The State of New Hampshire never had a case, but they clung (bitterly?) to the media opportunities created by a false insurrection narrative right here in the Granite State. By “they,” I mean the Republican Governor, his AG, and the Department of Injustice.
The October 2021 Executive Council meeting WAS disrupted … by the actions of the Governor and the State Police. Twenty months later, the lack of a case (and one subpoena) and the remaining defendants have had their charges dropped. Not even a series of show trials.
I believe the subpoena issued to Governor Chris Sununu, while quashed by that judge, would not be the only one. His Excellency could expect others in all the remaining cases. He was a material witness. At some point, he’d have to testify and lie under oath or tell the truth. Neither, from where I’m sitting, looks good for Chris Sununu.
This is old (made new), and it doesn’t look good either.
Norm Silber (disclosure: he writes for GraniteGrok and has written “lawyerly letters and emails” for us in the past) shared some details in a comment under this article from yesterday.
It regards a Right to Know request he sent to the New Hampshire State Police in October 2021.
On October 15, 2021, I sent the following email to the NH State Police:
“Pursuant to the provisions of New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated Chapter 91-A, please provide or forward to the undersigned copies of all of the following:
Any and all emails, text messages, or any other form of communication from Governor Sununu, or any other person or persons purporting to be acting on his behalf, requesting, directing, or instructing officers of the NH State Police to remove any members of the public from the public meeting of the New Hampshire Executive Council held on October 13, 2021, and to arrest any of them, and any and all responses thereto from anyone acting or purporting to be acting on behalf of the New Hampshire State Police.”
On October 20, 2021, I received the following email response from David M. Hilts, Senior Staff Counsel, Office of the Commissioner, New Hampshire Department of Safety:
“I’m writing to acknowledge your request below. We have no records responsive to your request. This request is considered to be closed.”
This brings to mind the old saying- What are you going to believe- what I tell you or your lying eyes?!!
If you watch the video, it looks like Governor Sununu Tippity tapped a message on his phone, after which the looming and excessive presence of State Troopers was set in motion.
No records responsive to your request.
Right.
The State may be done with this, but I don’t think the people of New Hampshire are yet satisfied. The governor had nine people, clearly targeted in advance, arrested and removed from a public meeting on charges that could not be prosecuted.
They didn’t do anything wrong, and they were arrested anyway.
What happened was an irresponsible, deliberate, and petty abuse of power. Something Revolutionary War Hero General John Stark might refer to as one of those evils worse than death.