Wheeler Blasts Governor on Contract Oversight

Just a few hours after touting a bipartisan leadership style in her inaugural address, Gov. Maggie Hassan, at Thursday’s Governor and Council meeting, refused to allow or even discuss a motion from District 5 Executive Councilor David Wheeler, R-Milford, to restore elected oversight of state contracts under $25,000, according to a press statement.

Wheeler noted that “the previous Democrat controlled Council, knowing they would soon lose power, raised the oversight level to include only contracts and spending items over $25,000.” He contrasted this to the process just a few years ago where all contracts over $5,000 received Council oversight.

“This is a five fold increase in value of contracts not overseen by the council in the last few years,” Wheeler added. “This new secretive approach must go. The public has a right to know exactly how their money is being spent and who is receiving it. The more that is done in public, the less there is opportunity for corruption and graft.”

New Hampshire’s Executive Council was established to be a check on the unrestrained powers of both the executive and legislative branch.

Wheeler pointed out that “Governor Hassan has pledged openness and transparency in government, and yet allowing a host of contracts to slip under the radar of public scrutiny does little to achieve her goal.”

Beside the change regarding contract oversight, Wheeler added that “the governor also refuses to recognize the constitutional right of the Council to nominate appointees to public office. While infrequently exercised, it still provides a check and balance to prevent a governor from nominating unqualified people who are offered offices simply because of their personal loyalty.”

“Governor Hassan,” Wheeler concluded, “should change her mind and restore transparency to the process and restore people’s faith in our government leaders. She should respect the importance of the checks the founders wisely placed on government power.”