Latest news with #Sununu
Boston Globe
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Governor Ayotte vetoes ‘bathroom bill' in N.H., just as her predecessor Chris Sununu did
Ayotte said she sees 'legitimate privacy and safety concerns' on this topic, but believes HB 148 was too broad and impractical, and risked creating 'an exclusionary environment' for some community members. 'While I believe that the legislature should address this serious issue,' she said, 'it must be done in a thoughtful and narrow way that protects the privacy, safety, and rights of all New Hampshire citizens.' Get N.H. Morning Report A weekday newsletter delivering the N.H. news you need to know right to your inbox. Enter Email Sign Up The legislation would have allowed public and private organizations to bar transgender individuals from using Advertisement Unlike the bathroom bills that have passed in other states, such as Every state in New England has adopted legal protections on the basis of gender identity. Had this bill been signed into law, New Hampshire would have become the only state in the region to add exceptions for transgender people in certain circumstances, according to Advertisement The legislation would have curtailed protections that Sununu When he vetoed a bill like HB 148 last year, Sununu Republican Representative Jim Kofalt of Wilton, the prime sponsor of HB 148, disagreed with Sununu's assessment and said school districts in New Hampshire have 'This is an important change that we need to make in our law so that we can respect everyone's privacy and security,' he told senators in May. The American Civil Liberties Union of New Hampshire opposed the bill, which policy advocate Courtney Reed called 'egregiously cruel legislation' that would permit discrimination. 'This discriminatory, detrimental, and regressive bill is an attempt to expel transgender Granite Staters from public life,' she said in a statement ahead of the bill's passage. Ayotte said in her veto message that she worried HB 148 would 'spur a plethora of litigation against local communities and businesses.' Ayotte said the provisions of HB 148 that pertain to athletics for women and girls are 'weaker' than New Hampshire's current law, which is being challenged in federal court. Advertisement Legal challenges to bathroom bans have had mixed results elsewhere. Some bans have been upheld, such as a Amanda Gokee can be reached at
The Hill
01-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Chris Sununu: ‘Alligator Alcatraz' is ‘actually a very small piece of the puzzle'
Former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) said Monday that the new migrant detention facility known as 'Alligator Alcatraz' is just a 'very small piece' of the Trump administration's immigration agenda. In an interview with CNN's Kaitlan Collins, the moderate Republican noted that President Trump's massive tax and spending bill, which is making its way through Congress, is slated to add more than a couple hundred billion dollars in defense and border funding. The new detention facility, opening at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in the swampy Everglades on Tuesday, is more 'symbolic.' 'This Alcatraz alligator thing — 5,000 beds — that's like two days' worth of deportations, in terms of their goal, so it's actually a very small piece of the puzzle,' Sununu said. 'It's very symbolic, I think, and really defines, I think, where the administration is trying to take border control and border security.' Trump on Tuesday is slated to attend the opening of the detention center, which is located at an airport to allow for swift removals and deportations of undocumented migrants. The site is expected to hold up to 5,000 beds, according to the Trump administration, and includes soft-sided holding units for hundreds of detainees. The center, which has faced its share of criticism and legal challenges, was built through a partnership between Florida leaders and the federal government. The Florida Division of Emergency Management has overseen the build-out and management of the facility, which is expected to cost about $450 million per year. Those funds will come from the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Shelter and Services Program, which was used to house asylum-seekers during the Biden administration. Sununu said he would prefer to see a comprehensive immigration reform bill while the Republicans still hold majorities in both chambers of Congress. 'I don't mind it,' the former New Hampshire governor said of the detention center. 'I want to see — I think a lot of people would agree — an immigration reform bill. I think the Republicans have an awesome opportunity to do a good, smart, conservative immigration reform bill. I tell them all the time: 'If you don't do it, eventually the Democrats will be in charge, and they'll do it, and they won't do it the way you want it.'' 'So if you wrap this up in a better package, with better messaging, the American people, the American public will really understand it,' he added. Sununu said he thinks Republicans have the support of the American public on issues related to border security and defense but that the current package of Trump's legislative priorities — which is not yet final — loses support due to sweeping cuts to Medicaid. 'On those issues of supporting defense, closing the border and all that sort of thing, Americans want that. That's essentially why they voted Trump in,' the Granite State Republican told Collins. 'It's this Medicaid stuff that they were told they weren't going to be bargained for.' He added, 'And the Republicans just haven't planned in terms of how to sell that, that piece of it.'
The Hill
17-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Sununu criticizes Trump remarks about not calling Walz
Former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) on Tuesday criticized President Trump's recent remarks about not calling Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) after two Democratic lawmakers in the state were shot at their homes over the weekend. Sununu was asked about Trump's recent comments, stating he believes 'the governor of Minnesota is so whacked out' and that he was 'not calling' him, to which Sununu responded 'it doesn't help.' 'No, it definitely doesn't. I think what happens is, I mean, you see the [Sen.] Mike Lee [(R-Utah)] post, which was absolutely terrible, folks are forgetting people — people have lost their lives here,' Sununu said, referencing comments made on the social platform X by the Utah Republican about the shooting, calling the incident 'Nightmare on Waltz Street' and later stating that 'Marxism is a deadly mental illness.' Trump, on his way back from the G7 summit in Canada, said that Walz 'doesn't have a clue' when asked about calling the governor. 'He's a mess. So, you know, I could be nice and call, but why waste time?' he added. The New Hampshire Republican said Tuesday that 'people have lost their lives, you make the call, you show the empathy.' State Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman (D) and her husband, Mark, were shot and killed Saturday by a man impersonating a police officer. State Sen. John Hoffman (D), and his wife, Yvette, were also wounded in a different shooting. Walz called for 'decency' and denounced 'mean tweets' late Sunday following the shootings. The Minnesota Democrat said during a press conference that state lawmakers worked in the direction of compromise 'year after year' because of Hortman. 'That's the embodiment of how things are supposed to work. It's not about hatred. It's not about mean tweets. It's not about demeaning someone,' Walz said. 'It's leading with grace and compassion and vision and compromise and decency,' he added.
