NHDP Statement on NHGOP Sales Tax Hypocrisy

Concord - Today, 12 of 13 New Hampshire Republican state senators voted against a resolution opposing an internet sales tax and praising New Hampshire's entire congressional delegation including Republican Senator Kelly Ayotte for their opposition in Washington. On Monday, NHGOP Chairwoman Jennifer Horn condemned "shameful silence" on the issue as raising "serious questions about whether you would rather stand with New Hampshire, or quietly serve" other interests.  But the only lawmakers in Concord who remained quiet on the issue today were the New Hampshire Republicans.  

"After dishonest press releases and partisan stunts from the NHGOP, when the Republican state senators were offered an opportunity to voice opposition to the internet sales tax they instead stuck their heads in the sand.  The New Hampshire Republican Party has become the definition of shameful and embarrassing partisan hypocrisy.  They ducked, dodged, and ran away from taking a position." said New Hampshire Democratic Party Communication Director Harrell Kirstein.  "How long will it take Jennifer Horn to issue the same blistering condemnation from Monday, at the 12 Republicans who voted against the bi-partisan resolution today?" 

Majority Leader Jeb Bradley was the only Republican to vote for the resolution. 

"New Hampshire Democrats would like to commend Majority Leader Jeb Bradley on his vote thanking Senator Shaheen and the entire delegation for their work to protect the New Hampshire advantage," continued Kirstein.  "Sadly it is clear that his Republican colleagues don't even have the tiniest amount of faith in his leadership, since he couldn't convince a single one of them to vote along with him."

NHGOP CALLS ON DEMS TO DENOUNCE OUTRAGEOUS ATTEMPT BY OFA-NH TO POLITICIZE BOSTON MARATHON ATTACKS

Fox News Reports On Disgusting Protest Signs Used At Events Sanctioned By President Obama’s Organizing For Action In New Hampshire


Click Here To View Video Clip

Concord – New Hampshire Republican Party Executive Director Matthew Slater today called on Democrats to denounce the outrageous attempt by President Obama’s Organizing for Action (OFA) to politicize the Boston Marathon attacks. Fox News (5/1/13) reported last night that OFA-NH used disgusting and inappropriate signs at a recent gun protest organized by the group in front of Senator Kelly Ayotte’s office. One of the signs, which was splattered in “fake blood”, read “More shot in one day, than marathoned.”

“It is outrageous that Democrats would use such appalling and disrespectful signs at an event that was officially organized and sanctioned by President Obama’s field operation. The President should be ashamed of the message that was approved and used by his organization at this protest because it is insensitive, unacceptable and has no place in our political discourse.”

“The actions of OFA-NH clearly demonstrate the disgusting tactics that President Obama’s political machine is using to push his extreme agenda. Senator Shaheen, Governor Hassan, Congresswoman Shea-Porter and Congresswoman Kuster need to stand up to their own party by denouncing OFA and telling President Obama that the organization’s unacceptable actions are not welcome in New Hampshire.”

NHDP - Aprils Fools: For NHGOP April Showers Brought Flood of Scandals

For the New Hampshire Republican State Committee, April showers brought not flowers but instead a never ending flood of scandals and embarrassment.  When the month started with the NHGOP's treasurer accusing embattled Chair Jennifer Horn of being "a felon" and the "greatest present liability" facing New Hampshire Republicans it was hard to imagine things could get any worse for the NHGOP.  But they did.  Again. And again.  And again.

Just days later, a new lien, in addition to one held by the IRS, was placed on Horn for unpaid credit card debt and the Coos County Republicans cast a unanimous vote of no confidence against her.

The next scandal to rock the NHGOP would end with the extremely conservative Union Leader editorial page taking New Hampshire Republicans to task.  Former NHGOP Chairman Jack Kimball and two Republican State Representatives demanded that their fellow lawmakers be arrested and thrown in prison by the U.S. Marshal Service for voting in opposition to them.  The embarrassment prompted the former Republican Congressman and personal attorney to disgraced former Speaker Bill O'Brien to chastise them as "constitutional illiterates" adding they were "embarrassing to my party and to the state." 

