BY MATT WICKENHEISER

Portland Press Herald

Supporters of Maine's same-sex marriage law have raised almost $2.7 million to fight a people's veto, reports show, compared with about $1.1 million raised by supporters of the repeal.

The No on 1 Protect Maine Equality political action committee said Tuesday in its report to the state ethics commission that most of the money -- $2.56 million -- was raised in the three months that began July 1 and ended Sept. 30.

Stand for Marriage Maine, the PAC supporting a people's veto of the law to legalize same-sex marriage, had raised $1.14 million in all, $794,180 of it in the third quarter. Officials with Stand for Marriage Maine could not be reached for comment Tuesday night. In an e-mail to supporters, the group's chairman, Marc Mutty, used the fundraising disparity as a call for more donations.

Mutty pointed to the "astonishing financial advantage" his group's opponents had. He noted the latest polls, which put the two sides about even, and suggested that may change if Stand for Marriage Maine doesn't get more funding.

Stand for Marriage Maine had spent $941,361 as of Sept. 30, and had $66,255 in cash. It also listed $419,000 in unpaid debts and obligations. That included $284,570 to Marketing Communications Services Inc. of San Francisco for TV production services and $62,444 to a campaign consultant, Schubert Flint of Sacramento, Calif.

In a statement on the fundraising, Mutty said the finance reports portray "a disturbing, but unsurprising reality."

"Our opponents, while claiming to be the home-grown, locally supported campaign, have amassed from virtually every state in the nation a campaign fortune of more than $2 million to destroy traditional marriage in Maine," he said.

Jesse Connolly, campaign manager for No on 1, said his group's opponents "can spin these numbers however they like."

"What this really shows is, there's a lot of people in Maine and across the country that want Maine to provide equality for all its citizens," said Connolly.

According to No on 1, about half of the $2.56 million raised in the third quarter came from people in Maine. The PAC's finance report is 454 pages long, detailing donations from states as far away as Hawaii, as well as how the group spent its money.

Page after page of the report shows individual donations ranging from less than $50 to several hundred dollars. There are also some big numbers, with 29 individuals and 10 groups giving more than $10,000 apiece.

Topping the list of individuals are Donald Sussman, a New York City hedge fund manager who lives in Maine, who gave $225,000; Esmond Harmsworth, a founding partner of the Zachary Shuster Harmsworth Literary Agency, who gave $100,000; Paul Singer, founder of the New York City hedge fund Elliott Associates, who gave $100,000; and Diane Sammer of Harpswell, a high-tech entrepreneur who gave $60,000.

Groups that gave large sums to No on 1 include the Human Rights Campaign, which donated $155,000 in cash and in-kind contributions; EqualityMaine, which donated $90,000; the Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, which donated $87,000 in cash and in-kind; and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, which donated $75,000.

No on 1 had spent $2.1 million as of Sept. 30, according to its report, including $1.49 million for TV commercial production and placement with Virginia-based McMahon Squier & Associates.

The PAC also spent $115,7000 with a Washington, D.C., polling firm/consultant, Greenberg Quinlan Rosner, and $221,000 with Connecticut-based Mission Control for direct mailings.

The PAC had $462,481 in cash at the end of the period, and did not list any debts or obligations.

According to Stand for Marriage Maine's report, about 380 people and groups -- mostly individuals -- donated to the PAC. The 23 pages of donors show that many are from Maine, though donations from across the country appear.

Most were $100 to $500, though there were a few big donors. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland donated $245,000. The New Jersey-based National Organization for Marriage donated $300,000, and Focus on the Family of Colorado donated $50,000.

Last week, the Portland diocese said it had received numerous donations from other dioceses and bishops around the country, to support Stand for Marriage Maine. It was unclear Tuesday night whether the $245,000 includes those donations.

Stand for Marriage Maine spent $114,045 with National Petition Management Inc. of Michigan in its successful effort to get the people's veto on the Nov. 3 ballot. It also spent $360,000 with Marketing Communications Services for TV production services.

Ted O'Meara, head of a public affairs and communications consulting firm, said the reports were revealing. His firm is not involved in the campaign.

"No matter how you slice it, and no matter where the money comes from, money is an indication of support," said O'Meara.

But it doesn't mean an election is won, he said. "The political landscape is littered with candidates and issues that have outspent their opponents and lost."