Judge puts brakes on new law banning foreign government spending on referendums

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A federal judge is delaying the implementation of a voter-approved law in Maine that aimed to close an election law loophole to stop foreign government spending on referendums. U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen issued a preliminary injunction after lawsuits by Maine’s two largest electric utilities and organizations representing newspapers and broadcasters, finding enough merit in their arguments to stop the law from going into effect until after the litigation is completed in federal court. Mainers had voted overwhelmingly in November to ban foreign governments, or companies with 5% or more foreign government ownership, from donating to future referendum races.