The Editors,
New Hampshire State Sen. Jeff Woodburn’s district encompasses a significant chunk on Congresswoman Ann Kuster’s Congressional District. So, what?
Annie has spent the better part of the last month using words like temperament, discussing moral character, and the importance of believing women who accuse men of sexual or domestic violence. But Ann Kuster does not appear to have done anything to dissuade Sen. Woodburn from seeking re-election after he was charged with multiple counts of domestic abuse.
“The allegations against Senator Woodburn are deeply disturbing and unacceptable. Domestic violence is abhorrent and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. Senator Woodburn should resign his position immediately.”
This is the prerequisite “it might look bad if you don’t say something like maybe he should resign,” to get it out of the way. The entire Democrat State party leadership did that. They posed and postured, but then they turned their backs and ran away.
Nice virtue signaling, be a shame if you ever had to back up your so-called convictions.
Woodburn not only did not resign he ran for re-election. He decided to run with backing from prominent North Country Democrats like Berlin Mayor Paul Greiner. Folks who not only did not #BeleiveWomen they attacked one.
There is no record of Ann Kuster standing up for the victim or speaking out against either the open support for the man she said should resign or speaking up in defense of the victim of his alleged abuse.
Democrat, Kathleen Kelley, volunteered to run as a write-in candidate against Woodburn to give North Country Democrats and Independents taking a Democrat primary ballot someone else to vote for other than the man their congresswoman said should resign his position immediately.
There is no evidence that “pro-choice” Democrat Ann Kuster backed Kathleen Kelley or the choice to pick her over accused abuser Jeff Woodburn. Given her connections and resources, Kuster could have easily propelled Kelley into prominence.
Or are we to believe that a few dollars, some field support, or a few supportive words from the Congresswoman would not have any weight?
I find that hard to believe.
What I find easy to believe is that Ann Kuster, like the Coos County Dems, the State Party, and both Democrat US Senators Shaheen and Hassan, “believe” that if Democrat Woodburn isn’t given a pass, they lose that State Senate Seat in November.
Screw the victim; we need that seat.
Ann Kuster could have won that write in for Kathleen Kelley especially if NH U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen or Maggie Hassan (and why not both) weighed in with support. Why not add Gubernatorial candidate Molly Kelly or the Democrat State party leadership. Send a real message after their dainty objections went unheeded. Let Jeff Woodburn know that the accusations and the AG having enough evidence to charge him was more than enough to #believe the victim and that Woodburn had no place in a position of power until it was all resolved.
Get out or we will push you out.
No time for that.
Ann Kuster did have time to sign onto a letter concerning the nomination of Judge Kavanaugh, to which we have made a few “edits” here to provide a bit of North Country Context.
“As victims of domestic and sexual assault, we write to express our deepest concerns regarding your actions and various statements on the serious allegations that have been raised concerning State Sen. Jeff Woodburn … We further request fair and impartial consideration of (his assault victim’s) testimony, proper balancing of her story with Sen. Woodburn’s testimony, and the postponement of any votes… until all allegations have been properly investigated.”
Ann Kuster has expressed no interest in the contradictions. She has not stepped up to support Woodburn’s accuser. She has not made her case a part of her dialog or narrative. She left a Democrat woman, from New Hampshire, accused of being abused, out to dry because the accuser was a prominent Democrat running for State Senate.
We know Ann Kuster isn’t bipartisan in Washington DC. We know she won’t defend independent or undeclared voters. And we now know that if you are a woman in New Hampshire and your problem gets in the path of Democrat party political power, being the lesser of two partisan Democrats won’t help you either.
