Moyer: NH AG Cleared Hassan, Despite Horn's Salacious Allegations

By Herb Moyer/Exeter

It is completely understandable that the chairwoman of the New Hampshire Republican Party, Jennifer Horn, would seek to question donations to a Democratic governor’s campaign. It is, however, ludicrous to suggest that Gov. Maggie Hassan, D-Exeter, violated any NH campaign finance laws. Apparently Horn is not very adept at “reading for understanding” …something that is practiced in elementary and secondary school classes from grade three on.

Attorney General Joseph Foster’s actual ruling, which can be found here, in the Exeter Patch story from earlier this week, clears the governor of any wrongdoing. The governor must return a single contribution, which missed the deadline.

Foster’s ruling makes it clear that the alleged contribution violation was because the Maggie Hassan Friends Committee received the IBEW union check on June 13, 2014, instead of June 12, a technical violation by the IBEW.

Is it really necessary, Ms. Horn, to make character-assassinating comments like this? “Governor Hassan was caught red-handed trying to funnel tens of thousands of dollars in illegal donations into her campaign bank account, and her behavior raises serious ethical questions about her administration.” ”It will (be) (sic)up to the next responsible Republican governor to close the ‘Hassan Special Interest Loophole’ and restore integrity to our campaign finance system”? I would think many Republican voters would question their party leader’s judgment, making such disreputable comments as these against our sitting NH governor.

And, Ms. Horn, what have you done to ”restore integrity to our campaign finance system”? I submit that you’ve done worse than nothing.

Prior to 2014 Town Meeting votes, I sent a request to every NH Town Democratic Committee Chair, AND I sent the same request to every NH Town Republican Chair, asking that they help organize a citizens petition drive to place an article on town warrants calling for a Constitutional Amendment to overturn the U.S. Supreme Court’s disastrous “Citizens United” decision. That decision opened up the floodgates to virtually unlimited corporate and union campaign contributions to political candidates.

It stretches credulity that Ms. Horn was not aware of that statewide effort. Democratic activists, “undeclared” activists, (and probably some Republican activists) from all over the state accomplished the amazing record of getting such a warrant article passed in 60 NH cities and towns.

And, although the issue is as bipartisan as they come, I only heard back from one Town Republican Chair, Mark Vincent, who is vice chairman for the New Hampshire State Committee, treasurer of the Hillsborough County Republican Committee, and the chairman of the Amherst Republican Town Committee who told me, in no uncertain terms, he would work hard against such a warrant article.

If he did, he wasn’t very effective, as ARTICLE 41: (By Petition) “New Hampshire Resolution to Get Big Money Out of Politics” passed overwhelmingly in Amherst 1529 to 997.

So, if you are as bothered and confused as I am about Horn’s public judgment and her stand on the issue of legitimate Campaign Finance reform, write her a letter asking her exactly what her beliefs are on the subject. She can be reached at jennifer@nhgop.org.

Herb Moyer lives in Exeter.