focused on the website itself, not directly on candidate Bobby Charles.

Midgley campaign allegations against Charles

• ▪The allegation was based on a $50 Charles campaign expenditure for GoDaddy services on March 26, the same day midgleyexposed.com was registered there.
• ▪Ben Midgley's campaign alleged that primary opponent Bobby Charles had ties to the attack website midgleyexposed.com.
• ▪Lauren LePage, Midgley's campaign manager, said the investigation was requested because the attack was "uniquely attributed to the Charles campaign."

Charles campaign denial via affidavit

• ▪Mackin claimed the March 26 payment to Harris Media was for a different domain.
• ▪In a signed affidavit, the Charles campaign's media consultant, Vincent Harris, denied any involvement with the website midgleyexposed.com.
• ▪The Charles campaign's attorney, Anna Mackin, stated the campaign had no involvement with midgleyexposed.com.

Attack website registration details

• ▪The allegation was based on a $50 Charles campaign expenditure for GoDaddy services on March 26, the same day midgleyexposed.com was registered there.
• ▪The website midgleyexposed.com was published in late March and has since been taken down.

GOP primary campaign tactics

• ▪The Charles campaign asserted it followed all required disclosure laws for the two negative websites it acknowledged creating.
• ▪The Charles campaign's media consultant admitted to creating two other negative websites targeting opponents Ben Midgley and Garrett Mason.
• ▪Bobby Charles has run a "Trump-style shock and awe campaign," while his opponents have united against him for skipping debates.
• ▪Seven Republican candidates are competing in the June 9 primary for governor of Maine.

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