Mark Twain once said, “A half-truth is the most cowardly of lies.”

South Portland has been flooded with half-truths, misinformation and outright fabrications, all financed by a deluge of cash – nearly $600,000, to be exact.

And that’s what’s really driving this debate – the almighty dollar. It bought the erroneous Lawton report, canvassers, robo-calls, mailers, humungous posters, PR firms and a disputation of lawyers.

And they hope to buy our votes and us!

Incidentally, the campaign for votes has engendered in some the license to perform questionable, if not illegal, acts. Threats have been made to Tom Blake and his wife, and their property has suffered from vandalism, simply for his public and eloquent support of the ordinance. WPO signs have been damaged or stolen – signs paid for by people, not corporations. Certain individuals on our own City Council have engaged in, what can best be described as Tammany Hall fashion.

This is shameful behavior, although I am confident that the working waterfront itself has not condoned it.

In any event, an informed citizenry will best serve us all at the polls on Nov 5. I ask all residents of South Portland to follow the cash trail and discover the truth behind the oil industry’s push to discredit and defeat the WPO.

I did, and then I voted for my wife and three kids. I voted for clean water and cleaner air. I voted for my neighbors and city. I voted for Maine.

I voted for the Waterfront Protection Ordinance.

William Duffy

South Portland