(The Center Square) — Republican gubernatorial candidate Bobby Charles has been fined by a Maine ethics panel after admitting that his campaign accepted contributions that exceeded the state's fundraising limits.

The Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices, which oversees the state's campaign finance laws, voted Monday to issue $22,000 in penalties and fines to Charles' campaign for allegedly accepting more than $54,000 in excessive contributions for his campaign for governor. The campaign must also return the excessive contributions the panel ruled.

The investigation was prompted by a complaint from the Maine Democratic Party, which had called on the commission to investigate whether the Charles campaign had accepted contributions over the limit. Under Maine election laws, a contributor may give up to $2,075 per election cycle to a candidate for governor.

In a letter to Commission Executive Director Jonathan Wayne ahead of Monday's hearing, lawyers for the Charles campaign had asked the panel to delay consideration of the allegations until Nov. 18 — more than two weeks after the election — to give it more time to prepare its defense. The campaign also suggested it would seek "judicial review" of any final determination by the board.

"The campaign takes contribution limits seriously and appreciates staff’s assistance in identifying and resolving the transactions at issue," Charles' lawyers wrote.

The Charles campaign also urged the commission not to issue a fine if it ruled on the allegations, citing the determination of its staff members that Charles hadn't "deliberately accepted contributions exceeding the applicable limit."

"Staff’s stated belief that the Campaign did not deliberately accept excessive contributions, together with the Campaign’s cooperation, refunds, and reporting corrections, weighs strongly against the proposed assessment," they wrote.

But Maine Democratic Party Spokesperson Lauryn Fanguen said the commission "did the right thing and sent a clear message to the Charles campaign: You are not above the law."

"Bobby Charles’ blatant disregard for law and order is disqualifying and now he must face the consequences of his actions," she said. "Today it was at the Ethics Commission, next week it will be at the ballot box. Mainers deserve transparency and accountability. The Commission ruled in favor of Maine people."

There was no immediate comment from Charles’ campaign to the ruling or whether it would appeal the decision in court.

Charles, a Leeds attorney and former Navy intelligence officer, is facing Democrat Hannah Pingree in the wide-open race to replace outgoing Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, who is termed out. Independent candidate Rick Bennett is also running.

Pingree, a former speaker of the House of Representatives, edged out Dr. Nirav Shah, former Senate President Troy Jackson, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and Angus King III in the Democratic primary to win the party's nomination. Charles defeated Jonathan Bush, the nephew of former Republican President George H.W. Bush, businessman Ben Midgley among others.

Both won their primary races after a ranked-choice voting tabulation held more than a week after the election. Maine is one of only two states that use ranked-choice voting, and the system factored heavily in the gubernatorial and congressional primary races, as well as several down-ballot contests. It could also be used to decide the general election if neither Pingree or Charles gets a majority of the vote in the first round of balloting.