Walk-Through Examines Hannah Pingree’s Record, Political Connections, and the Cost to Maine Taxpayers

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BANGOR, Maine — Maine voters can take a closer look at the political connections, government spending, and insider influence behind Hannah Pingree’s record at “Corruption: The Exhibit,” a temporary, interactive walk-through at 175 Exchange St. in downtown Bangor.

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The exhibit presents the organizers’ case that Pingree’s career reflects a broader problem in Augusta: a political establishment that protects its own, spends taxpayers’ money, and leaves Maine families paying the price. Five themed installations and a documentary viewing area turn that argument into a physical experience visitors can explore for themselves.

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For Republican gubernatorial candidate Bobby Charles, the contrast is about accountability: whether Maine gets another administration built around the same political network or new leadership willing to challenge it.

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Follow the Connections. See the Costs.

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The exhibit takes visitors through Pingree’s family and political network, her role in the Mills administration, her taxpayer-funded compensation, and the financial relationships organizers want Maine voters to scrutinize.

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Instead of a lengthy policy report, visitors encounter a family tree, life-size political cutouts, prop money, and much more. Each station pairs a visual installation with informational posters explaining the organizers’ claims.

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The five stations include:

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• The Family Tree — A physical tree maps connections among Hannah Pingree, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, and the broader political and organizational network examined throughout the exhibit. The display asks visitors to consider where political relationships intersect with public funding and potential conflicts of interest.
• Hannah Is Mills 2.0 — Life-size cutouts and a mirror make the exhibit’s central political argument literal: a Pingree administration would continue the Mills approach. Supporting displays examine energy, spending, housing, healthcare, and issues affecting children.
• 600K From Your Wallet — This station examines the organizers’ claim that taxpayers spent roughly $600,000 on Pingree’s compensation while she led the Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future. It asks what the office accomplished and what Maine taxpayers received in return.
• The Cost of Your Lights — A household dining-room setting with flickering short-circuit lights connects the energy-policy debate to the family budget. The station presents the organizers’ argument that the Mills administration’s climate and energy agenda, which Pingree helped advance, contributed to higher costs.
• The Money Trail — Two clear cylinders illustrate the exhibit’s comparison of Augusta lobbyist contributions to Pingree and Charles. Pingree’s cylinder contains prop money representing those contributions, while Charles’s is empty, reflecting that he has accepted $0 from Augusta lobbyists.

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A Third Mills Term—or a Different Direction?

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The exhibit challenges voters to look beyond promises of change and examine the people, policies, and financial connections that would carry forward into a Pingree administration.

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Its message is straightforward: putting a different name on the same political system does not make it a new direction. Maine families deserve answers about how their money is spent, whose interests shape decisions, and whether the people exercising power in Augusta are accountable to those paying the bills.

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Charles is running to challenge that system and fight for what is legal, ethical, and right. Government should work for Maine people, not serve as a source of influence and opportunity for those already connected to it.

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Plan Your Visit

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“Corruption: The Exhibit” is located at 175 Exchange St., Suite 8, Bangor. The corrected hours are:

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• Tuesday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Wednesday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Thursday: Noon to 8 p.m.
• Friday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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Alongside the five themed stations, a separate viewing area presents “Corruption: The Documentary,” an approximately seven-minute film bringing together the exhibit’s central themes. A designated children’s section includes puzzles and coloring activities for families visiting the exhibit.

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Visitors are encouraged to examine the displays, and scrutinize the record for themselves.

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Cut crime. Cut taxes. No nonsense.

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Learn more and join the movement at BobbyForMaine.com.