That disaster was soon eclipsed by a more serious long-term problem as New Hampshire Republicans were reluctantly forced to consider their D-team of failed former Congressmen Frank Guinta and Jeb Bradley as candidates in 2014. Public polling revealed that both baggage laden Republicans are viewed negatively by New Hampshire voters and national Republicans were understandably not "terribly excited" about either. 

But the ultimate humiliation came as their own state party Chair openly salivated about the possibility of a carpetbagger run by rejected Massachusetts politician Scott Brown, promising voters would give him "an honest chance."  The Brown trail balloon was lampooned as something between 'a stupid idea,' and 'delusional.'  In public polls, over half the state - 54% of New Hampshire voters - told him not to run for office in their state, and nearly two-thirds said they don't consider him a Granite Stater. Sadly, for New Hampshire and the Republican Party the worse was still yet to come.

Republican State Representative Peter Hansen became the NHGOP's and the entire state's next shameful national embarrassment when he referred to women as "vagina's" in State House emails to other legislators. Though even his weekly hometown paper demanded he resign citing his prolonged refusal to apologize for days - Senator Kelly Ayotte, Majority Leader Jeb Bradley, and House Republican Leader Gene Chandler deemed him worthy to remain in office.

One of Hansen's Republican colleagues in the State House Stella Tremblay wasted no time following in his footsteps.  While the hunt was still on for suspects in the Boston Marathon Bombings, she began insisting the tragedy was an "attack by our own government."  Instead of apologizing, she doubled down on her chilling and vile claim. Even for the New Hampshire Republican Party, which has become synonymous with the Tea Party and radical extremism, Tremblay's claims were a new low.  Despite calls for her to step down, and her refusal to make even the smallest apology, Ayotte, Bradley, Chandler and Horn refused to demand her resignation.

But the biggest crisis for New Hampshire Republicans was the massive backlash again Kelly Ayotte's vote opposing the bipartisan compromise legislation to expand background checks.  It resulted in a harsh criticism from Granite Staters that sent her approval rating into free fall.  The Concord Monitor said her explanation was "utter nonsense." Both the Keene Sentinel and Portsmouth Herald called on voters to hold her accountable in 2016. 

From top to bottom the New Hampshire Republican Party was a complete and utter embarrassment in April.  Barely a single 24 hour period existed in which Republicans were not the center of a developing scandal, a national embarrassment, or dodging resignation demands.  There is little hope for next month as NHGOP leaders have steadfastly refused to take responsibility and end the epidemic of shockingly inappropriate behavior by their Tea Party colleagues.

NHDP - In Midst of Public Opinion Crisis, Kelly Ayotte Fails Damage Control 101

Ayotte doubles down on same failed NRA talking points that led to massive backlash

Concord - In her first public interview since opposing commonsense bipartisan background check legislation, Ayotte doubled down on the same failed NRA talking points that led to massive local and national backlash and resulted in a 15 point free fall in her public approval numbers. [WMUR, 4/25/2013]

On WMUR last night, Ayotte repeated her disproven fear that background checks would be burdensome on gun shop owners.  Ayotte added that she voted against the bipartisan measure because 'it might have proven counterproductive,' but refused to identify any background check legislation she actually would support.  The Manchin-Twoomey compromise would have actually expedited the background check process [ThinkProgress, 4/18/2013]. 

"Does Kelly Ayotte really expect New Hampshire voters to believe she voted against implementing expanded background checks to protect background checks?" asked New Hampshire Democratic Party Communications Director Harrell Kirstein.  "Ayotte doubled down on the same failed NRA talking points that New Hampshire has already rejected.  She owes New Hampshire families an explanation as to why she voted against this commonsense gun violence prevention legislation."

The Concord Monitor called her statement opposing the bipartisan Manchin-Toomey compromise "utter nonsense," the Keene Sentinel said it "doesn't cut it," and the Valley News wrote her "non-explanation was so vague it raised a number of questions" adding that it wasn't "one anybody would mistake for convincing." 

