Barry Laughton has been known within New Hampshire’s political circles for more than a decade. Barry, a Democrat who goes by Stacie, was trans before it was a public mental health crisis. Back in 2012, Laughton won a seat in the NH House and was lauded as the first transgender legislator, perhaps anywhere.
Laughton was previously convicted of conspiracy to commit credit fraud, card/identity theft, tire slashing, and other less-than-flattering resume bullets. Previously married to Lisa Laughton, “Stacie,” is attracted to public office (and young children) and has been signing up to run for something for more than two decades. At no point did anyone with any sense think he was stable. Still, Nashua Democrats elected Stacie to the NH House in 2012 (Stacie never shared his criminal history with voters), not long after which he resigned, then un-resigned, then resigned, and ran for the open seat he vacated, but dropped out, not long after which he was arrested for phoning in a bomb threat.
Barry changed his name to Stacie in 2010, btw, and the criminal activity transitioned with him. You can review the rap sheet (includes political races) from 2005 to 2022 here.
Jump ahead to 2023, when New Hampshire’s first transgender legislator became known to a much larger group of people after getting arrested for distributing child/sex images.
Stacie Laughton, 39, has been federally charged with one count of sexual exploitation of children and aiding and abetting by the US Attorney’s Office District of Massachusetts. Lindsay Groves, Laughton’s former girlfriend, was the alleged teacher at the center who helped Laughton, a former NH lawmaker, gather the images and has been charged with child exploitation.
Groves allegedly used bathroom breaks for the children, such as diaper changes, to take pictures of the children in the bathroom and would send the photos to Laughton.
There were over 2,500 text messages between Laughton and Groves on the phones obtained by the prosecution. These included at least four sexually explicit pictures of children between three and five years of age.
This is disgusting, but not nearly as much as this fact: Nashua Democrats would probably still elect Laughton if he ran for office again (post-sentence and probation served). “Stacie” is, after all, the first transgender elected to the NH House who has been charged with child sexploitation of minors as young as three years old.
Put it on a plaque at the State Party Office. Right next to the groomer-teacher of the year award (you have one of those, right?). If not, why not?
So proud.
Another strange fact. Teachers can groom children, but only if they don’t have a prior conviction for grooming children before becoming a teacher. Teachers who groom children after becoming a teacher are protected by the union, administrators, and the Democratic Party.
Parents who objected, at least under Biden, were the ones arrested.
Keep that truth bomb handy for the midterms.
