House assault on free speech
In New Hampshire, the state constitution provides that members of the Executive Council may be “impeached by the house and tried by the senate for bribery, corruption, malpractice, or maladministration.” Despite being exonerated by the Attorney General in December, Executive Councilor Karen Liot Hill, the sole Democrat on the Executive Council, is facing an impeachment inquiry initiated by Joe Sweeney, Republican House Majority Leader, in January.
Given that Councilor Liot Hill has been cleared of charges by the Attorney General’s office, why do house Republicans feel they’ll be able to demonstrate bribery, corruption, malpractice, or maladministration? This is yet another huge waste of our time for all of the representatives who could be working to address the cost of housing, groceries and health care. This inquiry is clearly not about investigating inappropriate behavior, but about demonstrating that the majority party will seek out and punish those who disagree with them.
If we or our representatives are afraid to speak out for fear of reprisal, these actions are merely a tool to curtail our free speech. Are we, as citizens of the Live Free or Die state, so willing to give up the freedom to speak our minds? Even if you disagree with Ms. Liot Hill’s politics, telling your house representative to put an end to this frivolous impeachment inquiry is not a political statement, it’s taking stand to support our free speech as Granite Staters.