HOUSE DEMOCRATS QUESTION QUALIFICATION TO SERVE OF 6 REPUBLICANS WHO DECLARED THE NOVEMBER ELECTION

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – January 6, 2021, House Democrats made a motion to refer the question of the qualification to serve of 6 representatives who signed a petition declaring the November election void to the subcommittee on elections of the Legislative Administration Committee. Speaker of the House Sherman Packard ruled the motion not in order. After a vote to challenge the ruling of the chair failed, House Democratic Leader Rep. Renny Cushing (D-Hampton) released the following statement:

“Last month, a group of 6 House Republicans delivered a petition to the Secretary of State declaring the November election, during which they were all duly elected to serve their constituencies, void and illegitimate. It goes without saying that this action calls into question the qualification of these representatives to serve the people of New Hampshire adequately and ethically. When sworn in, members take an oath to ‘bear faith and true allegiance to the state of New Hampshire and support the constitution,’ a notion in clear opposition to declaring a free and fair election as fraudulent. Granite Staters, who trust public officials to put partisanship and conspiracy aside to serve the state, deserve better. The Republican caucus may refuse to question the qualification of those that signed this petition, but we will not.”

###

HOUSE REPUBLICANS VOTE TO BLATANTLY DISREGARD HOUSE RULES AND BASIC MATH TO DISENFRANCHISE DEMOCRATS

CONCORD, NH: January 6, 2021, at the House Session at UNH, the ruling of the chair was challenged regarding the partisan proportions of the House Finance Committee. Under the Rules of the New Hampshire House, the membership of committees “shall be divided between the two major political parties in the same proportion that the House membership of the majority party bears to the House membership of the minority party.”

The committee membership established by Acting Speaker Sherman Packard for the House Finance Committee plainly violates this rule by appointing 9 Democrats and 12 Republicans (Democrats are entitled to 10 seats on a 21-member committee, based on the House ratio of 212/187). There is no recent precedent for this type of noncompliance with House Rules on committee membership. Following the vote that upheld this clear violation of House Rules and precedent Representative Mary Jane Wallner (D-Concord), ranking Democrat on the Finance Committee, released the following statement:

“House Rules are very clear on how committee assignments are allocated - membership is determined by the ratio of Democrats to Republicans in the House. The ratio of seats assigned to the House Finance Committee violates House Rules and basic math. Democrats want to work with the Republican majority to craft a budget that benefits all Granite Staters, but we need a seat at the table in order to do so. It is disheartening that the Republican majority voted to deny Democrats proper representation on the Finance Committee today.”

Background:

House Rule 28 (Committee Composition)

http://gencourt.state.nh.us/house/abouthouse/houserules.htm

The House Finance Committee can have a maximum of 26 members. Below are acceptable committee ratios based on the overall house ratio of 212(R)/187(D) under House Rule 28:

HOUSE PASES RESOLUTION CONDEMING VIOLENCE IN WASHINGTON D.C.

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – January 6, 2021, while the House was in session, violent protestors stormed the Capitol building in Washington D.C. Following a successful vote by the House to condemn to violence, Democratic Leader Renny Cushing (D-Hampton) released the following statement:

“The violence we are seeing in Washington D.C. by an armed right-wing mob is domestic terrorism, plain and simple. Let me be clear, these terrorists feel emboldened by President Trump and anyone who is not speaking out against them. This is not how democracy works, and I am glad that the New Hampshire House could stand together to condemn this violence.”