Law firms, lobbyists, business pay for Mills’ inauguration

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — More than a quarter million dollars including donations from law firms, lobbyists and businesses is funding Democratic Gov. Janet Mills’ inaugural activities, capped with a party Thursday evening.

Law firm Bernstein Shur and ND Paper Inc, which owns a paper mill in Old Town, donated $20,000 apiece, while Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Charter Communications and law firm Pierce Atwood ponied up $10,000 apiece, according to the first disclosure reports this week. A final fundraising report is due next month.

The money was being used to pay for the governor’s formal inauguration on Wednesday, along with a party Thursday evening featuring food and entertainment, both at the Augusta Civic Center.

The menu for the invitation-only event Thursday gave a nod to Maine’s diverse culture, with Italian sandwiches, Shuck’s Lobster mac & cheese, Maine Coast Fishermen’s monkfish stew, and African chicken and peanut stew, to name a few. Music was being provided by three bands.

After her first election, it took nearly a year for Mills’ campaign to settle up after conducting an extra round of fundraising to cover a cost that was $60,000 higher than expected. That led to a $2,000 fine from the ethics commission under a 2015 law on inaugural finances.