Guest post by Dean Dexter…
In the news:
State Superior Court Judge, sitting in Belknap County, Says Lynch Grab for Surplus Malpractice Fund is an "Unconstitutional Taking of Private Property" and violates U.S. Constitutional protections under Contract Law (enshrined by New Hampshire’s own Daniel Webster in the Dartmouth College case [click here], by the way…)
The law is clear that any surplus in the fund belongs to the entities that pay into it (probably a deal made with the parties to get the bill passed in the 1970s). Democratic Governor John Lynch, with a ruling by then-Attorney General Kelly Ayotte, says it belongs to "The State" instead. This is wishful thinking for a governor now under the gun to balance a bloated state budget in a time of recession, after signing off on outlandish spending spikes in recent years. Sadly former Attorney General Kelly Ayotte (a Republican, no less), signed off on this.
Incomprehensively, the state insurance commissioner also agrees with this raid on private property. What is happening in New Hampshire? Time to remove this incompetent. A GOP administration would make short order of it. When an insurance commissioner cannot comprehend the plain language of the law, time to send him back "to spend more time with his family" along with Governor Lynch.
Anyway, read the story here in the Concord Monitor.
Former Governor John H. Sununu, now N.H. GOP chairman, is blasting Lynch for his mismanagement and lack of judgement, but still the Republicans must have somebody (a candidate) to beat this somebody (Lynch) in next year’s elections.
We see no one on the horizon yet…
Dean Dexter is a former state representative from Laconia and served a stint as the Union Leader’s Editorial Page Director. This piece was originally posted at NHCommentary.com and is used with permission.