No Labels’ foray into direct politics isn’t going well

The “centrist” political group No Labels, that bastion of both-sidesism, has been garnering some labels of late, including “deceptive," “spoiler,” and “defendant.” The group, which was founded in 2010, claims to be a place where Democrats and Republicans who “care about this country more than the demands of any political party” can find common ground. Or find big donors who like to pretend they’re nonpartisan, where a simple guy like West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin can have his ego stroked and be told even he could be president.

No Labels has decided to move from being just a money-making group to registering in all states to become an official party and sending canvassers out to sign up members. It’s that last part that got them in trouble in Maine, where they signed people up using what appeared to be a petition but was actually a change in party enrollment form. Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows sent a cease and desist letter to the group last week telling them to knock it off after Maine voters started complaining to local clerks that their party enrollment had changed. More than 6,000 Maine voters signed those party re-enrollment forms.