Since her vote, Ayotte's explanation has also been questioned by victims of gun violence, thousands of New Hampshire citizens in letters to the editor and on social media, and was even lampooned by former Republican Congressman Joe Scarborough on MSNBC.

"Kelly Ayotte need not look beyond her bathroom mirror to discover why New Hampshire voters have a negative opinion of her.  She votes more like a Tea Partier than a Granite Stater and opposes bipartisan legislation supported by nearly 90% of her constituents," added Kirstein.  "Until she changes her irresponsible position on commonsense gun violence prevention measures, no amount of political spin or NRA talking points will reverse her free falling approval numbers."         

NHDP - ICYMI: Scott Brown's New Hampshire Dalliance

Scott Brown continues to face harsh criticism - even from fellow Republicans - for considering a carpetbagger campaign in New Hampshire.  In Politico yesterday Republicans were quoted as "largely dismissive," and noting that "you'd have to spend the first 10 minutes of every forum explaining why you'll be New Hampshire's senator as opposed to Massachusetts's third senator."  University of New Hampshire Pollster Andy Smith called the whole idea 'slightly ridiculous.'

Separately, public polls revealed over half the state - 54% of New Hampshire voters - didn't want him to run for office in their state, and nearly two-thirds don't consider him a Granite Stater.

Other highlights from Politico:

"Washington Republicans aren't terribly excited about the other hopefuls."

"Moreover, Shaheen is no sitting duck; most Republicans acknowledge the incumbent would be hard for Brown to beat."

 

The full text is included below.

Scott Brown's New Hampshire dalliance

http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=B8157E56-8010-48F8-83BF-B4528FD7A7C2

POLITICO

April 24, 2013

Scott Brown has the look of a man not quite sure what to do with himself.

Since losing his Senate seat in November, the Republican flirted with but then decided against running again in Massachusetts, signed up as a commentator for Fox News and landed a gig at a law firm with a lobbying practice. Now he's again looking at a possible run ... in New Hampshire.

Brown is serious enough that he's making at least five trips to the state in a one-month window, including last Saturday for a speech to a county GOP luncheon in Hanover and an appearance at the New Hampshire Young Republicans convention.

The Republican senatorial campaign arm, looking to expand the 2014 map, has promoted the buzz, and Karl Rove has talked him up on cable. Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen is favored to win a second term in the swing state, but a Brown entry - the odds are still probably less than 50-50 - would throw the race into flux.

Moving to New Hampshire to run for Senate would pose huge obstacles for Brown, starting with the inevitable carpetbagger tag. But Republicans who have spoken with Brown say he's eager to see what kind of reception he gets from activists.

"Nothing is off the table, and nothing is on the table," Brown said coyly on Fox recently. "Right now, I'm recharging the batteries and working hard."

He said the same thing to reporters during his visit to Hanover, N.H., on Saturday.

But as implausible as a Granite State campaign might seem, it's not hard to see why Brown is testing the waters.

The majority of New Hampshire voters get their news from Boston TV affiliates, so Brown starts with near universal name recognition. Many local Republican organizations mobilized volunteers to help Brown win his 2010 special election upset in Massachusetts. And Brown excels at retail politicking, which the smaller state is famous for.

"He's almost like an adopted son," said New Hampshire Republican consultant Jamie Burnett. "He connects well with regular people who view him as 'one of us.' He's a compelling individual, very well liked. There would be people that would get excited about that prospect."

"Baltimore is further away from Washington than New Hampshire is from Boston," said another Granite State Republican operative. "It's a commuter state in a lot of ways."

Brown also has legitimate ties to New Hampshire: He owns a vacation home in the state, and, as Rove noted on Fox, Brown's mother lives in the state and he can claim ties from eight previous generations.

Moreover, Brown has a national fundraising network that would allow him to outraise any opponent. He raised $47 million for his two Senate campaigns.

National Republicans are in need of a top-tier recruit in the swing state. The strongest candidate Republicans could have fielded, former Sen. John E. Sununu, announced this month that he won't seek a rematch against Shaheen, who beat him in 2008. This was expected but, nonetheless, a blow to GOP hopes to make New Hampshire into a prime pickup opportunity.

