Merrimack County Sheriff Not Featured In Hassan Police Mailer

CONCORD, NH — As U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan continues to promote support she has from some law enforcement circles, the campaign's supporters appears to have abandoned mentioning one county sheriff whose office was hit by sexual harassment allegations.

In late September, after former Gen. Don Bolduc was endorsed by the New England Police Benevolent Association, Hassan’s reelection campaign launched an ad featuring two county sheriffs, David Croft in Merrimack County and Jeff Stiegler in Grafton County.

In the ad, the sheriffs, who are two of the four Democrat sheriffs in New Hampshire, said Hassan, while governor, supported police and, as a senator, had supported border security and funding to keep New Hampshire safe.

The ad, “Safety,” can be seen here on YouTube.com.

The campaign also highlighted the ad on its website.

Stiegler was quoted as saying, “As law enforcement, we want what’s best for our neighbors. Maggie Hassan knows that, and she does, too.”

The campaign noted the senator voted to support the hiring of more than 100,000 new police officers, legislation to crack down on fentanyl trafficking from China and Mexico, and the hiring of more border agents.

About a week later, Patch posted a story about multiple sexual harassment and inappropriate comments which were investigated inside the Merrimack County Sheriff’s Office as well as a mass exodus of employees in the department since he took over in January 2021. Croft was not accused of sexual harassment or misconduct. But the investigation revealed “gender bias within the sheriff’s department with regard to assignments and training,” since he took over the department.

Last week, the New Hampshire Democratic Party sent a mailer to voters in Concord stressing the same themes from the television ad. Stiegler's quote from the television ad was featured in the mailer. But Croft was missing.

Patch has been trying to reach the campaign for comment, but it has not returned requests for comment.

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