The Speaker of the New Hampshire House, Stephen Shurtleff removed Rep. John Burt from the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety committee. It seems Representative Burt had and expressed some concerns about the management of New Hampshire Fish and Game.
Quid pro quo partisanship is not leadership
Rep. Burt has a right to express those views. He did do so without the use of vulgarity. He is not part of the Fish and Game Committee. The appearance of the timing is that the Speaker is abusing his position for partisan political purpose.
This removal is a convenient distraction from the Representative Le incident. This member of the Speaker’s leadership team behaved poorly. She exhibited bad judgment. Her views are bigoted and intolerant. She is professionally educated in the communication field.
Representative Le used profanity towards private and religious schools. She knew what she was doing, did it intentionally with malice and forethought. The Speaker’s response is an inconsequential suspension. This denigrates the office of the Speaker. But it is the way the business of the House is being handled this session.
The Speaker’s inappropriate discipline embarrasses the office and the body
This is an embarrassment to the Body. Using profanity towards institutions that educate thousands of New Hampshire students is beyond the pale. You do not punish members of the opposition party because you have to discipline one of your own. That is childish as well as unfair.
The Speaker’s duty is to apply the disciplinary standard evenhandedly. If he is incapable of that it is appropriate for him to step down. To not apply the same standard to members of his own leadership team shows the weakness infecting the New Hampshire House.
It demonstrates how partisan his administration has become. The Speaker is not doing his job he is taking orders from the hard leftist ruling his caucus. He should be holding all members to equal standards. Discipline when necessary should be measured, equal and appropriate to the offense. That is not what we are witnessing.
The Speaker is leveraging his position for partisan gain
The Speaker’s party is busy filing anti-second amendment bills. The Speaker is using his position to skew the make-up of the Criminal Justice committee. There is great satisfaction in silencing a strong pro-second amendment advocate with this bogus discipline. John Burt can be loud, but he acts in good faith in committee and on the floor.
Why is it in the best interest of New Hampshire to tie his committee membership to opinions unrelated to the work and policy scope of his committee? Is that the way you think your legislature acts in your best interest? Remember, the same party does not retain the Speaker’s seat indefinitely. Turnabout is fair play.
Rep. Tamara Le continues to serve as Assistant Majority Floor Leader. How is that a reasoned decision? Earlier Rep Spillane removed from the Fish & Game committee for posting picture of a squirrel he shot in his chicken coop. He found out about it from the press and never talked to the Speaker.
You want respect and bipartisanship… this is no the way to get it
Rep Le “suspended” for 3 months when the House is not in session and no business is being done for posting “F— private and religious schools” as a member of the Education Committee – to which she will return in January to vote on 30+ education bills.
Now Rep Burt removed from Criminal Justice and Public Safety for posting criticisms of Fish & Game. This goes beyond a double standard. Even Business NH Magazine is writing about the astounding level of partisanship in the legislature. The situation is spiraling out of control. You have to know the quality of government leadership will impact your future.