Washington Republicans aren't terribly excited about the other hopefuls. State Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley, who served two terms in the U.S. House but lost in 2006 and failed in a 2008 comeback bid, is seen as very likely to get in. He did not return a message seeking comment.

Former Rep. Frank Guinta served one term in the House but lost last November. Conventional wisdom is that he will run to reclaim his House seat, but his chief of staff said he is "considering all his options" over the next few months.

There are other draws for Brown. Massachusetts's overwhelmingly Democratic electorate guarantees permanent placement on the list of most-vulnerable senators; that would be much less of a worry in more purple New Hampshire. To wit: Mitt Romney lost Massachusetts, where he had been governor, by 23 points; he lost New Hampshire by 6 points.

And yet, despite all of that, Brown is seen as likely to pass. As strong as a candidate as he could be, Brown would most likely have to get through a tough primary in which he'd be attacked as a carpetbagging moderate who backs abortion rights and an assault weapons ban. And if he survived that challenge - not a given - he'd be up against a well-liked former three-term governor in Shaheen. A poll conducted for the environmental group League of Conservation Voters this week shows Shaheen handily beating Brown, 52-41, in a prospective matchup.

New Hampshire GOP operative Rich Killion said, "A strong conservative would most definitely hop in" to challenge Brown in a primary.

"New Hampshire's a place where you essentially cannot clear a field," said Killion. "My advice to him would be: Just be real straight with New Hampshire voters what your intentions are. As a group, they are gut-level voters. They are very careful to make assessments of people, but because they are gut-level, once they do, they hold hard."

Sununu, the former senator, was largely dismissive of Brown's trial balloon. "There are a number of sharp, experienced Republicans who have lived in New Hampshire for decades who would be tough for Scott to take on in a primary," he told the New Hampshire Union Leader when he passed on the Senate race.

And Granite State connections notwithstanding, Brown would have a lot of explaining to do about why a move was anything other than opportunism.

There is widespread consensus that the carpetbagging charge would prove costly, if not fatal.

In 1992, Democrats nominated a businessman named John Rauh, who had recently moved to the state. During a televised debate, he was unable to answer when the moderator asked which county Chester is in. Then-Gov. Judd Gregg, whose dad had been governor, pounced. It was a factor in a race decided by less than 3 points.

"The way to bring the fight to Sen. Shaheen is not where you'd have to spend the first 10 minutes of every forum explaining why you'll be New Hampshire's senator as opposed to Massachusetts's third senator," said a top Republican in the state. "He'd start off explaining from Day One. And, as they say: If you're explaining, you're losing."

He compared a potential move to a lawyer "forum shopping" for a friendlier judge.

"The feeling here is we're a sovereign state, not a colony," he said.

Moreover, Shaheen is no sitting duck; most Republicans acknowledge the incumbent would be hard for Brown to beat. She was elected governor three times and narrowly lost to Sununu in 2002 before beating him in 2008.

"It would be difficult for him but not impossible. If he was the nominee, I'm sure he'd give Jeanne Shaheen a tough fight," said Burnett, a onetime campaign aide to Sununu. "She won't be easy for anyone to beat, but she's beatable."

A Democratic Senate strategist said Shaheen's line of attack against Brown in a general election context would probably be similar to the three-pronged strategy employed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren last year: attack him as beholden to Wall Street, supportive of tax breaks for millionaires and antagonistic toward women, citing his vote for the Blunt amendment.

"If you take a step back, that's the campaign Barack Obama ran against Mitt Romney in New Hampshire," the strategist said.

In the end, Brown may fall back to what everyone assumed he'd decided after he took a pass on Kerry's seat: cashing in on his political celebrity and getting some much needed R&R rather than running another grueling campaign he'd be uncertain to win.

One adviser insists that the senator has only begun to think through the plusses and minuses.

Andrew Smith, who runs the University of New Hampshire Survey Center and has yet to poll on a potential Brown candidacy, said the whole idea is slightly ridiculous.

"Only the state of New York," Smith said, "will allow carpetbaggers to come in and get elected."