N.H. tells DNC to quit claiming state’s primary is ‘meaningless’
going to follow the law — period,” Buckley continued. “Nothing has changed, and we look forward to seeing a great Democratic voter turnout on January 23rd.”
On Monday, US Representative Annie Kuster joined Representative Jamie Raskin of Maryland in Concord at a press conference to discuss the Jan. 6, 2021, violence in Washington, D.C., and to urge voters to write in Biden’s name on the N.H. ballot.
Kuster did not answer directly when asked if the DNC’s Jan. 5 letter amounted to voter suppression.
“To be honest, I don’t think the voters are focused at all about some committee in Washington, D.C.,” she said.
“I’m not worried about it,” she said, when asked if the DNC letter calling the New Hampshire primary “meaningless” amounted to an affront to democracy. “It’s the people of the state of New Hampshire that are standing up to take control of our democracy.”
US Senator Maggie Hassan said New Hampshire’s primary will proceed and criticized the DNC, calling it “un-democratic.”
“The DNC should stop compounding the poor decision it made in attempting to change the nominating process with its frankly un-democratic attempt to discourage people from voting,” she said in a statement. She said she plans to write in Biden.
Some Republican lawmakers in New Hampshire commended the state for taking action against the DNC.
“I applaud the NH DOJ taking this critical step to ensure the DNC stops interfering in our New Hampshire elections with their illegal voter intimidation and suppression electioneering tactics,” said Representative Joe Sweeney, a Salem Republican and the House majority floor leader, on social media.
Sweeney was one of about 70 lawmakers who sent a letter to Formella earlier on Monday asking the state to look into the matter.
“We are writing to express our serious concerns regarding a recent communication from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) to the New Hampshire Democratic Party,” the letter said. “We believe that this communication may constitute a violation of New Hampshire law,” it continued, pointing to the statute governing voter suppression, intimidation, and bribery.
Members of House leadership who signed the letter included House Speaker Sherman Packard, Deputy Speaker Steven Smith, and majority leader Jason Osborne.
“It must be a new and difficult experience for the DNC to interact with a state holding them accountable for their illegal activity and election interference,” said Republican House leader Jason Osborne in a statement Monday.
Independent Representative Shaun Filiault also spoke out against the DNC’s letter. “NH Primary isn’t meaningless. Even if no delegates awarded, voting has value,” Filiault said on social media. “The DNC tried to bully a state (government) and get it’s own way. It failed. Now it’s throwing a temur tantrum (sic). Only one org is disenfranchising NH votes — and it isn’t the NH govt. Shame on you DNC.”