Spencer: House Speaker Should Remove 2 Reps. Who Violated Accepted Norms, Standards Of Public Service

By LOUISE SPENCER, InDepth NH

Dear Speaker Packard,

I am writing on behalf of the Kent Street Coalition* urging you, in your role as Speaker of the New Hampshire House, to take immediate disciplinary action against Representative Kristin Nobel and Representative Matt Sabourin dit Choinière for conduct that violates accepted norms and standards of public service and undermines the trust of the people of New Hampshire.

Unfortunately, it has become increasingly common to witness legislators making comments or engaging in behavior that raise serious questions about their commitment to representing all Granite Staters. In the past week alone, however, two GOP legislators made it explicit that they see their role as representing some, but not all. Even more troubling, their actions were rooted in divisive world views that have no place in our State House.

Representative Kristin Nobel, Chair of the House Education Policy and Administration Committee, expressed a preference—via a now-leaked Signal chat—for “segregated schools,” stating that some children would “get the good stuff” while others would not. When confronted, Rep. Nobel attempted to reframe her comments as referring to political rather than racial segregation. This explanation is insufficient and deeply troubling. The term “segregation” carries a specific and painful meaning in the history of public education in this country, affirmed most clearly in Brown v. Board of Education. Moreover, Rep. Nobel’s legislative record reflects policies that advantage certain children over others, reinforcing the harm of her remarks.

Taken together, Rep. Nobel’s words and actions demonstrate that she is unfit to serve as Chair of the House Education Policy and Administration Committee. She should be removed from that position immediately.

Representative Matt Sabourin dit Choinière’s conduct is equally alarming. At a public hearing on HB 1162, a straightforward bill to extend the Commission on Holocaust and Genocide Studies, Rep. Sabourin dit Choinière introduced an amendment to add a member from the so-called Committee for the Open Debate on the Holocaust—an organization widely recognized as promoting Holocaust “revisionism.” He also appeared to have invited multiple out-of-state witnesses who used the hearing to advance antisemitic and Holocaust-denying narratives, including testimony from individuals known to organizations such as the Southern Poverty Law Center Hatewatch program.

Promoting Holocaust denial and antisemitic conspiracy theories is incompatible with public service. Rep. Sabourin dit Choinière should be removed from his committee assignments as a matter of principle and accountability.

The New Hampshire House must remain a place where hate, exclusion, and historical denial are not tolerated. I respectfully ask that you act swiftly to sanction both representatives and reaffirm that our legislature is committed to representing all Granite Staters with fairness, dignity, and integrity.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. The courtesy of your response is appreciated.

Sincerely,

Louise Spencer
Co-founder, Kent Street Coalition

This article first appeared on InDepthNH.org and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.