Boston Globe
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
N.H. tourism office deletes post, webpage of Pride-related events after Republican complaint
Advertisement Maidment tagged Get N.H. Morning Report A weekday newsletter delivering the N.H. news you need to know right to your inbox. Enter Email Sign Up 'It's the low level bureaucrats that are drowning us,' he Update - it's been deleted. — Chris Maidment (@ChrisMaidmentNH) Along with the social media post, the VisitNH Advertisement Caswell and a division spokesperson did not directly answer questions from the Globe about who decided to delete the Pride-related content, why they made that decision, and what policies govern their editorial decision-making regarding which events to feature. 'We regularly promote events throughout New Hampshire, and the webpage you mentioned is active,' division spokesperson Kris Neilsen said in an email Sunday, after the webpage was restored. It's not entirely clear why the complaint yielded such a prompt response, since VisitNH had made similar social media posts for Pride events in Caswell was first appointed in 2017 by Republican Governor Christopher T. Sununu. He was reappointed by Sununu in 2021 to a second four-year term. That term will expire Some other Sununu appointees have already been shown the exit on Ayotte's watch. The governor announced that Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut The deletion of this Pride-themed content also comes at a crucial stage in the budget process, as state lawmakers finalize their spending plan for the next two fiscal years. Although the House and Senate have Advertisement That ideological lens has been applied to individual line items. In advocating deep cuts in funding to the University System of New Hampshire, some have argued the reductions are appropriate to curb left-leaning ' At least one lawmaker drew a direct connection between the budgeting process and the Pride-themed post from VisitNH. 'This is why we tried to strip away their funding,' Republican Representative James Spillane of Deerfield wrote Spillane called on Ayotte to 'get the department under control' or face legislative intervention. The New Hampshire House and Senate are likely to form a committee of conference this week to reconcile the differences between their versions of the budget, with a June 26 deadline to act on the committee's compromise. Steven Porter can be reached at
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Ex-GOP Governor Makes Bold Accusation Against AOC, Ilhan Omar Over Gaza
Former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu boldly argued Monday during a panel discussion on CNN's 'NewsNight' that Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) are 'antisemitic' for joining college protests against Israel's war in Gaza. The Republican lobbed the accusation after fellow political commentator Maria Cardona argued President Donald Trump is to blame for the recent antisemitic attacks across the U.S., as a result of his support for white supremacist groups like the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys. 'That is absolutely nuts. You guys are barely scratching the surface here,' Sununu replied on Monday. 'This isn't just about; we need more Democrats to condemn what's happening,' he continued. 'How about let's get Democrats not joining in on it? How about AOC and Representative Omar don't join those college campuses?' Ocasio-Cortez and Omar have criticized Israel's ongoing military campaign in Gaza to varying degrees: both have called it a 'genocide,' while Omar physically joined Columbia University's demonstration last year and saw her own daughter arrested for participating. Sununu argued that the rise of antisemitism in the U.S. 'starts on the college campuses' and 'empowers people to go beyond' words. The panel had been discussing Sunday's attack in Boulder, Colorado, where a man yelling 'Free Palestine' injured eight people. 'I want to be a little bit more specific about what we're talking about here,' said host Abby Phillip. 'I definitely think, to the congressman's point, there are specific things that are being said on these campuses that are antisemitic,' she added. 'But the idea that AOC and … Omar are engaging in those activities, I'm not sure that there's a lot of evidence of that.' Sununu said, 'They showed up on those campuses. They spoke at the campuses!' Phillip replied, 'But here's what I'm saying — do you understand what I'm saying? If they show up on college campuses to protest the situation in Gaza, is that, are you saying, automatically the same thing as uttering antisemitic words and using antisemitic language?' To which Sununu had a very plain response. 'Yes, they're antisemitic,' he said. 'Make no mistake about it, this is all based on antisemitism.' Phillip: But the idea that AOC and Rep. Omar are engaging in those They showed up on those campuses Phillip: If they show up on college campuses to protest, you know, what the situation in gaza is that are you saying automatically the same thing as uttering… — Acyn (@Acyn) June 3, 2025 When asked what specific evidence he might have that the congresswomen are antisemitic, beyond merely attending demonstrations or criticizing the Israeli government's relentless bombardment of Gaza, Sununu baselessly replied: 'Supporting terrorists?' The former lawmaker's argument has since been shredded on social media, as neither Omar nor Ocasio-Cortez has ever endorsed terrorists. Both have criticized Israel's military campaign, but also publicly denounced Hamas, as well as Sunday's attack in Boulder. Phillip said regarding Omar and Ocasio-Cortez, 'There's a difference between protesting and saying and doing antisemitic things.' State Department Memo Found No Evidence Tying Tufts Student To Antisemitism Or Terrorism: Report The GOP Says It's Fighting Antisemitism In Colleges. Some Students Call BS. In Political Switchup, Biden State Dept. Spokesman Says Israel's Committing War Crimes
