CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – This morning’s Executive Council meeting was cancelled after a right-wing mob left state employees and elected officials fearing for their safety. House Democratic Leader, Rep. Renny Cushing (D-Hampton), released the following statement:
“The insurrectionist takeover of today’s Executive Council meeting is a disturbing example of how Governor Sununu and Republican leadership have encouraged behavior endangering the very foundations of our democracy in New Hampshire. For the past year and a half, House Republican leadership has enabled and empowered seditionists in their own caucus and among their supporters, most recently by hosting a rally outside the State House to gin-up anti-government sentiment in front of a crowd similar to the one seen today at the NHIOP. Today’s antics are a continuation of the disinformation campaign and coddling of extremists led by Governor Sununu, Speaker Packard and Republican leadership. When Governor Sununu signed a GOP budget refunding fines to businesses that violated his own COVID protocols, it was a clear signal to extremists that the Republican party is on their side and that the Governor was incapable of standing up to them. The Speaker’s decision to allow conspiracy theorist Rep. Ken Weyler to remain Chair of the Finance and Fiscal Committees shows just how far extremism has risen in the GOP ranks. It is also outrageous that the mob today prevented the swearing in of a newly elected member of the House. It is a dereliction of duty for GOP leadership to encourage this behavior any further, endangering state employees and elected officials and preventing the government from doing its job for the people of New Hampshire.”